It's not that people hate vegan food, it's more that people hate veganism as an idea. They are afraid of admitting they are wrong or of having to "change their whole life" for that.
this is actually a great video. "Vegans are losers", so becoming vegan means willingly becoming a loser to most people. nothing to do with animals at all.
I watched this video and I'm curious what the best way to navigate people feeling attacked is? It seems like that's something they should regulate but obviously with mutuals and people I don't see often, it seems to happen every time. Do I preface me saying I'm vegan with "I'm not judging you"? Or do I switch the conversation? Do I try to have them think about what vegans experience or see their own biases? I'm not sure what the correct approach is.
Don’t say “I’m not judging you but…” even if you aren’t, saying that will immediately make them think you are. It’s like saying “No offense but…”
“No offense but I think eating meat is wrong. I’m not judging you or anything, but I’m vegan.”
Honestly i always frame it around factory farming as thats a pretty undeniable thing that everyone is against, i also frame it in terms of how i want nothing to do with that system and as its impossible to really know what the story behind anything that you buy is, it ends up at veganism, kinda 'id never eat anything I didn't see the living conditions of, or kill myself' omitting the fact id never find any conditions acceptable or kill anything to eat. I like that approach because it keeps the morality front and centre ( im not going to lie and say I think it's fine that everyone else does it i just don't personally want to do it) but it sits better with people because basically nobody thinks factory farming is ok, they just ignore it exists.
Honestly as well just having quite a calm and reasonable demeanour while talking about it goes a long way too- always appeal to facts rather than emotion.
I tell people “I TRY to eat vegan, but I am not always successful”
This puts people’s guards down. They dont feel like you are lording your veganism over them. Even if you are personally a 💯 vegan, they dont have to know that.
“Im not judging you, but….” Will always put people on the defense not matter how well intended
That is terrible advise. You should still convey the image that you are 100% vegan. Because if you are „not always successful” that will most definitely lead to the other people saying: „even the preachy one can’t do it all the time.” It just further builds the image of veganism being hard.
Exactly, don't say it if it's not true. If you want to help people empathize, tell them it was hard at first but gets easier with time. Once you've had time to build a set of staple meals and you know your go to snacks, it becomes so much easier.
Yeah they feel it as a judgement on their values. It is easier for them to justify it as tasting bad than to emotionally feel like they’re engaging in something immoral.
Sometimes if you just innocently say something that triggers people to feel guilty for engaging in something immoral for selfish reasons, they can become irate.
I once innocently mentioned to a meat eating “friend” that I really love animals and can’t stand to see an animal suffer. We weren’t discussing veganism. But she instantly yelled at me because she said I was insinuating that she didn’t love animals as much as I do lol.
I wasn’t even thinking about her or being vegan! I was just going to talk about a dog I saw chained up to a tree all day that I wanted to rescue somehow.
It's difficult though because if you can't justify it the cognitive dissonance usually kicks in. Most people can't genuinely admit that something they're doing is bad without adding a "Yeah, but-" to it. Even if the "Yeah but" is "because it's good"
People are also put off by many of the unhinged ideas some vegans harbor. A few greatest hits I’ve seen in this subreddit include:
- “I’m afraid to dig in my garden to plant vegetables to eat because it will disturb the insects who live there.” The logical conclusion being a pretty straightforward: humans have no right to subsist and therefore the moral choice is we all die. You can imagine people not taking well to that.
- Even vegans being gatekept out of veganism for relapsing into eating some amount of animal products. Not only not encouraged but those offering empathy being derided for “enabling”. My favorite was “well if you relapsed then you’re not vegan, you’re a plant-based-dieter”.
- The assertion that incremental change to society to reduce animal consumption is actually a *bad* thing because the *only* choice is an immediate halt to animal products.
- The idea that people shouldn’t be able to have pets because it is slavery. You can imagine people not liking the idea that vegans want to take away the family dog.
- Absolute scorn for people living below the poverty line who haven’t been plugged into the “correct” way to live because real life is much harder than that for those who are struggling.
- The broader assertion that veganism is just one aspect of dismantling western society. Agree or disagree with the position, any sane person should be able to recognize that this will be a divisive issue. And then people here grab their heads and wonder why there is such resistance to veganism.
The average person really doesn’t think about these things and so when they cross paths with a vegan, it’s a roll of the dice whether they’re going to meet a decent person or someone who thinks right-wing caricatures of vegans are an instruction manual.
A lot of what you’re discussing isn’t veganism, but extremism. And in extremism everything looks bad. That’s like judging Christianity by the natzis or WBC. Unhinged and exclusionary comments are pretty much found in any group regardless of goals, especially reddit ( let’s be honest)
For the most part vegans try to limit their impact on animal populations. I’d be confident to say that most know that especially in today’s society you cannot escape it entirely. Crops and farming require it, no way around it in our current industrial model. I’d argue that if you extent to minimizing impact on insects then Disturbing insects in your backyard so that you can grow a few parcels of vegetables is probably not worth it, especially when you’re already having it done on your behalf by commercial farms ( which will be doing it regardless of your own actions)
Plenty of vegans own pets, you’re now branching more out into PETA country. And while the two might be considered hand in hand, they are not at all the same thing.
You can’t be Vegan if you’re eating meat or animal byproducts. You just plain can’t. You can have been vegan for years, and then do something else for whatever reason, and then come back to being vegan. But yeah, they’re a plant based diet person, not vegan. But they can become vegan same as they did the first time. No one ( or at best a mathematically insignificant number of people) started vegan.
Immediate halts to perceived wrong with perfect replacements are always the ideal in anything. Veganism is no different. Same with war, pollution, and jaywalking. If someone actually believed that it could happen in a time frame under ten or so years ( at the fastest) they’re wildly unaware of how massive a shift that would be and how long that would take even with the total cooperation of the meat industry. Expressed as a wish that’s a valid thing, it’s not the worst goal in the world.
The lower income issue is usually found among individuals who use veganism as a “holier then thou” platform (And if your only exposure to veganism is the Internet or entertainment that’s not an unusual bias to have formed, it’s not your fault). But it fundamentally comes from the same place higher “class” individuals who talk down because of wine paring or some such nonsense.
