Hey earth muffins! As I mentioned in my recent post how to start a plant-based diet, January is the month of Veganuary. I’m sure you all know that vegans are often criticized and made fun of for their eating habits… Being vegetarian, I have also had people question my decision to not eat meat. If you are participating in Veganuary this year, it is helpful to prepare yourself in advance on how to respond to vegan “haters”. Regardless if someone is just asking a question about your diet choice or being mean-spirited, these suggestions should all help you create the perfect reply to their comments.
Keep your diet choices to yourself!
It is honestly no one’s business that you are plant-based or vegan. So, keep it to yourself! I think a lot of vegans get in trouble for sharing too much about their diet all the time. This can get annoying, which can turns others off to the diet altogether. I know I am doing a good job at keeping it to myself when a coworker or friend says “Oh, I didn’t know you were vegetarian!”. 😊
Know your facts.
Once people are aware that you don’t eat meat, it is important to know your facts about why you don’t eat certain foods. This is honestly one of the more important “how to respond to vegan haters” tips, as you want to have valid reasonings behind your diet. For inspo, here are the reasons I am vegetarian. It is helpful to come up with a couple bullet points on why you are vegan as well. This doesn’t have to be an argument or long conversation; a few simple facts will do!
Let them know you can send them more information.
If someone is pushing back on your reasons for being vegan, don’t take the bait! Most people don’t understand plant-based diets. They will ask you about where you get your protein and vitamins. Or they will try to counter on why the meat industry isn’t bad for the planet (spoiler: it is). Instead of trying to educate them right then and there, I like to tell them that I will send them more information as I’m “not good at remembering the stats”. This gets me out of an argument but also allows me to send over resources that may actually change their opinion!
Crack a joke!
Humor is always a great way to respond. It is sometimes not worth it to talk about your reasons for being plant-based, so why even bother? I like to poke fun at myself to keep the mood light. If someone keeps asking “what do you eat?”, why not respond with “usually leaves”? There are plenty of witty comebacks and jokes you can crack, so pick a couple that work best for you!
Final Thoughts on How to Respond to Vegan Haters
When choosing a plant-based diet, you will unfortunately have to deal with haters at some point. I avoid most of this by just keeping my diet to myself! Instead of advertising it to the world, just eat food that fits with your lifestyle. Always have a few reasons/facts on why you are plant-based, and be open to sending resources to family and friends if they are interested in learning more. Lastly, jokes are a great way to respond to hate as well. How do you handle vegan haters? Comment below and share your tips with everyone!
Love,
Jenna ♥
Great article! Really enjoyed reading it.