Gunning for Revolution with Vegan Cooking

Community meal prep with the Boston chapter of Food Not Bombs

A popular piece of pro-vegan paraphernalia reads “the revolution starts in the kitchen.” For one group of activists in Boston, this mantra does not just extend to moratoria on animal products and skillful meal prep, but a broader vision of liberation for all oppressed living things. Every Saturday morning, a collective of young adults gather in a community kitchen to cook bulk community meals, all made with vegan ingredients sourced from donations and scavenging. This is a savory precursor to revolution: this is the Boston chapter of Food Not Bombs.

“We’re a group that’s against oppression of any kind, especially systems of oppression and institutions of oppression. Animals, naturally, are victims of these systems.”

When I arrived around 9:30AM on a recent Saturday, water is already boiling for pasta, and a large stockpot is cooking a Bolognese of mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes, and lentils. On the periphery of the prep table, there are boxes stacked with donations of day-old bread and a la carte items from local chain eateries. I am quickly put to work chopping onions to add to the red sauce while a lanky young…