315: Food Grief: What Are You Actually Afraid of Losing?

What are we really afraid of losing when we change the way we eat?Sometimes it's the taste or smell of a favorite food. But often, the foods we worry about giving up are connected to something much bigger: a grandmother's recipe, a holiday table, a favorite place, a travel experience, or even our identity as someone who is adventurous, easygoing, or willing to eat anything.In this episode of Vedge Your Best, Michele explores the idea of food grief—the sense of loss that can come with developing a vegan or plant-based practice.Food carries an extraordinary amount of our lives with it. A smell can take us back to a kitchen we haven't stood in for decades. A cookie can mean Christmas. A bowl of soup can remind us of being cared for as a child. So when we change what's on our plate, it's understandable that it can feel as though we're changing something much bigger.But we don't have to rush to solve that feeling—or convince ourselves that nothing has been lost.Instead, we can get curious.In this episode:Why food grief isn't necessarily about missing the food itselfThe difference between missing a taste and missing the story surrounding itWhy being the person who “eats anything” can become part of our identityThe unexpected loss of being a low-maintenance guest or adventurous travelerWhy family recipes can feel like edible heirloomsWhat an old story about Grandma's roasting pan can teach us about traditionWhy we don't need to minimize what we're giving up to make a compelling case for what we're choosingHow we can experience food grief before we've actually given anything upWhy trying to solve the feeling too quickly can keep us from understanding itHow thinking of veganism as a practice gives us permission to learn as we goInstead of asking, “How do I convince myself I'm not losing anything?” try asking:What do I feel like I'm losing? What am I actually grieving?And once you understand that:What do I want to do?Sometimes we preserve the tradition and change the food. Sometimes we preserve the connection and change the ritual. Sometimes we find a wonderful substitute. And sometimes we simply acknowledge that something we valued is different now.That's not a failure of your plant-based practice.That's part of developing one.You know what to do, Just Vedge Your Best.Subscribe & Review:If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us grow and share the message of plant-based living with more listeners.For more information, to submit a question or topic, or to book a free 30 minute Coaching session visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠veganatanyage.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or email ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Music, Production, and Editing by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Charlie Weinshank⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. For inquiries email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Virtual Support Services: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://proadminme.com/⁠