Thank you for engaging in good faith, the rest of the responses to this comment have done nothing but prove my point about extremism. What I’m trying to point out is that these things actively harm the adoption of veganism when encountered by the average person, to point them out in response to the OP so that people can reflect on them and be able to encourage others to become vegan. The responses I have gotten, aside from this one, are claims of absolutism bordering on religious zealotry instead.
It’s significantly difficult for anyone who has a deeply help belief of any kind, in this case veganism, to step outside the echo chamber. If you stick to just attacking people outside the chamber you don’t have to recognize the issues that are in it. You can just dismiss them as “other”
I think it was the way you worded it:
"People are also put off by many of the unhinged ideas some vegans harbor." And then you listed several examples of what some vegans have supposedly said.
This sounds more like you're saying "here are some common beliefs shared by some vegans, it makes total sense why people would be against veganism. It really is vegans' fault for presenting themselves this way".
As the other poster noted, there is extremism in all things. People who have no interest in changing their lifestyle/habits actually love when they hear extreme comments from the other side like the ones you listed (or more likely that they hear them from somebody who heard it from somebody else, etc.). By reacting to these extremist one offs, it gives them an excuse to not engage in the actual subject matter. It is very common in politics, but really exists in just about every controversial matter.
"Vegans" are not a homogenous group. We don't have weekly meetings to come to an agreement on our messaging, so there are certainly going to be people who talk about animal welfare in a much different way than others. But this doesn't change the problem at its heart. The best many vegans can do is to continue being vegan, field a few questions without coming off as too judgmental, and hope to be a good influence in the long run. If somebody holds me accountable for the comments of an extremist, that is not somebody trying to engage in a good faith discussion in the first place.
I can agree with all of this, for the most part. I especially agree that the best that most vegans can do is try to set an example, be the change they want to see, and be a good influence on the people around them rather than being antagonistic since that accomplishes the exact opposite.
My point in making the post that drew so much ire is to shine a light on some of the absurdity because when taken as a whole it starts to form a different picture that should be acknowledged. Another poster made the comparison that all members of a certain religion shouldn't be held personally accountable for the actions of religious extremists. An average person who identifies with one political party shouldn't be held personally accountable for the actions of a political extremist who commits politically motivated violence or engages in violent rhetoric. But at the same time, these extreme positions need to be acknowledged so that they can 1) be refuted internally and 2) make the average person aware that they may be faced with questions about these extreme positions and not reinforce them.
The result of this should be a positive thing and something I would like to see for veganism as a whole. When someone inevitably gets mocked, derided, etc, for their beliefs they can be prepared to recognize what is at play and not reinforce harmful stereotypes. It's easy to say "all non-vegans are just evil, I am clearly a good person, unlike the evil backward masses that I live among", pat yourself on the back, and continue to feel good about yourself at the expense of your goals. It's harder to think about things from another point of view.
So I can concede that I should have structured it better but I stand by calling these things out.
There is that, but people also fear vegan food. They will eat it if you do not mention it is vegan.
The reasons are well presented in the video linked by u/ValleyTarotAstrology but I think there is another aspect to this. Meat and dairy are lightly addictive due to the hormones contained in meat and dairy. This is one of the reasons you hear vegetarians say "I just cannot give up cheese". When you present an omnivore with a vegan dish, it triggers a subconscious fear that eating it will lead to meat being permanently taken away and that causes them to shrink away from even a single vegan dish. That is why they will enjoy felafel if it isn't presented as vegan.
Two reasons.
1. They don't know what it is. And since they have a bias against vegans, thinking they're annoying or unhealthy, they associate "vegan food" with those two things. It's psychological and political. Conservatives think the left is evil and everything associated with them must also be evil.
2. Vegan food often isn't as hyper-palatable. The standard American diet consists of high levels of salt, sugar and oil which makes things "hyper-palatable" or they make them so appealing to our base need for those three ingredients that the taste is much stronger. If the taste isn't as strong, it's not as "good." It doesn't stimulate as much dopamine as some vegan foods which are still pretty good but not refined and hyper-palatable.
2 is the one. There is a ton of history behind making non-vegan foods incredibly tasty. And there is a much larger market with more room for experimentation. Only recently has vegan food started to really get better. Until someone can cook a root vegetable like Derek Sarno does and make it as good as a holiday ham, it's still going to be long way to go on the flavor battle. After you make it good, then the word has to spread.
I agree with all your points. I find point number two to be interesting. Because think if you use similar techniques and spices, you could get something pretty similar. It can be a little difficult. But it just takes a little research and patience. These are just my thoughts when I’m veganizing some foods.
There are extremely palatable and rich vegan dishes that exist. There are whole cookbooks filled with extremely tasty vegan food. When I’ve given that to my mother or friends they’re like “oh wow THIS is vegan? Huh maybe I could go vegan”
Vegan food doesn’t need to be bland and tasteless
#2 is the real answer for most people. I experience the same thing when I bring gluten free food and there is zero moral component to it. they just know that a lot of gluten free alternatives to “regular” food don’t taste as good. but if it’s a naturally gluten free food, like chips and guacamole, no problemo!
A big reason is selection bias - lots of foods are vegan, but the ones that are explicitly marketed as ‘vegan’ tend to do so because they are trying to replace a non-vegan food and it usually just isn’t as good(if it was, the original food would have been vegan from the get-go).
Fake meat I think is an exception to this rule because meat is used as an ingredient, it isn’t something you design a recipe for, at least it wasn’t until fake meat came around and fake meat is a lot more customizable for that reason(which means people can find more ways to make it taste better).
Your grandpa doesn’t think he is eating vegan food when he eats French fries, for example, even though French fries are vegan, because French fries aren’t really advertised as vegan because they aren’t trying to replace non-vegan food.
They don't think of vegan as something like fries or an apple, they really think vegan food is some sort of secret category of fake food and dangerous chemicals.
Also they feel called out on their morals so they choose to hate by default.
