Dear Vegetarians,
The difference between vegetarian and vegan may seem insignificant to you. Is there much of a difference?
Vegetarian, vegan—it doesn’t matter. We’re all doing our part to reduce the exploitation of animals.
I hear you—and I have a lot of respect for you.
There was a time when I thought vegetarianism was extreme.
Growing up, I only had one vegetarian friend and I thought he was missing out on things all the time.
But he stayed strong to his values. I never saw him fold. When we were flipping meat on the barbecue, he would bring his vegetarian patties.
He never wanted to cause an inconvenience. It was admirable.
Then in August 2014, seemingly at random, I became vegan. I literally went from eating a chicken kebab to being vegan.
I didn’t transition gradually—and I never considered being vegetarian before going all the way to veganism. Not to say that this is the right path to veganism as we all have different origin stories.
After making the connection between my consumption habits and the unnecessary exploitation of animals, my heart saw only one option—go vegan.
When I told my vegetarian friend I was vegan, he was proud of me. But even after being vegetarian for many years, he admittedly thought a vegan lifestyle was extreme. How ironic!
I found the interaction confusing. And then I thought the vegetarian movement was confusing.
I don’t spend much time in vegetarian communities outside of seeing the reference of V and VG on restaurant menus.
But I do have some opinions I want to share with you about the difference between vegetarian and vegan, and more importantly, why it matters.
So what is the difference between vegetarian and vegan?
The best way to understand the difference between vegetarian and vegan is to see how their requirements compare.
As a vegetarian, no doubt, you already understand the differences. But here’s a quick refresher:
A vegetarian is someone who avoids consuming meat, poultry and fish or any animal flesh. This also extends to insects. Vegetarians do, however, consume dairy, eggs, honey and are more open to supporting products that are made from animal fabrics.
Conversely, a vegan is someone that avoids consuming anything that comes from an animal. This would include meat, poultry, fish, insects, dairy, eggs and honey. Veganism extends beyond food, as they also avoid products made from animal fabrics including leather, silk and wool.
It’s common for both vegetarians and vegans to reasonably avoid forms of animal entertainment like zoos, animal rides, racing, circuses and fighting.
Another overlap between vegetarians and vegans include avoiding products that are tested on animals.
I think it’s interesting to note that vegetarianism as a concept came before veganism. In fact, the word vegan was made by taking the first three letters and the last two letters from the word vegetarian.
If you want to learn more, you can read my post on the definition of veganism.
So to summarise, the fundamental difference between vegetarian and vegan comes down to the consumption of:
- Dairy (milk, cheese, cream, yoghurt etc)
- Eggs
- Honey
- Animal Skins
- Consumer goods made with ingredients from dairy and honey, e.g. cosmetics
Again, you knew this already. But at least we’ve isolated our differences, which will fuel the rest of this letter.
Read more: 12 Types of Vegans and Vegetarians Explained
What’s more popular, vegetarian or vegan?
Okay, if you haven’t seen this already, check out a Wikipedia page called Vegetarians by country.
The article is regularly updated with statistics on the population of vegetarians and vegans across different countries.
Sample sizes and references for each country vary greatly, but at least it starts to give us an idea of the growth in both lifestyles.
Let’s take the United States, for example. According to a poll conducted in 2018, 8% of the population was vegetarian, and 3% were vegan.
As you look at the statistics of each country, it’s clear that vegetarianism is consistently two to three times more popular than veganism.
This is unsurprising as vegetarianism has been around much longer than veganism.
Furthermore, there are not as many restrictions, making vegetarianism more approachable and accessible than veganism.
Thank you, vegetarians
Before I explain why I think our differences matter much more than you probably think, I want to take a moment to thank you.
Thank you for being the original animal advocates, at least by an official term—as some humans have unknowingly been vegetarian from the beginning of our existence.
I want to thank you for your passion for promoting an alternative way of living. Your efforts have changed the supply and demand of all of the cruelty-free products we have access to now.
Lastly, thank you for being courageous and removing animal flesh from your diet.
But now you need some tough love.
You need to take the next step
There are gaps in your philosophy that need addressing.
I’m frustrated with you more than omnivores because I know you know all of this stuff.
You’re acutely aware and connected with the impacts of dairy, eggs, honey and fabrics, yet you’re stalling.
Why?
You’re almost there. I mean, you are the original. You were pushing for vegetarianism when there weren’t even any labels on packets to help you.
I’d argue that you had to fight harder than vegans in your time.
But now? Come on. We have an abundance of alternative options.
And the thing is, I know you think about this often. You ask yourself, “could I really be vegan?”
The answer is a resounding YES!
In the next part of this letter, I’m going to explain why you need to act on what you already know.
The problem with dairy
The dairy products you love dearly, including milk, cheese and cream are made from the milk of animals.
