Life is full of irony, isn’t it…???
I grew up eating Baskin Robbins ice cream. Many of us did. Ice cream was my favorite sweet treat.
John Robbins grew up eating more ice cream than most of us put together. Who is John Robbins? He’s the son of the Baskin Robbins ice cream empire co-founder. John has shared that his family had ice cream for breakfast lunch and dinner. His childhood home had an ice cream cone shaped swimming pool. And John Robbins was the heir to this fortune.
But John noticed that just about everyone in his family had health issues. Along the way, he learned about the negative effects of animal-based products on our health and the positive effects of a plant-based lifestyle. In time, he walked away from the financially lucrative but health harming ice cream business. Something must be glaringly problematic to walk away from that kind of fortune.
John Robbins is the author of many books including his 1987 bestseller Diet for a New America. I learned of this book from my friend, Amy, long after I was vegan. It was one of the seeds that sparked her vegan journey, as well as the journey of many others.
A few weeks ago, I was coaching a client who shared that her go-to treat was Baskin Robbins. I get it. I used to eat a ton of ice cream.
We discussed the irony that the heir to the Baskin Robins won’t even eat the product anymore. And if he was no longer eating ice cream, maybe it was time for us regular folk to take note.
It was a light bulb moment for both of us.
I do enjoy an occasional plant-based frozen treat. The operative word is occasional. Eating sugary, high fat foods is not health promoting. I just save them for special occasions. And they are always plant-based. Animals need not suffer for my dietary pleasure.
Having this discussion enabled us to have an open dialogue about choices, cravings, and alternatives.
I’m sure we will both have sweet treats again- including frozen confections. (And yes, Baskin Robbins does offer plant-based flavors.) Yet, we both came up with satisfying alternatives that enable us to reach our health goals without feeling deprived.
These days I find fruit or dates or a cup of tea rather satisfying. My client discovered bananas with nut butter as a special treat. It tastes decadent, yet it’s plant-based and (relatively) healthy.
I have found a good balance of healthy foods while not feeling deprived. This client is on her way too and it’s exciting to witness her joy in the discovery.
p.s. I’m not going to deny that the ice cream photo looks inviting. When I think of all the suffering in the dairy industry, however, my desire to eat dairy ice cream evaporates.