10 Vegan Ways to Get Your Mardi Gras On

Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, and the carnival celebration, dates back thousands of years and marks the final day of feasting and celebration before the fasting, prayer, and moderation of Lent. Many historians say the first American Mardi Gras was on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Bienville and Iberville landed in Louisiana. The first recorded New Orleans Carnival parade took place in 1827, when people in colorful costumes danced through the streets.

Now, that parade has become an annual staple in New Orleans, and the rest of the U.S. celebrates with parties and feasts. Though many famous Creole and New Orleans dishes contain meat, there are several ways to celebrate Mardi Gras on a plant-based lifestyle. Here are 10 plant-based ways to get your Mardi Gras on!

1. Bake a dairy-free King’s Cake

Being vegan doesn’t mean giving up delicious holiday traditions such as eating the Mardi Gras King’s Cake. A vegan version calls for soy milk, margarine, active yeast, sugar, and other ingredients. Instead of placing a plastic toy inside the cake, try using a dried bean as a symbol.