Milk can be produced from:
- Camels
- Goats
- Yaks
- Buffalos
- Horses
- Donkeys
- Zebus
- Sheep
- Cows
- Humans
- Cockroaches, yes cockroaches!
However, according to this article, 85% of the milk that’s created for dairy comes from cows. So let’s talk about cows for a moment.
Dairy cows are a specific breed of cow that produces a certain type of milk. From the age of two, these animals start their careers as dairy cows.
Like any mammal (including humans), to produce milk, you need to have given birth. So either organically or forcibly, farmers impregnate these cows in 14-month cycles.
The cycle looks something like this:
- Give birth
- Produce milk for ten months until parched
- Take a 60-day break
- Forced to mate or get artificially inseminated
- Start the process again
- Do this for four years, then get sent off for the slaughter of beef, leather etc.
The average lifespan of a cow is 18-22 years. However, the average lifespan of a dairy cow is 4-6 years.
Calves of the dairy cow are considered to be “waste products” as they’re unable to grow at the same rate as beef calves. And their meat is substandard according to the beef industry.
So often, only after a couple of days of living, these calves are sent to the abattoir for slaughter.
Read more: Cruelty-Free Milk Explained: Ranking The Worst To The Best
Okay, I feel like I’m going all vegan on you when I realise, I’m preaching to the choir.
But what I don’t understand is why you’re comfortable supporting an industry that is just as cruel if not crueller than the beef industry?
Especially when it’s never been easier to get alternative products. This is an easy win if you just make the switch. There are more alternatives out there now than ever before!
Read more: I Love Animals But I Could Never Give Up {Insert Blank}
The problem with eggs
Like you, I used to love eggs. Like I really love eggs.
I’d have eggs any time of the day whether it was fried, boiled, poached. Runny or well done. Oh, and how could I forget? Eggs were an essential ingredient for baking cakes!
Between Maša and I, we’d go through two cartons of eggs each week. You read that right. We were running quite the eggy operation.
However, we only used to buy organic and free-range products because we cared about how hens lived.
Having said all of that, even eating leftover eggs from your backyard chicken is unethical.
Again I know you know this, but unlike dairy, I’d say you’re willing to fight a little harder to defend your consumption of eggs.
Even though the rate of laying eggs from farmed or backyard chickens means a reduced life expectancy for hens, it’s easier to justify consuming eggs.
This is not to mention all of the male chicks who get ruthlessly discarded at birth because they have no commercial value.
You’ve seen the footage of these chicks getting ground up. You understand that every egg you buy or consume promotes exploitative practices. But you choose to turn a blind eye.
Take it from someone that loves eggs. When you give them up, you’ll quickly become disgusted by them.
Even when I ate eggs, I hated dealing with them. The smell, getting bits of the shell stuck in your food. Or hold blocking my nose as I’d drink eggs white raw after watching Sylvester Stallone do it in his famous Rocky movies.
You’ll honestly be surprised at how quickly you’ll forget about eggs. You can do it!
The problem with honey
Okay, this is where things get a little more challenging.
I can’t blame you for consuming honey, because it’s even confusing amongst vegans.
We wrote a whole post on this very topic—so I suggest you check it out.
But fundamentally, honey is not for human consumption. Honey is for the bees that produce it.
If you are stubborn about eggs, I can easily imagine you rejecting the premise of boycotting honey in your life.
The thing is because you’re used to shopping for cruelty-free products you’re probably more aware of alternative sweeteners than the other 90% of the population who are not in our vegetarian/vegan bubble.
I get it. I enjoyed honey. My favourite combination growing up was honey and peanut butter on bread.
Do you know what my favourite combination is now? Maple and peanut butter sandwiches. I don’t even think about how I wish I had honey instead of maple.
Once you finish the rest of the honey in your house, this is an incredibly easy switch.
The problem with animal fabrics
It’s common knowledge that leather, wool, feathers and silk are fabrics made from animals.
Perhaps you haven’t seen these products to be a problem, as the fabrics are promoted as a by-product of the meat industry.
Animal fabrics, however, are not by-products, but co-products of meat as they make up a decent percentage of profits from these animals.
In some instances, like silk and exotic leathers; the only reason to exploit these animal materials is for the fabric industry.
For example, snakes and alligators are explicitly hunted for their skin to produce leather.
When you support leather, you’re supporting the trappers that go out at 3 a.m. and kill and skin wildlife to earn their keep.
How are these actions anything but cruel? Now I’m not saying that every vegetarian in the world supports the animal fabric industry, but it’s an area that’s often overlooked.
Luckily there are lots of innovative alternative fabrics being made all the time, especially in fashion.
So, what’s the hold-up?
