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A Love Letter to Taco Bell, From a Beginning Vegan
“I am absolutely in love with you, Taco Bell.”
I guess to start this out, I should say that I have no idea what I would do without you. I know it seems like I’m coming on too strong, and maybe I am. I’ve made no secret of how much I’ve adored you for the last several years, but watching you grow with me this year during one of the biggest changes of my life, I am awed even more by your depth, by your generosity, and by how effortlessly you’ve adapted to the new me.
I am absolutely in love with you, Taco Bell. And as a new vegan, that’s more true than it’s ever been.
When I first went vegan, I was lost. I had given up a lot of the comfort foods I was used to, and I would find myself wandering the frozen food aisles, saying “yes” to whatever pre-made vegan meal cast a friendly glance in my direction. When I went out to lunch with friends, I’d find myself staring dejectedly at a plate of Cheddars fries or onion rings, knowing that there must be somewhere better for me. Somewhere that would be willing to change for me, and with me. Somewhere that was open to multiple ingredient substitutions.
I worried that my new dietary saga would be a lonely one: memorizing ingredient labels and speculatively pinning vegan recipes to a new Pinterest board. That eating in a way that didn’t ask animals to pay the price too high for me to ignore would mean staying home or staying hungry. Out-of-town trips to visit friends were fraught with a new uncertainty. I didn’t want them to feel they had to change just because I had, and I began to fear that this new way of life would be a solitary one.
But then, there was you. My fast food first love, the brand name that my own brand had been built around. You had been too kind to me over the years — your convenience, your willingness to be there for me at almost any hour of the day (with the exception of 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. in most locations). You made things affordable and simple in a life full of chaos and ever-changing plans. You held an endless array of choices and you were patient and generous with even the pickiest eaters. And I know you noticed me too. With every new marketing campaign, you must have seen my name tagged in countless comments from friends and family who saw the words…
