Taking Veganism to the Grave: Tips for Planning a Vegan-Friendly Funeral

If you or a loved one has devoted your life to veganism, those beliefs and lifestyle choices can be mirrored in your funeral as well. From how you dispose of the body to the foods you serve at the wake, there are multiple ways to be vegan friendly at a funeral.

Whether you are a vegan creating a preneed (a preplanned funeral) for yourself or a loved one creating a funeral for a vegan, here are five ideas to consider:

1. Preserving the body

Traditionally, people like to preserve the body so they have a larger window of time for grieving. Traditional preservation methods such as embalming allow the body to be preserved so that the funeral can be scheduled several days or even a week or more after the death, allowing friends and family from far flung places to make it to the funeral.

However, embalming uses formaldehyde which can ultimately get into the soil and water table, hurting animals. Instead, opt for a timely funeral or wake so your body doesn't have to be preserved and use refrigeration or dry ice as chemical-free preservation methods.

2. Choosing the coffin

When choosing the coffin, stay away from exotic or endangered woods. Cutting these woods to make coffins takes natural habitats from creatures. Instead, consider a coffin made of locally sourced timber, a biodegradable cardboard box or a simple shroud.

3. Burying the body

If you opt for a natural burial, it allows your body to decompose naturally back into the earth, where it can ultimately help plants that nourish animals to grow. Look for a place that allows natural burials.

Many natural burial sites provide the survivors with a place to visit the body, but as they are natural areas, they also provide animals with a place to live.

4. Marking the plot

Instead of a stone marker, opt for a natural marker. A tree or a bush provides a calming memorial for survivors while also creating a habitat for birds or other creatures.

5. Feeding the grievers

If possible, try to honor the beliefs of the deceased by planning a reception full of vegan food. If you are planning your own funeral, talk with friends about your wishes, and if you are planning a funeral for a loved one, try to find a vegan caterer or other family members who are willing to cook vegan food.

In many cases, the friends of the deceased may be vegan and may prefer those foods, and in other cases, an all vegan menu is a great way to introduce loved ones to the dietary lifestyle of the person who has departed.

If you need any help planning your funeral or the funeral of a loved one, don't hesitate to take your questions and ideas to a local funeral home like Chapel of the Holy Family.