You don’t eat meat. You don’t support animal entertainment and testing. And you probably care about the environment.
Remember, vegetarianism is two to three times more popular than veganism.
Think about the impact you could have on animals if you switched over to veganism. It’s a tangible and realistic goal, considering how closely related the lifestyles are.
Yet, you resist becoming vegan. You’re almost there. I mean you’ve done the hardest part of eliminating meat from your diet!
So I write this letter to you to ask why.
Why don’t you become vegan? I think we’ve established throughout this post that you’re not ignorant to what’s going on. So if it’s not that, what is it?
Respond to this letter in the comments section below.
PS – please know that this letter comes from a place of love. I acknowledge that being vegetarian is still a far better alternative than eating animal flesh. So whether you decide to go vegan or not, thank you for being considerate.
Thanks for your views. I come from a rural part of India. Our state/region is mostly vegetarian because Jainism was around for long time. Jainism is a religion which has special diet, different than vegan and vegetarian. In western world dairy is related to the animal cruelty. Same goes for leather and other animal products. However it’s not the case with our dairy producing state. We love our animals like our own family members. Their happiness is connected with our happiness. And they have much bigger space to live than apartments here in Europe. To understand that special bond with animals one need to live with them, play with them and be around them. To cut the story short. I personally believe right vegetarianism is much better since it’s morally correct and promotes organic farming and happy lives. There is a lot to write in this direction however it is not something one can not understand by simply reading. One needs to feel it by living that life with those values. Even my vegetarian friends from urban India can’t feel what I feel, western world is completely different story.
PS: eggs are not part of vegetarian diet. (in our definition)
Thanks for your letter. Some of us are trying. I don’t loose the faith. I try to go vegan as much as I can but sometimes I cannot resist to have Spanish Omelette, or poached eggs in some ramen. I stopped to buy at home but still consume outside home, which is a good step. Same with dairy, rarely consume but sometimes I get an Italian gelato or some chocolate, but not at home. Regarding honey, I love it, I switched to other fruit sweeteners and maple and I was happy with it but finally I removed like sugar for sweeten drinks and I’m using canela for my coffee or cacao, really good alternative.
Step by step I think we will get there.
we must move forward and away from cruelty, animals have never done to humans what humans have done to them, humans are the cruelest life forms on the earth, any human dominance over the vulnerable is sickening, vegans see the suffering and want it to stop, as long as we use the intelligence we have to move away from being cavemen, animals show more intelligence in a spiritual way, their needs for survival don’t destroy the earth, we must recognise the part we play in creating suffering, l’m grateful for the humans that get that a creature that gives and receives love deserves better, biodiversity, love and compassion is the dream.
It’s interesting that vegatarians are extorted to go all the way and be vegan. I say to vegans: go all the way. Eat whole foods, also called raw, live or Jesus foods. Don’t just care about other animals. Care about yourself just as much. Since I started eating raw 30 years ago, I haven’t been sick since, which is good for animals because no habitant needs to be cleared for a doctor’s office or hospital. If people would eat more like the primates we are, and not like the omnivores(pigs and bears) we aren’t, we wouldn’t be dealing with a pandemic.
Dragonfly (Gail Sutton)
Hi Adam, sorry I just saw your comment.
Personally, I supplement for B12, but I think this is an issue for many of us vegan, or not. This article, in the end, has nothing to do about diet, but more about the ethics of consuming and exploiting animals.
Regarding your point about should humans really be any different to animals? Ultimately that’s up to you. Some bears, felines, primates and rodents are known to kill and eat their young, does that mean it’s okay for humans to do the same?
What separates humans, is our ability to evolve radically, and more than ever, we have a choice to consume more plants over animals—which is exciting!
I agree with you, we don’t have all the answers, but I think it’s encouraging that we’re asking the questions and having these conversations. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and glad we share interests in simple natural living.
I’ve been vegeterian for 11 years, 5 of them being vegan. One of the things that irritate me about vegans is the superiority complex they all quickly adopt And how they are so full of judgement of others. Your letter is just an epitome of this. You’re so self righteous and condescending on others who don’t follow your way of living or belief systems. I bet you’re a liberal. Ha!
I’ve learned through my own trial and error how to deal with others that don’t agree with my choices. When I was vegan, I never pushed that agenda onto others. It seemed like a waste of time getting into heated debates over why/why I don’t eat meat or dairy/eggs at that time. When I learned to just be vegan for myself and shared it with others rather then force feeding (pun intended) my beliefs on them…guess what? They became more curious. I know I’ve helped at least 2 people move from eating meat to vegeterian even if not vegan. This is a win, because as we learn more and have more options it can be easily obtainable if that is a goal of theirs.
I’m no longer vegan because of a choice. Everyone has this. Everyone has a unique diet that they choose to eat. With less judgement and more compassion…this is how we change the world for the better.