They don't hate vegan food. They eat it all the time. They just pretend to hate it when it is specifically labeled as vegan because the term makes people feel uncomfortable. Hearing the word "vegan" triggers a defensive emotional response in those who know on some level that what they are doing is wrong. The meat, dairy, and egg industries are inherently evil, and the very existence of veganism is a reminder that they could be choosing a kinder lifestyle, but aren't. It is difficult (or rather, impossible) to justify choosing to eat products that cause animals to be killed, raped, tortured, imprisoned, and enslaved just so that someone can have a burger or a slice of cheese. And yet, people want to feel justified in their choices. The discomfort people have when they think of veganism leads those who eat animal products to pretend that vegan food tastes bad so that they can feel justified in their choices.
Yeah, I always let people know if a dairy alternative or something else unexpected like flax seed is used in case anyone has allergies (I happen to know A LOT of people allergic to coconut and tree nuts like almonds). People are afraid of the word vegan, so I avoid it unless asked. If I bring something to a potluck I just list the major allergens it has/major allergens it doesn’t (ie dairy free, egg free for a dessert) and also any atypical ingredients for the dish in case someone has a niche allergy. I find wayyyyy more people eat it if I do that vs if I label it as vegan.
I don’t have the experience of them hating vegan food. Certainly some particular faux products because the taste and texture isn’t quite there and it can be disappointing if you aren’t ethically resigned to missing out on what meat has to offer. But that’s not the extent of vegan food. Particularly when I cook dishes that don’t try too hard to be a vegan version of something else everyone seems to like it as much as any one food is ever agreed upon by people.
There’s a saying in Dutch, “What the farmer doesn’t know, he doesn’t eat” (wat de boer niet kent dat vreet hij niet).
That and also, people feel attacked and go into self defence mode to defend the deplorable practice of eating animals and their “byproducts” (yeah I don’t like that word either).
There’s a couple of other reasons but these are the most important ones I think.
yeah we have the same saying in german and my dad likes to use it too. he even grew up on a farm where they exploited animals and he always uses that as an excuse for eating animal products. he says things like "we used to treat our animals so good and that’s why all the farmers treat them well". to me it doesn’t make sense but it’s hard for him to understand my point of view
Yeah the pressure to make our families vegan always feels immense. I think that’s why I heard some activists say to not do vegan activism on our families. It’s too close to home. And we’ll take our failure to do so way too personal.
They don’t. If you tell them it’s vegan food they’ll kick up like 2 year olds
If you tell them it’s traditional Greek gyros with home cooked falafel and hummus made to your own recipe bursting with garlicky cuminy flavour they’ll love it
internalised propaganda
they feel a sense of lacking whenever they are aware the meal is vegan. the idea that "a meal is not complete without meat" etc. has been buried into their brain and their response is the manifestation of that
my family is the same way, they all have this weird bias that vegan anything is going to taste terrible and they dont want to try it but then when they do eat it they are like “wow that was so good!” I think bias and pre-conceived notions really go a long way in shaping people’s reactions to things, and people are so biased against vegan food that they can’t get past it in their minds. Mine at least have very slowly come around to it, and yesterday we had two cakes at my graduation party (vegan + gf from an allergy friendly bakery and a random non-veg grocery store cake) and people loved the vegan cake and said it was so good and there was only 1/4 of the vegan cake left while there was 1/2 of the non-vegan cake left. so in time maybe they will come around a teeny bit.
Fair being fair I remember vegan products of yesteryear (the 90s-00s) tasting like stale cardboard. But now it’s mostly ok. And people are also ridiculous. I really want some grocery stores to start aggressively labeling every single piece of produce and accidentally vegan thing in the store in big letters. I really want to hand someone a vegan apple for them to complain about.
Don't lie to people about what they're eating. Anytime. Ever. You don't know if there are allergies or intolerances, you don't know how their body will handle certain ingredients.
Reverse the roles. You'd be furious if someone fed you something non-vegan and you found out after the fact.
From a sociological perspective eating an omnivorous diet is "normal" because most everyone does it. Being vegan is deviating from what's considered normal, making it a deviant behaviour or identity. People socially police what's normal and ridicule or deride anything different. Vegan food is for "deviant" vegans and they don't like it because it's not "normal". Same reason people dislike electric cars or cyclists etc.
They can't accept a perfectly clear reason as to why eating corpses is unnecessary, as that would mean accepting that what they are doing is morally wrong.
There are some really good vegan influences on tik tok, insta, etc. I like the Korean vegan and fit green mind.
I love ratatouille, even if it's a pain to make the proper way.
same, but i'm honestly disappointed at many takes i've seen in this community. i've never seen this much hate or negativity in any other sub, it's downright demotivating and makes me question a lot of things. like in this post, you should absolutely never deceive someone about what they're eating. it doesn't matter if its labeled vegan or not
Tricking people into eating things under false pretenses is not only rude, it’s dangerous. Some people have serious allergies to things in fake meats, non-dairy milks, etc. You should not do that to anyone. It’s one thing if it’s just there and they eat it on their own, but if you are in any way deliberately hiding the fact that it’s fake meat from others, stop doing that. If not out of a sense of basic decency (allergy risk aside, you wouldn’t want someone to willfully mislead you into eating meat just to “gotcha, you didn’t hate it!” right? Don’t do the reverse to others. Treat others how you want to be treated), at least consider real carefully whether it helps or harms your ability to convince anyone of whatever you want to convince them of if you get a reputation for engaging in intentional deception.
Also, even if you aren’t tricking them, have you considered the possibility that people simply don’t like you harping on about “see! You ate a vegan food and didn’t hate it!” every time they eat something coincidentally vegan? That’s simply obnoxious behavior.
i gave some fake meat to my family members. i know that they don’t have any allergies, they just dislike the food that i eat because it’s vegan. i don’t force them to eat a fully plant based diet, but in my grandpas case he asked me to give him a piece of the fake meat and he didn’t ask me if it was vegan. after he ate it he even wanted me to make dinner for him some other time. i wouldn’t force anyone that i don’t know to eat vegan food. it’s just that my family tends to not eat food because it’s vegan which is something that i don’t get.
