Here at Sustainable Food Center, we know that food inspires and transforms lives. In the spirit of honoring those experiences, we are collecting food stories from folks around the community. In celebration of spring, fresh vegetables, and new beginnings, here is Justin’s story:

Justin was born and raised in Austin on his mom’s cooking. Like many of us, he ate a lot of processed and junk foods as a kid, “I grew up with the mentality that food was a process where you can just go into a line and spend some money and buy it.” When he was in his early twenties, he began to rethink his relationship to food; he was turned off by the industrial meat system and became vegetarian. He went on a journey to try to incorporate more vegetables in his life, “it made me more creative in the kitchen and sparked an interest in creating new things.” He started looking into raw foods, Farmers’ Markets, juicing. Justin says that now he feels clearer, lighter, cleaner, and more alive. He feels more connected to the earth around him and his environment, especially since he’s buying locally grown food. “My relationship with food has been one of healing, one of growth.” He sees that relationship as mirroring how plants actually grow. He planted a seed of wanting to live and eat better, “and it’s been growing into a beautiful plant.” How does it feel to find what works for you? “I feel so good.”

If you have a food story you’d like to share, please e-mail carolina@sustainablefoodcenter.org