Travis Barker has opened up about his choice to go vegan.
Barker recalled that he used to hide meat served to him in his pockets as a child before becoming a vegetarian at 13.
Travis Barker became vegetarian at 13 and transitioned to veganism years later
“I remember clearly sitting at Thanksgiving dinner and telling my dad I don’t eat meat anymore,” Barker told People. Barker revealed his vegan roots while discussing his longtime work as an animal advocate with nonprofit Humane World for Animals. Barker also stars in a new campaign for the organization. In it, he encourages people to make small changes that can benefit animals.
The Blink-182 drummer revealed that he had developed a habit of stuffing the meat served to him into his pockets. He told People, “I had a very strict father growing up, and you had to eat everything on your plate before you left the dinner table.” He added, “So I’d be there for hours sometimes — till I figured out I could hide all of the meat in my pockets.”
The drummer, however, was eventually caught by his mother. “I got caught eventually. My mom was like, ‘Why is there always ham in your pocket? Why is there always chicken in your pocket?’”
Once Barker understood the connection between animals and the meat he was eating, he made his decision. “As a kid, I didn’t know I was eating pig or I was eating a cow,” he said, adding, “Once I figured out both of those things, it was done. I remember clearly sitting at Thanksgiving dinner and telling my dad I don’t eat meat anymore. That was the beginning of me making plant-based meals in my house.”
Barker also revealed that his son, Rocky Thirteen Barker, 2, has joined him in eating cruelty-free foods. However, Barker said he does not force or preach veganism to anyone.
Today, Barker promotes cruelty-free alternatives through his vegan health brand Barker Wellness and his vegan cannabis brand, Barker Canna.