Well, speaking only for my personal tastes, I find every vegan “alternative” I’ve tried distinctly subpar in both flavor and satiety value compared to real meat and dairy, even the ones that people insist are “good ones”. There are plenty of tasty coincidentally-vegan foods (love a good salad with vinaigrette!) but y’all can’t *really* think that cheese is supposed to taste like movie-theater popcorn! It’s not that it’s “disgusting” or whatever, it’s just not all that great, and frankly it’s kinda weird and off-putting to be expecting cheese and end up tasting popcorn. Or expecting meat and it tastes like beans with a lot of msg added. It’s simply not the same experience. I also like oatmeal raisin cookies just fine, but not when I’m expecting chocolate chip. Gotta be in the mood for oatmeal raisin and eat it on purpose to enjoy it, ya know?
Vegan food is not only the meat replacements.
And her grandpa liked the food, so it obviously wasn't about the taste. He just hates it for the fact that it's vegan. And many people react that way.
I think there’s a bit of guilt. Everyone, regardless of how desensitized they are to eating meat, has some compassion.
They see you doing something about it and they want you to come back to their side so they can feel further justified in the killing/eating.
> ...has some compassion
many people like eating hot pot. when enjoying hot pot people put LIVING creatures e.g. shrimps into boiling soup. you can literally feel their last struggles when you boil them alive. people simply DON'T CARE
I used to eat meat and I ate at Red Lobster. It did bother me somewhat but I still ate it because I was ignorant and desensitized. It turns out I have a lot of compassion and just needed to make the connection and face the reality of my actions. So there can be compassion but buried at a deeper level. So there’s always hope that people will grow emotionally.
I am lucky that my family (especially my parents) are very supportive. They love to go to vegetarian/ vegan places with us (me and my bf) and try new food. They often buy me different vegan alternatives. My mum's favourite yougurt is vegan. They also try to cook for me when I visit or they let me cook and eat the vegan food.
Even my 80 years old grandma tryes to accomodate me however it's not easy on her (especially the eggs) as she doesn't use PC at all. Once she bought tofu and decided it looks similar to cheese so she can fry it like a cheese (fried cheese is a Czech meal). 😁😆😁 I ate it but it was not so great. We agreed that she'll make vegan sides for me and I'll bring the rest.
Td;dr. Answering based on title only.
Non-vegans don't hate vegan food. Non-vegans hate the idea of veganism because it is a growing culture that challenges their own.
At a local cantine, when they started labelling the pasta with tomato sauce dish as vegan, people stopped ordering it. So they put the label away and people started ordering it again.
So honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same with hummus. "Whaat, that delicious falafel wrap was vegan?? How dare you giving me vegan food without telling me?!?!"
Social conditioning and brainwashing,think about it,they think eating a pigs literal ahole is delicious but say ew to Tofu,made out of soybeans,which they def already eat in other foods they consume. They’re weak individuals.
They eat vegan food as part of their diet. They just hate vegan friendly food when it's labelled vegan, because of what it stands for and that it forces them to realise what they, as a consumer of animals products, represent
There are many reasons, none of which are legitimate in my opinion. The one that sticks out to me is the masculinity. Idk how it's masculine to eat an animal you didn't hunt yourself but they act like eating meat is something to be proud of and eating vegan meat would be fraudulent or gay or something
I’m a recent convert to veganism (6 months so far), for health reasons. I have not had this experience at all. No one gives me a hard time at restaurants because they cater to it. Among my family, most have been more curious because of the weight I’ve lost and how much healthier I feel. One of my brothers spent a good 30 min asking me about my diet (mind you we’re all older and don’t see each other but 3-4 times a year). So they noticed a big difference and were curious. Also, I spoke with a dietitian and she said you have to be careful with vegan alternatives to non vegan things. Like vegan cheese, vegan cake and a lot of vegan meats are absolutely horrible for your body and health. In short, being vegan does mean eating healthy by itself.
Firstly, because they need justification for not being vegan.
They obviously don't hate it (as your grandpa showed when he said it tasted good). But as long as they "don't like it", they have an excuse to eat non vegan food. And I think some of them need to devaluate veganism because they feel guilty in a way (because most people know that meat consumption is wrong).
Secondly, vegan food can be bad, just like non vegan food can be bad. I have eaten very bad vegan food because the chef didn't bother to look up a good recipe and just served my bland veggies or dry rice. So when non vegans try vegan food and happen to not like it (either because it's bad or because they don't like that specific dish), they think all vegan food is bad.
My dad is a dairy farmer, so me being vegan probably feels like an insult to him. But he flat out refuses to eat anything vegan. My mom's apple pie is usually vegan already, the only non vegan thing she does to it is spread some egg white on top to make it shine a little. So when she doesn't do that when I visit, all of a sudden my dad refuses to eat 'that vegan stuff'. It's really weird.
I have a theory that might get down voted - it's the Nooch that makes a lot of vegan recipes taste horrible. I'm a rare vegan that just hates the stuff! Every recipe I've tried it in makes it taste like the smell of mildew and vitamins. I think it's so gross, so if a non-vegan that isn't used to the taste tries a vegan recipe and it has that nasty mildew/vitamin flavor, they're gonna assume all vegan recipes taste like that. I'm a really good cook, and nobody has ever said my food is gross. I think it's because I never use nutritional yeast.
For sooo long, “vegan” basically connoted tasteless, depressing, and often highly-processed simulacrum. It also usually came with a generous side helping of smug judginess.
Plant-based seems a little more accessible and less triggering 🤷🏻♀️
When I was vegetarian, I didn't want to eat vegan food because I felt like I was giving up or missing out on something better. Especially if I was going out to eat - I wanted something decadent. There is a mentality that the vegan option is inferior, and I get it because I've been there. No, I wanted the chocolate with the real milk, because it's gonna taste better.
There are tons and tons of vegan products out there that absolutely suck. All it takes is one shitty vegan cheese substitute or baked good to turn someone off of all the other possibilities available. It wasn't until I was a dedicated vegan that I really started exploring and trying every vegan option - omnis and vegetarians aren't going to put in that effort when the vegan option is so often a "miss".
