Animal-Friendly Idioms
Language shapes how we think. Since we put so much effort into keeping things plant-based in the kitchen, it makes sense to extend a little of that same energy to our everyday phrases.
Many of our most common idioms are surprisingly grim when you actually stop to think about them. This page is a growing reference guide for modernizing those old sayings. It's a fun, simple way to align the way we speak with a certain kindness.
Editor's Note: While a certain Trailer Park Boy might argue the best alternative is "get two birds stoned at once", we're going to stick to baked goods and produce and such to keep this a bit more universally accessible.
The Phrases
New "Feed two birds with one scone"
Replaces "Kill two birds with one stone"
Meaning Accomplish two things with one action
New "Feed a fed horse"
Replaces "Beat a dead horse"
Meaning Try to make something happen that has no chance of happening
New "Open Pandora’s box"
Replaces "Open a can of worms"
Meaning Create a situation that will cause problems
New "Take the flower by the thorns"
Replaces "Take the bull by the horns"
Meaning Handle a problem fearlessly
New "Put all your berries in one bowl"
Replaces "Put all your eggs in one basket"
Meaning Bet everything on one possibility
New "Packed in like pickles"
Replaces "Packed in like sardines"
Meaning Positioned tightly together
New "Walk on broken glass"
Replaces "Walk on eggshells"
Meaning Be careful not to offend someone
New "Out chasing rainbows"
Replaces "On a wild goose chase"
Meaning Looking everywhere for something that can’t be found
New "Cry over burnt toast"
Replaces "Cry over spilled milk"
Meaning Be upset about something that has already happened and can’t be changed
New "More than one way to peel a potato"
Replaces "More than one way to skin a cat"
Meaning More than one way to complete a task
New "The world is your garden"
Replaces "The world is your oyster"
Meaning You have the ability to achieve anything you want in life
New "Don’t count your sprouts before they sprout"
Replaces "Don’t count your chickens before they hatch"
Meaning Don’t assume something will happen before it does
New "You can't unbake a cake"
Replaces "You can't unscramble an egg"
Meaning You can’t undo something that has already been done
Have a great phrase that belongs here? Reach out and let me know so we can keep growing the list.