Hrmm…I wanted a heart symbol in the title, but I really hate it when people use the word heart as a verb, so I’ll just stick with love.
I was talking with a vegan friend the other day and we both realized that we love food so much more than we did when we ate meat. I’ve been through various stages where I really just hated thinking about food. I had few things I really enjoyed eating, and so many of my meals seemed to make me feel sick or just grossly full afterwards. And then I would get hungry a few hours later and have to do it all over again. I used to wish I could just take a pill or an energy drink or something and never have to eat again.
I also thought of myself as a very picky eater. My extended family could never remember which type of meat I would or would not eat; I was always worried a baby chicken would fall out of an egg I cracked; I never drank soda; I didn’t like overly sweet things like donuts and cupcakes…the list goes on. I always felt a little guilty for being so particular–it seemed to be a terrible fault of mine.
But now I feel like a completely different person: I will basically eat (or at least try!) anything that’s vegan. And I like–and often love–almost all the dishes I eat. My “pickyness” no longer seems arbitrary or annoying, and the things I will and won’t eat are very simple: anything without animal products in it. (Also, very little junk food, and that’s not because I’m terrified of fat–it really just grosses me out.) I’ve realized that being sensitive about what I eat is definitely not a fault, and it has really expanded my perspective of both myself and the world.
Not only do I feel more at peace with myself now that I have a simple and logical explanation for what I eat, but I really just love food in general. I daydream about cooking, I love finding recipes, and walking down the produce aisle is totally mesmerizing. This love of food, this feeling that eating is a wonderful joy rather than a bothersome duty, is totally new to me, and it’s so refreshing to think back to the days when I hated food and see how much I have changed. Yay for plants!
Hi, Carynne! I found your website through the Compassionate Cooks message board. (I’m jessacita; I just started posting a few days ago, so you may not have noticed me yet!) Anyhoo, I read your post on your frustration with dining amongst meat eaters & I have a lot to say regarding that topic (I totally feel your pain!). I just have to brainstorm to figure out how to say what I feel/think in my head…
This post rings SO true with me! I remember always feeling guilty when I ate meat, but until I was a teenager, I really didn’t know there was any other practical way to be “healthy.” I was an on- and off-again vegetarian since the age of 11 or so, but eventually, I’d always end up just eating what my family made because, well… That’s what most kids do! (Plus, I didn’t know how to cook for myself that young.)
Now that I am vegan, I truly take joy in my meals. I love shopping for the ingredients, choosing the recipe, preparing the food, arranging it on the plate, serving friends & family, and digging in! I no longer need to feel guilt or regret each time I put food in my mouth. Meals are meant to be celebrated, and I really feel that with a vegan lifestyle! It’s also so fun & rewarding to experiment with new foods.
I always think it’s funny when my omni friends say things like, “Oh, you choose the restaurant. YOU’RE the picky one!” While I appreciate their consideration for taking my dietary choices into account, I’d hardly call myself picky. Just get me in a restaurant with decent veg options & I’ll try something new every time!!
How many omnis do you know that make quinoa a regular staple of their diet? How about beets, star fruit, kumquats, kale, rainbow chard, coconut milk, chickpeas, etc.?!
Sorry for such a long comment, but this post REALLY hit home for me!
P.S. I also LOATHE when people use “heart” as a verb! I “LOL”d when I read that here because it’s SO popular nowadays! I cringe each & every time. Yuck! I’m glad I have a comrade to hate that expression with!