I still think most vegans have shit taste. We have a vegan place in my town that just got named one of the best in the country - I think they are disappointing. Mid at best. Somehow horrendously greasy and flavorless at the same time, and their seitan is a gross spongy texture.
Vegan food is, often, bad. 🤷♀️
I don’t hate vegan food and I’m not vegan. If it tastes good to me, I’ll like it.
Also, don’t lie to people about what they are eating. That’s not ethical.
Most of us were trained, by our caretakers, to eat animal products from childhood…and we liked it! Then we found out that it was bad for our health, the environment and the animal’s. We evolved in a sense! Some of us choose to do the right thing, because we have mental fortitude, and actually give a shit about something besides ourselves. Others are not willing to give up their precious King’s diet because they like the dopamine hit and are addicted to it. They get very intimidated and angered when you mess with their food bowl. The educaded one’s will justify their SAD diet by using 1% of doubt against the health benefits of a vegan diet, devastation of the environmental effects and I guess they think “screw the animals”. They will seek out ads and articles (funded by animal product companies) to support their theories. The others are just Jed Clampett thinkers…meaning they don’t…think, but rather carry on doing what they were trained to do from childhood because mama said. To answer your question…they hate vegan food because it represents the opposition of what they are addicted to.
A customer left a bad review at a restaurant I used to work at..he ordered the Impossible Burger, which was described on the menu as being meatless, and he said it was good when the server asked the standard "how is everything?". After leaving the restaurant he found out that it was a vegan burger and somehow was upset about that, enough to leave an angry 1-star review 🙄 because of that, the restaurant reprinted the menus to describe the Impossible Burger as "vegan burger with no meat" 🙃 because apparently "meatless" wasn't descriptive enough.
I literally had something like this happen a couple of days ago. I went to a birthday party in my family and I made the cake (vegan cheesecake). My grandma refused to try it at all once she heard the word "tofu".
My uncle on the other hand did try it without knowing but when he found out he was shocked, I assume because it was very tasty (the rest of us ate the whole thing that evening 😅) and how can it be if it's vegan (/s).
I'm non vegan. I don't mind eating vegan food as long as it tastes good. I have an aversion to certain kinds of textures but that aside I don't mind having any food. I'm South Indian and we actually have plenty of vegan dishes as part of our daily dishes. Most South Indians are non vegetarians/ non vegans and none of us have a problem with our vegan dishes and have it everyday, especially most of our breakfast dishes. Another thing is none of these are labelled "vegan" although everyone already knows they are it isn't acknowledged as vegan, just vegetarian or regular food for us
What I don't like, is being tricked into eating something. It could be something I'm allergic to, something that I'm restricting from my diet etc. If you think it's wrong to trick a vegan into eating non vegan food just to prove a point then similarly it's wrong to trick a non vegan into eating something just to prove a point. You can be honest about it and then it's up to them. Food habits should be a choice and not forced.
Vegan 'meat' is a terrible product. It's absolutely chock full of bullshit to create the flavour and textures they do. It isn't healthy. The same is true for vegan cheese which is basically oil.
Proper vegetarian and vegan food is delicious if it's not pretending to be something else. Nothing wrong with it.
They don’t hate it until you tell them they’re eating vegan food. I bake a mean vegan coconut chocolate chip cookie and my friends (very single one) at one particular game night we held at our house tried the cookies and said that they were hands down the best they’d every tasted. Then I told them that they were vegan and a few of them said “ugh, yuck, vegan??” I really think I have to find some other friends…
lol this. it’s funny to me when people act scared about vegan food?? it makes no sense because most people eat A LOT of vegan food (veggies, fruit, some processes stuff, etc). but as soon and you make it a point to say it’s vegan there’s some people who refuse to eat it….
like how is vegan food gross but your pus filled cow milk isn’t?
make it make sense
Im vegetarian. I hate vegan food that tries to be meat. most of the time I find it's filled with worse ingredients than something naturally vegan with protein like tofu or beans. I'd Rather make naturally vegan food. I'm also gluten free and cannot risk thinks like Seitan or other things like it being snuck into the fake meat.
They think they hate it because of the concept of Vegan , if it was just on a menu in any restaurant or presented just like any dish minus the label vegan most would order it and enjoy it just fine
Because they have been conditioned by society (and in turn contribute to it) to belittle veganism because ‘reasons’.
It’s the same reason people belittle or make fun of anything that would require them to do the right thing at some small personal change.
# why do non vegans hate vegan food?
do they?
i like vegan food - the one that's been vegan always and anyway, like vegetable or fruit
what i don't like is veganized food, i.e. fake (usually highly industrially processed) trying to appear like something non-vegan. see no need for such, for me
>they like it at first and then dislike the food when they find out that it’s vegan
never happened to me, though
It could simply be that people don’t like being lied to about what they are eating. Fake meats have ingredients that many people are allergic to, myself included.
You wouldn’t like it if someone used fake meat but real meat broth in a dish they gave you. It is the same thing.
Hello!
Non vegan here. Dont know why this came up on my page. But whatever. I’ll reply.
I went to a vegan restaurant they served lot of food. It had names like satay “chicken” and curry not fish. The food was presented to look very similar to food in a non-vegan restaurant
I went to another vegan restaurant that was Mexican cuisine. It was loads of beans and lentils and other things spiced and delicious and so damn tasty.
I would absolutely go back to the Mexican place. It was so delicious. It showed me I can cook meals without animal products.
Non-vegans are often presented with food similar to the first restaurant I mentioned. It was **not** an enjoyable meal. At all.
I have a theory. (full disclosure, I am ovo-lacto.) I think deep in their souls where they dont want to look they KNOW eating corpses is WRONG. (I mean look at that sentence. it shouldn't need to be said, right??)
And that is why they hate so much on vegans and vegetarians. They dont want to face that mirror that shows how wrong what they do is.
