Thanksgiving has evolved. The traditional family holiday with a turkey dinner doesn't have to involve family or turkey.
The term Friendsgiving didn't come around until 2007 and grew partly because of recession and the migration of young people to big cities, according to Amy Adamczyk, a professor of sociology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York.
"This holiday comes around and maybe they don't have jobs or they can't get a lot of time off of work or don't have a lot of money to travel home," she said. "So they get together with their friends and they say OK, Friendsgiving. And in some cases, not only is it more economically feasible because you don't have to travel, but it might even be a little bit more fun depending on who your friends are."
And 6% of U.S. consumers are vegan.
"Plant based diets are becoming kind of the new normal or as people are becoming omnivores," said Armando Turco, North America executive director of brand and creative for Oatly, which has started a vegan hotline to help plant eaters navigate traditional Thanksgiving dinners.
"Certainly there are more options available and we actually hear a lot excitement from our fans and followers," Turco said.
- Amy Adamczyk, professor of sociology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at City University of New York
- Armando Turco, North America Executive Director of Brand and Creative for Oatly
