Ep. 300: Lucas McLawhorn - How This Teacher and Cancer Survivor is Feeding His Community with Plants

PLANTSTRONG Podcast

Rip Esselstyn

Health & Fitness, Alternative Health, Medicine, Nutrition

4.8 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 8 May 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this heartfelt and inspiring episode, Rip sits down with Lucas McLawhorn—educator, cancer survivor, and founder of the plant-based food truck Well Fed Ed.

Lucas shares his powerful story of transformation, from the classroom to the kitchen, driven by a deep desire to serve and educate his community through healthy, plant-based meals. He opens up about his battle with cancer, the life-changing role nutrition played in his recovery, and the family and cultural influences that shaped his approach to wellness.

Listeners will be moved by Lucas’s reflections on:

The intersection of education and nutrition
The challenges and triumphs of launching a food truck business
His decision to return to the U.S. after living in Switzerland
The joy of building community through food and service
His love for the people of Eastern North Carolina and the United States

This episode is a testament to the healing power of food and the importance of purpose-driven living. Whether you're passionate about plant-based eating, curious about food entrepreneurship, or simply in need of a little inspiration, Lucas’s story is sure to resonate.

Episode Resources

Episode Webpage

Watch the Episode on YouTube

Watch A Well Fed Education Documentary Film

Support the Mission of Well-Fed Ed

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Ray Besselston, and you're listening to the Plant Strong podcast.
0:05.0	As the saying goes, heroes don't always wear capes, but in the case of today's guest, they do have plant-based food trucks.
0:15.5	Today's episode takes us to the heart of eastern North Carolina, where you're going to meet Lucas McLaughorn, educator,
0:24.8	cancer survivor, and founder of well-fed ed. His soulful story is coming up right after these
0:32.5	words from Plansdrawn. These burger mixes have been a lifesaver.
0:40.3	We use them for burgers,
0:42.1	meatballs with mushroom gravy,
0:44.1	crumbles,
0:45.0	you name it.
0:46.4	They come together so fast
0:48.4	and feel so special.
0:51.3	That's a real review
0:52.6	from one of our Plansstrong customers, and I couldn't agree more.
0:57.1	Our oil-free protein-packed burger mixes are pantry-ready and easy to make. Whether you're
1:04.2	grilling, meal prepping, or craving comfort food, these burgers deliver every single time.
1:11.6	Stock up so you'll be ready for Memorial Day weekend at planstrong.com.
1:16.9	Once you've tried our burgers, you'll wonder how you ever live without them.
1:24.1	Lucas Mickalawhorn grew up in rural North Carolina and after two decades of teaching both in North
1:32.8	Carolina and abroad in Switzerland, a life-changing battle with cancer changed the trajectory of his life.
1:43.2	He's still an educator, no doubt about that. But today,
1:47.8	he educates people in his community through simple, vibrant, and delicious food with his food
1:54.2	truck, well-fed Ed. I was super inspired to talk to Lucas after I watched a 27-minute documentary film all about him,
	...

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