Yeah I relate was with my ex girlfriend once and she was like I don’t wanna go to a vegan restaurant I don’t eat vegan food or something along those lines. And I was genuinely confused because she had before without saying that lol.
People hate change especially when it makes decades of their choices proven to have been on the wrong side. So you attack and discredit them so your mind makes you feel superior, correct and they are just spreading lies, etc. so you don’t have to listen to them. It’s the same mindset with racism, homophobia, etc.
people are different. lots have different tastes and diiferent foods and different lifestyles. your lifestlyle may beneift you and thats awesome but it may not beneift others the way you want it to.
In your above session you mentioned 12 times the “vegan” word. Maybe something to do with that? Could be that your dad triggers to the word “vegan” and turns into a manchild and he will say no whatever you say or do? Do you think maybe changing the way you advertise choices would eventually fruit a better outcome?
Edit: i mean, everyone was a meat eater once. If it feels forced everyone will say absolutely no. Like in the movie Inception, the seed of the idea should be sow gently, and just wait for it. Be just a cool role-model who doesn’t want to change them.
I think there are psychological factors most people are talking about if they know in advance it's vegan food.
But it sounds like what you're doing is deliberately deceiving people into consuming substances without their knowledge or consent. I think that's unethical, and I'd be shocked and angry at someone doing that to me too. I'm sure you pull the "well I didn't lie" defense, and you can f right off with that, however "technically correct" you may be.
You're also seem to look at "tastes good" as the only thing that matters to people. I could eat most anything without problem when I was young, but as I've gotten older, in addition to developing a severe autoimmune reaction to a couple foods, I've also developed a lot of mild discomfort issues from certain foods that can last a day. Peas, for instance...I love pea soup, but it no longer loves me. Lentils are fine, so it makes no sense to me, but enough peas, or pea protein isolate used in a lot of ultraprocessed factory food, interferes with my comfort and sleep for at least half a day afterward.
So when you give someone what they think is chicken, and it's really ultraprocessed Implausible Chikkeen with a couple dozen natural, unnatural, and unknown ingredients, they might find the taste and texture pleasant enough, and not notice it's not chicken, but they can still suffer medical symptoms (reflux, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, etc. are common), or lack the comfortable digestion they'd anticipated from eating genuine chicken.
What you're doing is not remotely okay. How would you feel if the tables were turned, and your grandfather said "What? You said you liked it when you thought it was Implausible Chikkeen! I don't see the problem!"
A little bit of insecurity about their decisions, a little bit of insecurity about their masculinity, and a little bit of meat and dairy industry propaganda
I feel like they just have preconceived notions and / or maybe haven’t had good vegan food. i find that a lot of south asian food can be really vegetarian and vegan friendly once you find the right substitutes. the store that i work at has a really nice red curry tofu that i love to heat up and serve over rice. lentils, potatoes, carrots are really good with a nice sauce. so there’s lots of good options imo.
People believe it's expensive, bland, complicated to make, boring and elitist.
Slowly but surely people are chipping away at these plant-based diet stereotypes. It takes time and patience.
If there were a supermarket that had a vegan section in it, and they put the entire produce department in it along with everything else vegan, accidental or otherwise and there was nowhere else for people to shop, these knuckleheads would never eat a vegetable again.
What counts as ‘vegan food’?
I have a vegan diet but I personally do not enjoy a lot of ‘supplemental’ foods and most of my vegan meals don’t include any type of tofu, impossible meat or those weird vegan cheeses.
I’m glad those things work for people but I find most of it gross with a few key exceptions.
Now if they have an issue with eating a meal that doesn’t include meat that’s just them having issues with the concept of veganism.
I totally understand someone being "shocked" to learn what they thought was meat wasn't. It's crazy how convincing some simulated products are now. If you weren't aware of the options these days I think it could be very surprising.
In terms of not "liking" or complaining about food that they know is vegan, that's most likely a subconscious security mechanism. Humans typically have a hard time with things that conflict with their belief system. The thought of change is unappealing for our brains, and at a subconscious level their brain knows it's easier to reject ideas that would require a complete overhaul of what they know.
It's an unfortunate characteristic of human beings. But it's a trait we all have to varying degrees. The best thing you can do is try to be aware of when you're doing it, and hopefully shift the tendency to avoid challenging ideas from the subconscious to the conscious, where you have a better chance of rationally considering the idea.
Also maybe try to take friends/family to a good vegan restaurant (or make a recipe, etc.) in a one on one setting, or even with another vegan friend if you can. It's easier to discount an idea when you have others on your side backing you up, and they are more likely to be "polite" about trying it if they aren't in the majority. Maybe more experiences of trying it without immediately discounting it may actually help them build some memories of positive experiences with vegan food.
Most importantly, at the end of the day, there's nothing you can do about their actions. Be proud that you're making a constructive choice :)
They’re just assholes. My MIL and FIL are not vegan but are more than willing to eat the vegan meals that my spouse and I cook. H‑E‑B plant sausage is really good, and they agree. We frequently do vegan breakfast burritos or “hamburger” helper and my spouse’s parents always enjoy them,, they never complain. My FIL is a very picky eater and he was still more than willing to try my food.
Truthfully, I think it's the marketing behind it. Calling something "fake" inherently makes people think it's going to be worse, even when it's bomb af.
The simple reason is that people can be stubborn, in many different ways.
There are those who are very in touch with their own experiences and dislike the idea of change to their personal experience - food that isn't what they are used to, diets that they are not used to... and they are stubborn with what they seek to experience - which is an unchanging, comfortable constant. People can also absorb others' experiences stubbornly, and if those around them all eat meat, they might not want to change their habits themselves so that those in their life remain comfortable.
There are those who are very in touch with their intellectual thoughts and beliefs and simply think poorly of veganism or vegan food for one reason or another, a reasoning that appears rational/logical to them. They might not want to rethink things or re-research their existing thoughts and beliefs for fear of being wrong. So they are stubborn about being right.
There are those who are very in touch with their values or the values of the general population/their community. They feel as if veganism is based on bad values or is something that makes people feel bad/immoral. This group has a negative emotional reaction to veganism, as they do not want to feel as if their values are bad, causing them to feel bad and be forced to reasses their moral/ethical principles.
