Easter Eggs

People tend to experience a certain amount of shock at the idea that vegans don’t eat eggs at Easter. The implication is that we can’t eat in such a way that reflects our values of compassion and honors tradition at the same time – as if these two things are mutually exclusive.

The bottom line is our holiday foods and rituals are often symbols for something much deeper. In being attached to the form (turkeys at Thanksgiving, eggs at Eastertime), we risk losing the true meaning of whatever it is we are celebrating or honoring. If we uncover the meanings of these symbols, we find that a plant-based menu better reflects the values and significance of these holidays.

A more authentic and consistent—and compassionate—symbol for spring would be a flower bulb or vegetable seeds or a tree. In fact, they are MORE than just a symbol in that they really do hold (and deliver!) the promise of a flower or vegetables or leaves and fruit. What better way for our children to understand the processes of nature—that with tenderness, attention, and water—there is a beautiful (and even edible) outcome.