Hi Cora, thanks for taking the time to comment.
While I can somewhat understand your position based on this piece, I’ve also written about the grey areas of veganism, questioning the effectiveness of activism and criticising the levels of veganism within the community. All of this to say, that I share your approach of being approachable and non-judgemental.
At the same time, we’ve created a platform where we can freely share our opinions, and it’s up to the reader, to take as little as much as they want from the information. Publishing an article about veganism on a vegan blog is a very different dynamic to pushing unsolicited beliefs onto others. Nevertheless, I appreciate your perspective, especially as you’ve been both vegan and vegetarian over the last 11 years.
I’ve been a life-long primarily vegetarian.
Not by choice, but by circumstances. I hate the texture, the smell, the taste of all meats from avian, to land, to aquatic.
However, I love cheese, milk, and honey. And I even endorse their use under the right circumstances (i.e. never commercial farms, but only by what you can privately farm yourself)
My intentions are not to give them up, ever.
Instead, I have been working for three years to build up a little farm and have a few Nigerian Dwarf goats to provide my needs. These goats have all the comforts and attention they need and when the females cease to produce milk, they will still live on as companion goats (all goats must be kept at least in pairs to ensure they don’t get lonely).
Honey I will also never give up. Alternative sugars are ALL dangerous for human consumption. Read into the science behind all those artificial sweeteners, not one is good for you.
Maple requires damaging perfectly healthy trees, and it takes numerous sugar maples and literally tonnes of sap to produce even a small store of maple syrup. Often perfectly healthy animal habitats will be clear-cut and ground up in order to convert a once healthy forest into a sugar maple tree farm.
Same with the sugar industry destroying areas to turn to farms, or the stevia industry, likewise needing to turn forests, habitats for countless wild birds and animals, into pastures, or fields for greenhouse operations.
The only farming that is any good is permaculture, where farmers guide the land and carefully plan out their farms, introducing complimentary food crops and encourage small animals to handle pest control, basically allowing nature to do all the heavy lifting and promote a healthy and vibrant farm environment.
Bee keepers don’t just take away the bee’s honey, they often care for and help relocate local hives that get built inside businesses or buildings, where the owner otherwise would just have to destroy the hive and poison the bees. They often situate the bees in areas rich in different types of flowers (different flowers and crop fields can offer very different tasting honey, I’ve had buckwheat honey that was so strong and flavorful I’m tempted to try and grow some myself to see if my bees will produce a different honey as they mostly just feed off the clover all over my back yard).
Basically, there are good ways to be stewards of nature AND still be an omnivore, a vegetarian, or a vegan if you please. There are good ways to care for, offer shelter, good food, toys, friends, and even love to your farm and it’s fury inhabitants without taking more from them then what you offer of yourself. Does it require sacrifice? Absolutely. It requires eating less and learning to store/jam/can/pickle/churn etc. your own foods.
You have less free time, very early mornings, there are many costs of the land and it’s maintenance, the many costs of animals from feed, vet bills, etc.
I used to live in the city, but the cities are the cause of all of the problems of the world.
You have millions of people crammed in a stone block. They demand food, they demand clothes, they demand consumption constantly. Yet they offer nothing, they produce nothing except phenomenal amounts of noise, light, air, water, and ground pollution. they plant no seed, they harvest no crop, they tend no herd animals. They just consume. So they ensure the continued necessity of super-mega-farms.
What I see many activists proposing is just a matter of exchanging two evils:
Give up all animal products, but boost the demand for products that require destruction of countless wild animal’s natural habitats for the sake of farmland for non-animal based clothes, or mass edible agri production. Both which demand heavy support in fuel, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc which all come from the by-products of the oil & gas industry. Or use synthetics, which are produced from oil&gas by-products. Or endorse genetically modified farming to give greater yields in less space and time, which is the greatest of all evils (and also is heavily dependant on oil&gas by-products).
Tear down the cities, eliminate super-mega-farms, force everyone to tend some of their own crops and animals (as many people did up until just a couple hundred years ago), get rid of the excessive regulations that only serve to prevent Mom & Pop farmers from being able to provide a little for their own communities, thus forcing everyone to rely entirely on meat and produce from the super-mega-farms who can afford to pay off the government officials to ensure they keep making new regulations to keep the smaller and more ethical farmers out of the game.
Hi Noah, thank you for your detailed response.
I think you make some valid points as there’s a sliding scale of harm depending on how you approach your consumerism, regardless of the lifestyle. At the end of the day, it’s essential to ask these questions and act upon them to the best of your ability.
We could go back and forth with examples so I’ll leave it here. I’m sure the community will get some more perspective from your response.
