turnip vegan

201. Happiness, Freedom & Mushrooms with Todd Anderson of Turnip Vegan

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If you don’t already know Todd Anderson (@turnipvegan), then you’ll definitely want to listen to this podcast episode which is full of vegan advice, interesting stories, and new perspectives. 

Todd L. Anderson AKA Turnip Vegan, lives in San Diego, CA and co-owns Spoiled Vegan Cafe. He has one son and two beautiful granddaughters and is a full-time content creator, recipe creator, and videographer. Todd is inspired by the next generation and the freedom to decide what we put in our bodies. 

Todd has lived so many lives in his one life. He’s not only a content creator and recipe developer, but also a former hip hop artist, a part-time van lifer, and more. We start off the conversation talking about the idea that sparked the beginning of the opening of Spoiled Vegans Cafe (temporarily closed but will be opening again in a new location!). Todd shares his perspective on the vegan food scene in San Diego, and how it’s been great to see more restaurants with cultural influences opening. We also talk about the future of Spoiled Vegans, the plan to open up in a neighborhood that needs more plant-based options, and the exciting collaboration that will happen between the cafe and The Hamlet, a black-owned coffee shop in the area.

As you know from listening to the Brown Vegan Podcast, every single guest on the show has a different journey into veganism and different perspectives that come with it. I loved hearing about Todd’s 2-day Vegas hangover that ended up leading him accidentally into veganism. Todd tells me about the little moments throughout his life that over time allowed him to unlearn what he had been taught all of his life and start to take control of his food choices. You may have heard previous guests on the show talk about the one fact or thought that got to them and made them go vegan. Todd shares what it was that he heard that made him think completely differently about what he eats and why. The main reason he ended up going vegan? He felt he had been lied to by the food industry about what healthy eating really meant.

Todd has so much to say about finding happiness, being close to nature, and learning to grow into a life you love, and you’ll probably find some sort of inspiration throughout listening to this episode. It really has something for everyone.

In this podcast episode we talk about:

  • The start of Spoiled Vegans Cafe in San Diego, CA and how it all began with a Walmart waffle maker

  • How being a dog owner changed Todd’s perspective of why we eat some animals but not others

  • The freedom that comes with taking control of our food choices and unlearning the lies we’re fed by big industry

  • “If you can change what you eat, you can change your whole life.”

  • Part-time van life, being close to nature, and finding true self care

  • Challenging the idea that yoga, meditation, and veganism are ‘not for black people’

  • The excitement of VidCon

  • Content creation as storytelling and learning to tell a story in 15 seconds

  • Why relationship building is key to future opportunities and collaborations

  • Todd’s take on mock meats vs whole foods and why everyone needs to find their own path as a vegan

Connect with Todd:

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Pinterest

Resources Mentioned:

Spoiled Vegans Cafe

The Hamlett

VidCon

Lions Mane E-Book