Observed annually on the fourth Thursday in November—a day that’s known across the U.S as Thanksgiving—Turkey Free Thanksgiving is a holiday that supports people who choose not to eat turkey. Some people want to choose a turkey-free holiday because of animal rights concerns or because they’re vegan or vegetarian.

Other people might choose to celebrate this holiday because they feel that other main dishes such as ham or roast beef taste better. Regardless of why a person wants to eliminate turkeys from their day, one thing is crystal-clear: a lot of people are doing it.

Interesting Facts About Thanksgiving

Since this holiday is celebrated on Thanksgiving, let’s take a few moments to go over some of the interesting facts about this holiday that we’ve listed below.

• Americans eat over 700 million pounds of turkey every Thanksgiving.
• The busiest day of the year for plumbers is the day after this holiday.
• Native Americans not only used cranberries in various recipes, but they also used them to heal wounds.
• The most unpopular ingredient of a potential Thanksgiving meal is tofu.

Observing Turkey Free Thanksgiving

Celebrating Thanksgiving without a turkey isn’t all that difficult. There are a variety of other foods that can be substituted for it, depending on the reasons why the turkey is being eliminated in the first place. For someone who doesn’t consume animals, there are substitutes such as Sweet Potato & Chickpea cakes, Zucchini Verde Enchiladas, Veggie Burgers, or even Vegan Shepherd’s Pie.

For people who eat meat but don’t like turkey, there are options such as roast duck or chicken, a chuck roast, or even a spiral ham. And just about everyone can enjoy the traditional Thanksgiving sides such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, and of course, pie. And everyone should make sure they use the hashtag #TurkeyFreeThanksgiving on their social media accounts to let people know that they don’t have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving.