On Mother’s Day, we celebrate the women who brought us into the world, loved us, and cared for us unconditionally – even when we may have not deserved it. It’s a special holiday, and one that we should always remember to make all about our mothers and what they enjoy. For some families, this means celebrating their mothers in ways that align with their vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Here are some ways to show your vegan/vegetarian mom some love this Mother’s Day.
Make it all about gardening
When it comes to hobbies that mesh with the vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, few are more enriching than gardening. One of the main tenets of veganism is striving to reduce one’s ecological footprint, and growing your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs is one of the top ways you can do this. If your mother already keeps a garden, you can spend Mother’s Day helping her weed, plant, or rearrange. If your mom wants more wildlife in her garden, you can spend the day installing garden items that will help her attract more wildlife – birds, butterflies, bees, and other insects.
If your mother has space for a garden but hasn’t made the move to start one up, you can make Mother’s Day all about helping her get started. Get your hands dirty. Get outside and help her dig out a plot, purchase starter plants for her, and help her lay down weed barriers. You can’t do it all for her on Mother’s Day, but you can give her the gift of a beginner’s garden. This is the type of gift that your vegan/vegetarian mother can enjoy for years and years to come.
Make it all about the feast
What’s a celebration without a family feast? This Mother’s Day, make a point to plan and execute the best vegan or vegetarian meal for the entire family.
For many families, the biggest meal of Mother’s Day isn’t dinner like other celebrations – it’s brunch. Mother’s day brunch is a tradition in many families, and it’s very easy to cook a great vegan or vegetarian brunch for mom (and everyone else in the family). Eggs can be substituted with tofu for scrambles, quiches, or omelettes. Springtime favorites like deviled eggs can be replaced with deviled tomatoes, and your vegan mom will likely love the many sweet items (like pancakes, waffles, and muffins) that easily fit into the vegan recipe book. Here is a great list of vegan Mother’s Day recipes, all with a springtime feel.
Make it all about giving to a great cause
Instead of giving your mom a Mother’s Day present, think about how you could better use that money to benefit a cause that’s near and dear to her heart.
One such charity is Mercy for Animals, which “believes that a humane society is possible and are committed to reducing the greatest amount of suffering for the largest number of animals.” The focus of their outreach deals with abused farm animals.
There are a variety of vegan-friendly charities that focus on the treatment of animals in other fields, as well, including those against animal participation in sports and inhumane treatment of animals in scientific research. Talk to your mother beforehand, see where her heart lies, and make a donation to a charity in her name.
If your mother practices a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle, it’s likely that it is very important to her. It takes a lot of sacrifice to give up animal products, and most don’t come to the decision lightly. That’s why, as her child, it’s important that you connect her Mother’s Day celebration with what she really cares about.