Noah, your response is short-sighted. People living in cities are not producing nothing. They are the scientists and scholars at universities who have studied agricultural practices that have provided you with the knowledge you now possess. They are the laborers who built the roads that led you to your farm. They are the engineers that designed and manufactured the car, bus or train that got you to your current location. They are the reason you have electricity, a computer, the internet and a social media platform to share your ideas. They are the doctors who treat your illnesses, the truck drivers who deliver, the gas station attendants who provide fuel. Living in a modern society has made us take all of these things for granted. No, not everyone can farm their own food. That doesn’t leave enough time to accomplish their jobs. The ones that they studied and trained for that provide value to society. Whether or not you want to admit it, your life is possible because of everyone in those cities. We cannot stop progress. It is human nature to invent create, be curious and seek answers. We are all here because of progress.
OP: the reason people have such a problem with veganism is because it is not a sustainable way of living. You cannot separate the fact that it’s a diet from the moral philosophy of protecting animals. This is how you are feeding yourself to stay alive. Would you blame the humans who hunted before agriculture as being cruel to animals? No, they were feeding themselves to survive. You are here today because of those survival instincts. Just because *some* people have more access to non-animal products to feed themselves does not mean the world can all feed themselves this way. The vegan diet is one of privilege. You waved away the comment about vegan diets lacking in B12 by saying that everyone struggles with that. No, that’s not true. You must take a B12 supplement or you will die. People who eat animal products do not have to take supplements. Veganism is a privileged diet because you have the resources to spend the time researching your way of life, the money to spend on manufactured foods and supplements to round out your diet so you stay alive, and the time to prepare and plan your meals. Vegans need to acknowledge that they are privileged. There are people living in your city or town right now that are going hungry. What are you doing for them? People get angry with vegans because they deny reality. This is not a sustainable or affordable way of eating. It defies the natural order. And vegans refuse to acknowledge these truths. Because your way of living is superior, never mind that you haven’t considered that everyone lives different lives and they have some very real obstacles that hinder them from giving so much focus to what they eat.
Can we as humans do better? Absolutely. Can we be more ethical and sustainable in our food practices? Undeniably. Should we strive to learn and change and educate? Of course. But, should we question, right now, why everyone can’t live the way we do and value the things we value? No. Because it’s self-centered and dishonest. You don’t want to actually know or care about the world around you if it doesn’t fit your narrative. Your argument about animals killing their young in response to someone pointing out that animals eat each other is ridiculous. We are far more evolved than any other animal, but our bodies still require certain nutrients, just as many animals need them. Nutrients that you are only able to supplement without eating meat because of human innovation.
To the person using the term “human supremacist”, give me a break. We are superior to animals. Has a cow ever cured Polio? Did a pig discover how to harness electricity? How many symphonies has a goose produced? Once again, you’re denying reality. Vegans have a superiority complex. Every single person on this planet relies on other humans to sustain their lives. Have some compassion and gratitude for other humans instead of condemnation. Yes, it’s important to be wise stewards of the earth and treat animals ethically. But there are a myriad of issues in this world that need attention. You have your pet project. Go to work and let other people focus on theirs.
Well said. I like how you touched so many points. Thank you for your points of view.
Hi! I am currently a vegetarian and probably will be for at least another year. I would love to go vegan but at this current point it’s just not feasible. My parents actively sabotage anything I try to make or do. Unfortunately my fiance and I decided it would be best to make the switch once we move out from my parents home. It’s sad but they actively gaslight me and my choices. I have reduced all the mentioned products significantly but if they don’t see me eating them at least once in awhile things get kinda hairy.
Hi Marissa, I’m just catching up on comments. It sounds like you’re in a tough place, and it’s a shame that you feel uncomfortable to eat a different way in your home. Perhaps you’re on the right path with vegetarianism for now and then try veganism when you have a little more control over your environment. Thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Hi there – I came across your blog as I’ve been really struggling with the ethical issues behind vegetarianism (have been vegetarian my whole life) and want to switch to a vegan diet. But there are several factors that make this such a difficult transition for me.
1. Cost. I don’t make a lot of money (non-profit work), and it’s really really hard to spend $5 on Oat milk when cow milk is $3. When you look at alternative cheeses, yogurts, eggs (JUST is $10 for 2 meals!) they are just super expensive. I wish the government would subsidize these foods, but of course with big ag in the way I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
2. Travel. I work internationally, I spend a lot of time in Africa and Latin America. It’s hard enough to find vegetarian food let alone vegan food. I was just in Cuba and ended up eating pasta for 4 days in a row. I’d love to live in a world where a vegan restaurant is on every block, but currently that’s not how it is.
3. Time. All vegan recipes I find on the internet have something like 8+ ingredients and require a ton of chopping and cooking. Because I travel a lot, I’m not able to keep fresh produce. I also don’t have the budget to order vegan takeout all the time either.
