About this episode
This podcast is listener-supported. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.In this episode of Food for Thought, I explore the long, often-forgotten history of abstaining from meat during Advent and other Christian fasting periods, and how that tradition actually aligns beautifully with a modern vegan lifestyle.Drawing from my own Catholic upbringing, I look at how rites and rituals like Lent and Advent once emphasized simplicity, self-restraint, and giving up animal products, and how language, church rules, and holiday foods still carry traces of that history.I also invite listeners—religious or not—to consider their own version of conscious “fasting,” and I touch on traditional Advent/Christmas foods like Stollen that grew out of these practices.Here’s the video version of the introduction to the re-broadcast:In this episode, you’ll learn:* Historically, Christians spent more days not eating meat (and often other animal products) than eating it, especially around Lent and Advent.* The idea that being vegan is “incompatible” with culture or religion is new; religious abstinence from animal products is centuries old.* Words like “Carnival” (from carne levare – “remove meat”) and traditions like Meatfare/Cheesefare Sundays reflect this meatless history.* Advent used to be a serious season of fasting and abstinence, not just a time of treats, shopping, and countdown calendars.* Different Christian traditions (especially Eastern and Ethiopian Orthodox) still practice very strict, essentially vegan fasts for many days of the year.* Over time, church rules relaxed, and meat-eating became normalized and constant, while fasting became optional or symbolic.* You don’t have to be religious to embrace the spirit of fasting: you can choose to simplify your diet, give something up (like alcohol, sugar, eating out, or processed foods), and let the feast feel more meaningful at the end.* Many beloved holiday foods—like Stollen, fruitcake, and other Advent breads and sweets—arose from these traditions of fasting, scarcity, and then feasting.* Part 2 will dive into Christmas feasting and traditional foods tied to the 12 Days of Christmas and Twelfth Night.Support the PodcastTo keep Food for Thought Podcast ad-free and accessible to all, I rely on the support of paid subscribers. If you’re already one—thank you. If you’re not, please consider becoming one. None of the companies below sponsored this episode. They’re simply brands I personally use, love, and trust—which is why I agreed to be an affiliate.If you find this episode helpful, please consider giving it a like, share, comment, or restack. Remember Food
