Looking back and feeding forward: An analysis of food nostalgia on meat eaters' attitudes toward transitioning to a vegan lifestyle

Abstract

The study explores food nostalgia as a barrier to adopting a vegan lifestyle. Through 24 semi-structured interviews with regular meat consumers, analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, findings highlighted participants' emotional connections to food memories during cultural gatherings. Initially, these memories posed a barrier to considering change, but after a thought exercise, most participants viewed the dietary change positively, seeing it as a chance for culinary exploration. Social support from friends was more accessible than from family, suggesting that accommodating diverse dietary preferences can reduce social isolation. Surprisingly, participants' nostalgic attachments were more about shared social experiences than specific foods. Understanding food nostalgia can aid public health and vegan advocacy by addressing nostalgia-driven resistance to plant-based diets. Recreating nostalgic dishes with vegan ingredients has the potential to facilitate the transition to a vegan lifestyle by creating novel, nevertheless, equally meaningful memories while preserving cultural traditions.