I know there are work arounds here and this probably reads like a list of excuses. I’d really love to work on switching, but am not sure how to currently do that with these constraints.
Hi Mary, it sounds like you have a lot on your plate!
I understand that your lifestyle involves a lot of travel and time contains, and it’s encouraging that you have an awareness of your specific barriers to when trying to be vegan.
My family is from Ghana, so I can relate to the struggle to get access to vegan food in some countries. I think the most sustainable option is to find a workflow around your meal prep.
I recently came across a recipe blog called The Stingy Vegan, which I recommend you check it. Melissa specializes in affordable quick, and easy vegan food, to the point where she even adds the cost of ingredients in her recipe cards! See if you can work your way up to 5-10 go-to recipes that a reasonably universal in terms of ingredients, then go from there.
I know this is far from easy, but you have a fantastic opportunity to set an example that you can be vegan while up against cultural and societal norms, and a busy schedule.
I see your points, but as a 15 year old vegetarian who’s parents don’t want me to go ant further until I leave the house, I don’t really have the choice to become vegan, no matter how much I really want to, realistically they‘re funding my diet, and making my diet basically completely different from my meat loving dad and pescatarian mum would make their lives a lot harder!
I fluctuate between vegan and vegetarian. I honestly have just started saying I eat mostly plant-based because that simply covers my diet and not my entire beliefs. A lot of it for me is the social sacrifices and the expense. Socially it can be hard being vegan. I remember working abroad and my students and coworkers wanted to share meals with me, but I was in countries where I couldn’t eat out as a vegan and most of the foods they cooked weren’t. I was still learning so cooking a meal for them would’ve really been an experiment. I kept having to say no, and the look of disappointment on their faces every time I couldn’t share in whatever they were eating, made me feel awful. They wanted to welcome and share with me, but I couldn’t. I also had difficulty eating out with my friends. I remember only eating french fries for like 2 weeks every time we went out because that was all that was on the menu. Obvs not a great reason to sacrifice your beliefs, but it’s just one of the ways being vegan and even vegetarian at times can be hard. Also, some things are just more expensive, we save money by not eating meat, but alternative milk and yogurts cost more. The vegan tax is as bad as the pink tax and it’s frustrating at times. The expense isn’t really a big deal because I believe you spend money on what’s worth it and I must prefer fresh ingredients and cruelty-free brands. But I struggle with skin problems and I know my medicated ointment isn’t vegan, but I need it. All that being said, I’m trying. Blogs like yours give me ideas and new ways to become a better vegan. So while I still don’t identify as a vegan I hope to eventually get to the point where it’s not such a sacrifice for me.
Hi Jonnae, thank you for being so honest about your transition. I can certainly understand how challenging it can be to navigate those social situations as a vegan.
It seems like you’re almost there, and I do not doubt that you will get there at a pace that works for you. Thank you for being vegetarian/vegan, as I think it’s something to be proud of ?
I think what helped me was minimalism. Minimalism helped me to become incredibly intentional and focused on what was essential to me. I started to not care as much about other people’s expectations, e.g. you should have children, get a mortgage, have a safe but unfulfilling career. So by the time I became vegan, it didn’t feel like a big deal. Just thought I’d share my experience, as it ended up helping me far beyond veganism.
Hi Yupin, what an interesting question! I’d recommend checking out our post on the ethics of backyard eggs. Discarding baby chicks is incredibly disturbing, however, even still, extracting eggs from hens for our consumption is still an exploitative practice. It’s easy to get caught up in finding ways to get what we want when we don’t need it 🙂
Hi =)
I’m a vegetarian and i plan to stay a vegetarian, but you asked for answers to your letter so here i am. Basically, i find that vegetarism is a good compromise. I have a lot of criterions for my food. I want to avoid hurting animals when possible, of course. But i’m even more mindful of environmental matters, so i want to eat food produced nearby and without pesticide. I also want to keep being able to go eat with people (at their home or at a restaurant) because i find it an important part of having a social life (especially here in France). Last but not least, i wish to avoid conflicts when possible, since i’m very bad with them.
When you try to consider all that together, i think vegetarism works better. Veganism is perfect to avoid hurting animals, but hard to do at a local scale (especially during winter), basically impossible in a restaurant (especially in the small town where i live), and very, very controversial (i don’t know why vegetarism is easily accepted and veganism so frowned upon, but that’s a fact : the word vegan is enough to trigger hateful reactions nearly everywhere).
I’m not trying to say vegetarism is better than veganism – i really admire vegans, and i do think that they are more logical than vegetarians ethically speaking. I’m just saying that for some people, a lot of other criterions are worthy – and that, unfortunately, it might not always be possible to reconcile all of them.