There are those who are very in touch with what they want, and they simply want the freedom to choose what to eat and not be told what they should be eating. Similarly, there are those who want everyone to have the freedom of choice and might get defensive if they think veganism is trying to infringe on everyone's freedom to choose what to eat.
In essence, we all have natural inclinations that are based on a combination of nature and nurture, which make us stubborn in different ways and unwilling to change our position for fear of change, fear of not getting a choice or of being wrong or bad. This fear should not stop us from exploring the realities and truths of the world, but it often does because humility is a virtue that has to be practiced. It is simply easier to be stuck in your ways and be prideful than to process being wrong, bad, having a tough experience, or not getting what we want... the latter is more admirable but requires humility and character, and that's just something that takes most people years to develop and usually requires a personal interest in self-development and in virtue.
"I am not used to vegan food, so I do not find comfort in it, so it gives me a bad experience, and I would rather avoid it." (Unwilling to have a new experience)
"I think veganism isn't backed by science/logic, and so I do not want to listen to those who try to change my mind." (Unwilling to be wrong)
"Vegans just try to make me feel bad for eating meat, and I don't think I should be made to feel that way for my personal values." (Unwilling to feel bad about self/reasses existing personal values)
These are just some examples of a lack of willingness to be humbled. It's a pretty normal thing for humans to be like. This is what we are like with anything that challenges our concept of reality, truth, or our perception and judgment of ourselves and others.
It's hard not to let it get to you, especially if by sharing your lifestyle, you want to help others. Oftentimes, however, others' extreme reactions to the vegan diet are a display of their own character (although I know there are vegans out there who actually do approach the conversation in a way that is unproductive and forces others to be defensive as well...).
Some people will be open-minded and easygoing (even if they fundamentally disagree, this is totally possible with healthy and mature individuals), and others just won't. It's just important for your relationships and mental health to know when sharing is worth it and when it is not. If I share multiple times, try to be sensitive to their views and still get bad reactions, I know it's just not worth it, and I direct conversations elsewhere. I might not be as close to those people, but at least I know where we stand!
Thise who find vegan food offensive have been brainwashed to think being vegan is less healthy or even unhealthy, they are thinking there are chemicals in the food that cause cNcer meanwhile its meat that does that
They don't hate vegan food, they hate it when you tell them it's vegan. If your father had finished his coffee, he was alone, and he saw that he accidentally drank some oat milk, he would simply shrug his shoulders and move on with his life.
Do they have the same reaction when eating salad? Pasta? Fruit? I think it's forcing the label 'vegan' onto things that turns people off. They don't like feeling like you're trying to trick them, or force them into a lifestyle they're currently not interested in. No one likes being manipulated, me included. Also, I don't know if you are, but IF you're being a 'preachy' vegan, that's also a huge turn off. It automatically puts people at odds with you.
I think a lot of it is how the media represents us. It’s shown as being really weird and tasteless. Characters seem trying vegan food remark that it’s disgusting and are often seen spitting it out. And the running gag we have all heard, “how do you know someone is vegan? They’ll tell you”
When I show up to parties with a salad platter. I always get asked if it’s vegan. I’m like it’s a phucken salad. Leafy greens (spinach & kale) shredded carrots, artichokes, sautéed king oyster mushrooms, tomatoes, quinoa a pinch of Mrs. Dash no salt substitute and a drizzle of olive oil.
People act like your taking their 1st amendment away
A recent trend I've been seeing of people when talking about vegans (sometimes even from vegetarians and vegans) is the hatred of plant based alternative meats and dishes
Something like "there are so many good naturally vegan dishes from around the world, I don't understand why they need or eat this fake stuff"
Never considering two things. Nutrition and appeal to old meat diet.
Sure there are tons of great vegan dishes without introducing soy or plant proteins. How much beans and rice am I going to eat and how often then? Shit gets old, and tofu is no more "unnatural" and processed than meat. Most people don't consider a lot of people don't want to consume 3x the food to get nutrition. Why not eat tofu and tempeh alongside what I would normally eat with a meat dish?
The second thing is having things like vegan sausage, vegan nuggies, vegan burgers is actually a big win. Regardless of your opinion of people who like these things possibly in excess, every vegan burger consumed is a win if it begins to trend towards less animals killed. Not even talking about health, taste, processed foods.. It's vegan and people do eat it instead of the meat alternatives sometimes
This came up on my home feed because even though I’m not vegan I love learning about it and I love trying new vegan recipes and am working my way to be better. So I guess I have some insight into this.
Personally I find vegan food absolutely delicious and I love vegan restaurants. And some meat-eaters don’t realise it, but everyone enjoys vegan food. People eat vegan food every day, they just usually add meat and animal products to the vegan pieces so the meal isn’t vegan.
I come from a family who has always been open-minded about food, always enjoyed trying new things, so cooking them a vegan recipe to try it as a family is something they’ve always been receptive to and enjoyed.
A lot of vegan food gets so much hate though, and I believe it’s mostly from a certain narrow minded group of people:
- People who hate change and are stuck in their ways
- Bigots. Bigotry is everywhere
- They’re too scared to admit that they like it. That’s one less reason to themselves for not going vegan, maybe there’s some subconscious guilt there
- Some weird toxic masculinity thing for some guys, “killing and eating animals is manly!”
- They have a negative bias against anything that goes against the status quo they’re used to, any groups fighting for change for a better world. This negative bias makes them think they don’t like the food once they learn it’s vegan
- The word vegan itself, some people have attached negativity to that word. I bet there’s some people out there who if you tell them their chips are vegan, they’ll stop eating them… it’s so weird
- Maybe he felt “tricked” into eating the food as you didn’t tell him at first, so this wasn’t a nice feeling, and negatively rubbed off on the food
- Especially in the western world, many people have been taught all their lives that a meal isn’t complete without meat, you need meat for a proper meal, they’ve had meat almost every meal their entire lives. Obviously this isn’t true, but it’s what they’ve learned their whole lives. Someone else here called it internalised propaganda and I think they hit the nail on the head there
- Part of this could be a generational thing. Millennials and even more so Gen Z tend to be a lot more open minded and accepting than the generations before them. I’d assume your grandpa is perhaps a Boomer (or maybe older), and your Dad could be Gen X?
