— Sharon Bryant

Okay. So let me first say that I am not a full-time plant-based consumer all those certainly by far the majority of my dietary intake is plant-based. I think I can easily say, you know in in the in the mid 90% range. I'm enjoying plant-based foods and I certainly go for stretches of time when that's all I eat is plants of some sort or another but you know, I don't necessarily mind eating something from the animal kingdom ever so often, but I understand what you're saying. And so, you know, is it difficult? Yes, I think for many of it is for a couple of reasons one. I mentioned a few minutes ago, right culturally, especially in the United States or other sort of carnoscentric societies meat is very important psychologically and you know very often when we go to create a meal that is plant-based. We are thinking of that in a context of replicating the the meat based original so to speak and another was that that we also had meat on the mind if that's the place from which we're working. And so the psychological element is a big one and that's where we have to make that initial shift. To understand that a plant-based dish doesn't have to be in fact in my opinion shouldn't be this is just my own food culture a replica of a meat dish a plant-based dish can be just as flavorful and enjoyable. In its own, right? And doesn't need to be compared with a meat preparation. And so if we can disconnect those two psychologically, it really goes a long way in making life a lot easier. Okay? And that's also going to be related to the physiology. Okay, because so much of what we feel physically is triggered by our mental state and the mental state is that that emotional psychological piece that I just addressed and so once we think about a plant-based dish or a menu as as you know being as legitimate as as tasty and as a meat-based dish or menu that you might have grown up with then mentally we're at ease and then physically we are at ease and so I think that's the first step that one should consider if they're having some struggles with going plant-based 100% if that's your desire right or staying on that course, okay when it comes to Thanksgiving this is huge. Right. I mean Thanksgiving is full of symbolism and symbolism. That's symbology right is so important to people and you know, what's at the center of that that ideal? Picture of Thanksgiving right? It's it's a turkey right? It's this big hunk of meat and when we take that away all of a sudden, it seems like we don't have Thanksgiving because we're just left with these side dishes. All right. So again, the psychological piece there is to recognize that well, we can replace the turkey with some other. Preparation that can be a center of the table, right? It could be a main dish such as a plant-based moneycotti, right or some other maybe a casserole and it could be something else like cauliflower steaks. And I love that that particular assignment by the way that many of you will encounter in your in your courses. But the table is going to look different. And so you got to be okay with that as you make that transition and and then all those other side dishes right whether it's brussel sprouts or root vegetables or Cranberries or dressing or something else. I mean all those things are very enjoyable, right? And in fact, there are many people out there that the day after Thanksgiving enjoy those things even more than the turkey right? So think about that. Are you one of those people but nonetheless You know, it's it's a matter of allowing yourself to enjoy what you have. Rather than thinking about what you don't have. All right, and that can be applied to so many other areas in life. All right. So hope that helps. Thank you.