Hi Joanne, thank you for sharing your experience! My sister-in-law is french, and I’ve experienced trying to be vegan in France culture first hand. The social dynamic is not an easy one to navigate!
I agree that the stigma of veganism is still there, but it’s rapidly changing as more people become vegan—it’s becoming more accepted. Much like how vegetarianism has progressed 🙂
If your top priority is the environment, I suggest watching Cowspiracy if you haven’t already. The dairy industry is incredibly destructive to our planet, and by making this one tweak, you could really make a difference—especially culturally.
Thanks again for sharing, it’s interesting to understand where people are at.
Michael,
The first few paragraphs of your letter induced a few eye rolls… I am, after all, a vegetarian. I wanted to tell you that life is simply easier this way. Feeding a child and meal prepping is hard enough with no-meat restrictions, let alone introducing no dairy or eggs. What would replace the same breakfast I’ve eaten every day for what feels like forever, of yogurt, fruit, and nuts? What would I use in my weekly muffins for the hubby in place of eggs? What would my kid pour in his cereal? Life would be so much more difficult!
I wanted to tell you that it’s cheaper. That it’s stressful working out my monthly budget already, let alone adding in tempeh and a $9 bag of something my child may or may not believe is cheese. I wanted to tell you that it’s no big deal… That I’m doing my part by abstaining from flesh and damnit, isn’t that good enough?
But I kept reading.
You see, I’m new to this again. In my last few years of high school/ early college, I ate vegetarian. But I strayed far from the path and am just now returning after a years-long hiatus. And you know what? Your words, the depiction of the life of a dairy cow? All of my excuses are bull. It may be an adjustment to meal prep and grocery staples, but after the first few weeks I probably wouldn’t even notice. And who am I kidding about expenses? I’ve never shopped vegan. I have no clue.
You are right, dear friend. Thank you for opening my eyes, and doing so with loving kindness. I hope that your words reach others as well.
Keep on making the world a better place. You are a treasure.
Hi! I have been vegan for just a year and i’d like to share some alternatives for the things you listed! I’m feeding a family of 5 a vegan diet and have found a lot of substitutes that everyone has grown to love 🙂
“yogurt, fruit, and nuts?” There are some great plant-based yogurts out there! It’s definitely more expensive, but I really like the yogurts by Kite Hill.
“What would I use in my weekly muffins for the hubby in place of eggs?” Tofu scramble! It takes some getting used to, but we love it now! You can also cut a round of tofu about the size of a fried egg you’d put in a muffin then fry and season it like an egg, and the texture is almoat the same. Add some black salt for they eggy smell. Best of all, tofu is pretty darn inexpensive!
What would my kid pour in his cereal? Almond milk, soy milk, flax milk, oat milk! I have found that soy milk is often cheaper than most and it’s thicker than almond milk. You can also make your own of most of these if you have the time. I don’t so I go with store bought.
I hope this was helpful! Good luck in your transition!
Hi Mary, I don’t have anything to add that Marissa hasn’t already suggested. All I want to say is thank you. Thank you for being open and for trying. You’re asking all of the right questions, and if you keep doing that, you’ll find a way. Hope you both have a lovely week 🙂
I was vegetarian from the age of 19 for 31 years until I became vegan for the last 10 (I am still vegan). I always wanted to be vegan but thought it would be difficult. Then I did it and really, it was much easier than I thought it would be. It was much more difficult then trying to take wheat out of my diet. I think vegetarians rely heavily on diary. Vegans rely heavily on wheat. Once you give up wheat you really are just eating vegetables. I gave up wheat, not for ethical reasons although one could argue the environmental reasons. I gave up because it made me feel sluggish. I also thought it was less likely to be natural part of our diet pre agricultural times. I do eat bread now but I’m thinking of limiting it again as it still makes me feel sluggish. Anyway, my message to vegetarians is to give veganism a try. It is easier than you think especially nowadays with many plant based ‘milks’ available. When I was vegetarian back in 1978 it was really difficult to eat out. You were limited to omelettes in restaurants. Now there are restaurants dedicated to gluten-free vegans. Amazing. But I prefer to cook fresh veg. Eating out is rarely a treat. I digress, vegetarians….just try it.
Hi Graham, it’s so valuable to get words of encouragement and wisdom from someone who’s transitioned from vegetarian to vegan, so thank you for sharing! There’s still a lot of work we all need to do as vegans to find the right nutritional balance for our bodies. So kudos for finding what works best for you.
