Vegetarian Thanksgiving ideas: St. Cloud-area stores help holiday shoppers explore options

Though Thanksgiving is traditionally a meat-heavy meal, Americans are increasingly seeking out ways to provide more plant-based options at the table, and some St. Cloud-area stores are trying to help make this transition easier.

Alternative grocery store options like Minnesota Street Market in St. Joseph or Good Earth Food Co-op in St. Cloud are encouraging customers to try plant-based dishes this Thanksgiving. Both stores have noticed an uptick in the number of customers seeking plant-based options or asking employees for help brainstorming.

Nationally, 29% of Americans plan to have plant-based options at Thanksgiving this year, according to a survey from advertising service NC Solutions. People are incorporating dishes like cauliflower wings and lentil shepherd’s pie, and 20% plan to serve vegan stuffing. However, the survey also found that 1 in 3 think dietary preferences make it too difficult to host events with food.

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Minnesota Street Market

While Minnesota Street Market is selling locally sourced turkeys for a traditional meal, it is also offering vegetables that can serve as good meat substitutes, such as squash, cauliflower or mushrooms.

Employee Will Laakkonen said the vegetables can help both the store and its customers save money, as it is cheaper than buying and stocking items like Tofurky, meant to mimic the taste of turkey.

“You can get (Tofurky products) everywhere, and they’re also very expensive for us to purchase,” he said. “It’s not sustainable for us to have them after the season is over.”

When customers buy veggies to cook as meat substitutes, the store also sends them home with recipe cards and cooking instructions, Laakkonen said.

Good Earth Food Co-op

Meanwhile, Good Earth Food Co-op stocks Tofurky, as well as several other tofu and meat substitute items like the Field Roast brand. Both stores also sell several non-dairy milk, cream and butter alternatives, which can be helpful for cooking dishes like mashed potatoes.

Customers also can make dishes out of soy products, like tofu or tempeh, and all types of beans.

Alice Valentine, who works at Good Earth, is a vegan and said she and other employees are always excited to help customers find ways to make their holiday meals less meat-heavy.

“Here especially, we’ve got the community aspect that other places don’t,” she said.

Some of the common motivations Valentine hears from customers wanting to explore vegan or vegetarian options is that it is perceived as healthier, could improve energy levels or is more humane.

Meat consumption can also have a large environmental impact, with Thanksgiving meals in Minnesota having a footprint of 41.1 pounds of carbon dioxide, according to a study from Carnegie Mellon University.

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Fresh Thyme Market, Coburn’s Marketplace

Fresh Thyme Market also carries vegetarian options, as does Coburn’s Marketplace.

This year, Valentine said she has seen some increased interest in the store’s expanded plant-based Thanksgiving options, with items getting “picked over.”

However, many people may still feel nervous about trying some of those items or using them in a recipe, but she said now can be a good chance to try again.

“If it’s been a while since you’ve given things a try, like plant-based cheese or dairy or whatever it is, maybe give it another try and see what you think,” Valentine said. “Try using it in a recipe that you would normally use something else in, because it improves.”

Teagan King covers business and development for the St. Cloud Times. She can be reached at teking@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Vegetarian Thanksgiving ideas: St. Cloud grocery stores offer options

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