For many Americans, Thanksgiving is a time to kick back, watch football, and eat heaping plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, and other hearty holiday staples. But if you don’t eat meat or animal products, a holiday centered around a big turkey can be a strange and stressful time. Navigating thanksgiving as a vegan may leave you feeling hungry or alienated. A recent Gallup poll found that 3 percent of Americans self-identify as vegans.