My story is similar to Chrissie so I will put my two cents into the pot as well. I was a long term vegetarian and just didn’t take the next step for longer than I care to admit. While I was moving in a more vegan direction it was not from an informed manned. Bu then I was doing some reading/watching with regards to the issue of compassion for some classes I was taking in a pastoral care program and I stumbled upon some footage of the chicks being ground up and the living calves thrown in the back of dumpsters and that was it. I became vegan at that moment and haven’t looked back. Though I’m still learning and struggling especially with regard to clothes. Warm vegan socks? Really I need some help there as winter is here. But no regrets about the change and missing things but just about not doing it sooner. And no I don’t think it is extreme by any means.
Hi Jacquie, thanks for sharing your story with us. I can certainly see how vegetarians could get comfortable and not see the need to investigate a little more. It sounds like you had a pretty confronting experience that ultimately pushed you into veganism.
I think we’re all still learning and struggling, but it’s the awareness of the truth and the willingness to act on that awareness that matters.
Great letter, thank you! I was a vegetarian for about 40 years before going vegan. Much of the reason I went vegetarian was because of animal cruelty. I don’t think when I started in 1980s the dairy industry was as cruel and dirty (or maybe I was kidding myself). But then I saw the movie “Cowspiracy” and realized that if cared about animal cruelty and the enviornment and wanted to stay true to my values I had to stop eating/consuming all animal products. I have now been a vegan for about 3 years and it is clearly one of the best decisions of my life! I will add about 4 months ago I took the final step and went whole food plant-based. I started to believe that there is a lot of waste and ultimate harm in the industrial food complex that produces all that vegan junk food. Additionally and importantly it also now appears to be producing a new generation of unhealthy vegans! I think often people mistake the word vegan for “healthy”. In this day and age that is a dangerous mistake to make!
You’re welcome, Julie! It’s fascinating to read about your transition from vegetarian to vegan. Cowspiracy is a powerful documentary, so I’m not surprised that it pushed you to switch 🙂
Yes, there’s still much room for improvement in the vegan movement when it comes to waste and health. Thanks for sharing.
Great article! I have been vegan for almost 18 years. Before becoming vegan, I was vegetarian for 10 years. When I was vegetarian, I had never heard of the word vegan and didn’t know veganism existed. (This was before the internet.) I had never heard of the cruelty involved in the production of dairy and eggs and I believed completely that dairy and eggs were ethical because I believed they didn’t involve killing or cruelty.
The moment I found out the truth about dairy and eggs from a book (“The Food Revolution” by John Robbins), I instantly became vegan. And I was deeply horrified that I had been so blind to the truth about dairy and eggs.
Our culture lies to us, brainwashes us, conditions us, and programs us to believe that there is nothing wrong with using animals for food. The meat, dairy, and egg industries spend billions of dollars poisoning us with these lies.
But now-a-days with the internet, there is no excuse for not knowing the truth.
Vegetarians don’t want to be vegan. They know the truth. And they know about all the amazing vegan alternatives for dairy and eggs. Yet they choose cruelty because they don’t really see anything wrong with animal exploitation. I think it boils down to them being human supremacists and being prejudice and bigoted against animals.
Hi Elizabeth, thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us. 18 years of veganism is quite incredible!
You’re right, there was a time where there wasn’t much awareness of the impact of the dairy and egg industries, but in 2019 we have all the information we could need.
Writing as someone who was a vegetarian for over 30 years & now vegan for approx 3 years I absolutely get what you’re saying. Acknowledging the inherent cruelty that pervades modern dairy industry practices alluded my blinkered conscience for a long long time. Becoming committed to being vegan was the logical next step, my deepest regret is that I didn’t ‘see the light’ all those years ago. It’s not like I didn’t know what went on behind the happy contented cow & fluffy cute chick pictures but sometimes it’s easier to not think too much. It’s not easy being an imperfect human but better late than never.
Hi Chrissie, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I’m curious, after 30 years of being vegetarian, do you remember what pushed you to go vegan? Or was it more gradual? Also, I’d say we’re all still imperfect, but it’s always positive to try our best. Cheers, Michael.
Hello Michael,
my embracing of veganism was indeed a gradual process, a steady slow drip, heavily aided by watching undeniably shocking videos of what goes on behind the scenes of the dairy & poultry mega-industries. What finally tipped me over the edge was the horrible abuse of bobby calves being treated like unfeeling trash by some members of the NZ farming community. To say I was shocked to see the mindless cruelty involved was an understatement. Thankfully MPI investigated & charges were brought but to this day I cannot look at a dairy cow & not think of those images. And who can eat eggs without thinking of the live chick macerating process? Not me. The biggest issue for me is how the food industries have reduced living things to mere objects on a production line, that’s what really gets me. Yep, I’m trying to stay positive but it’s pretty hard sometimes! Cheers.
Aha, that all makes sense. Good on you for having the courage to expose yourself to these things, it’s not easy! Thanks for sharing your specific experiences; it’s always nice to see different examples and perspectives.