Happy Thanksgiving Day

To all the people reading this blog, Happy Thanksgiving. Let's make this holiday a reminder of what we truly mean to each other and for what we are truly happy. Stay in touch with your friends and family and don't forget to keep your pets warm and safely indoors.

Here are a few ways you can make your Thanksgiving different, green and why not try vegetarian?

Vegetarian Thanksgiving Menu from theveggietable.com

American Thanksgiving dinner, with its traditional turkey as the main course, can be difficult for vegetarians. Here are some ideas to mix and match for your vegetarian Thanksgiving menu, from appetizers to dessert.

Vegetarian Appetizers

Autumn Salad
Or fall salad, if you prefer. A colorful and flavorful salad to enjoy when the weather changes and the leaves begin to fall.

Crudités
A platter of crudités typically consists one or more types of raw vegetables served with one or more dips. These can be served as an appetizer, at a buffet, in place of a salad - the sky is the limit. Here are some ideas for interesting crudité platters.

Green Thanksgiving Ideas: 4 Eco Tips To Celebrate Thanksgiving by Jamie Jefferson

1. Shop locally and with reusable bags

If you’ve made a habit of ordering a turkey from a company far away, or even shopping for conventional produce for your Thanksgiving dinner, it’s time to make a change. Shop at the local farmer’s market or ask if your supermarket carries locally grown food.

Making food from what is available is what Thanksgiving used to be all about. Take advantage of your county’s local harvest for your menu, and you’ll be supporting the local economy. Be sure to use reusable bags for any of your shopping.

2. Set an eco-friendly table

Thanksgiving dinner is a time when you’re serving more people than you normally would. That means you’ll need more dishes. The best option, to save on waste, would be to use regular dishes that will be washed after the meal.

If you don’t have enough place settings for your guests, ask a neighbor, a friend or one of your Thanksgiving guests to borrow some dishes. Or consider buying second hand dishes so that you can reuse what someone else has previously used.

You can find second hand dishes at thrift stores or on eBay. If you must use paper plates, napkins or cups, make sure that you use those made from recycled materials.