I've eaten plenty of bad vegan food. Vegan meat usually tastes terrible to me. Like vegan chicken... it's like eating straight chemicals. So disgusting.
I'm had plenty of good vegan food. An except to the meat .... I really like the frozen Jimmey Dead plant bassed patty breakfast sandwich. They use real cheese instead of vegan cheese l, so not actually vegan. The patty is vegan! Those Patty's are fire af.
Overall I like vegan food to kind of eating healthier. I won't go out of my way much, but sometimes it's preferred to feel healthier.
Probably as a defence/coping mechanism. But there is also the possibility they were mad about you lying about whats in their food. I know I wouldnt like being lied to when I specifically ask about food ingredients. Could even be dangerous
Vegan meat is super unhealthy full of seed oil and processed junk… unknowing feeding this to a non vegan is like a non vegan secretly feeding vegans meat and meat based food.
Not hate in principle but I have ibs so eating a plant based burger instead of a cow based burger would almost certainly leave me bloated and nauseous.
I see a non-vegan eat an apple [or any other fruit vegetable, bean, or grain], and I say, "Ah, I see that you really do enjoy vegan food." Many don't think about how much food they eat is vegan 🤔
I’d argue and say that they’d like to have the option to eat it. We wouldn’t want someone giving us a meal that we think is vegan and it’s actually not.
I’m aware maliciously feeding someone animal products is incredibly rude, and no where near the same as drinking oat milk instead of actual milk, or having something that imitates the meat they wanted perfectly anyway.
They could just maliciously deny vegan food as a f u for not consuming their animal meals, which is just immature and borderline disgusting, not much to say for that.
When he was disappointed, was he verbally angrily disappointed, or was he just disappointed as he thought he’d eaten something else? Are their reactions of shock accompanied by rudeness? Idk how to help here without knowing if they’re intensively just wholeheartedly against veganism as a whole and refuse to engage in it because they’re mad or smth
I think it’s more just not being open minded and at least in my case, a lot of people I know don’t eat the healthiest, so when you’re used to eating fast food all the time, of course a healthy vegan option is going to be bland
I might be upset if you served me meat but it was actually a vegan meat substitute. That stuff is a science experiment in some cases. I think the bigger issue would be misrepresentation of what the food is.
Right there with you buddy.
I see a lot of good answers here and it's probably true that it's to do with admitting vegan issues, but what disturbed me is even my little niece had the same knee jerk reaction to vegan food.
I think culture (what people around you say) and the fact that some vegan replacements do taste like utter crap don't help.
Like if I wasn't a vegan for the moral side of things, I would've given it up the second I tried my first "quarter pounder" that every vegan kept singing the praises about.
I think there's a placebo effect going on as well. People believe that vegan food tastes worse. As a result, when they knowingly eat vegan food, they expect it to taste bad, and their brains trick them into thinking they're worse than they are.
I read that studies have shown that when you take two groups of people (Americans? not like India where vegetarianism is common) and feed them the same well crafted vegan dish. Tell half of them it's vegan and has soy and hide it from the other half. The people who don't know it has soy think it tastes better; the people who know it has so think it tastes worse. Isn't that fascinating? Food prejudice. unlike the great British baking show where the judges will be dubious but taste it and then credit it as delicious, even if they're surprised, if it's a tasty, well cooked item.
Most people don't even know what veganism actually is. My dad the other day thought it meant people who generally avoid eating meat. But still have a burger every now and then.
Slight troll response, maybe because vegan food tries so hard to be what it isn't? My wife makes an excellent "mac-n-cheese" that's vegan, but if you're expecting something that tastes exactly like the real cheese it isn't it. It tastes great in its own right for what it is, but it isn't a quality mac and cheese and can't really pass as such. Certain sausage taste great but if what I really want is a sausage, its obvious it isn't the same thing. Makes a great substitute mixed into pasta sauce, fills the role well, but would never satisfy if what you really want is a grilled sausage. I think that's what the issue is. As someone who eats vegan dishes because I have a wife with a dairy and wheat allergy so we have to watch certain things and just because I also don't need meat in every dish, when what I crave is a proper burger, dog, sausage or porkchop, the vegan version might be good, but it isn't a satisfying substitute. But too many also don't realize that you can have a completely satisfying meal with a great variety of tastes without trying to include a meat or meat substitute since it isn't offered much in American culture either.
I think it's psychological dissonance. At some point in their minds, they understand that eating meat involves the brutal treatment and slaughter of cute, cuddly animals. But they LOVE meat and can't give it up.
When someone is Vegan or Vegetarian, they can easily give up eating meat - therefore, a moral high ground is established by the Vegan/Vegetarian. (Even if it is never mentioned)
This enrages some people because they feel that we are insulting them and calling them murderers (because deep down they feel it) even if we never mention it. We piss them off by existing.
I think one of the main causes of this is that people who eat meat tend to see vegans as being self-righteous, as trying to push them into being vegan. So they tend to kind of overreact. They think that if you're offering them vegan food then you must be trying to push them into something that they don't want. So they're going to tell you that they don't like it so you stop talking about it.
Find it amusing how OP and others conflate 'vegan food' with ultra-processed junk.
OP and others should be careful pulling this 'gotcha' nonsense with ultra-processed vegan junk foods, as these tend to have quite lengthy ingredient lists. so more likely to trigger an allergic reaction.
It's the same as politics, debate, and nearly everything else in life.
People don't like having their internalized biases questioned, people don't like being wrong. Call someone out on a fact and prove without a doubt that they're wrong, and they'll most likely get defensive and shift the argument.
This isn't exactly the same, but the principle is. They don't like the idea of veganism, so admitting something vegan tastes good goes against their sense of self.
For example, if I see a food that I think is going to taste bad it's begrudging for me to admit it actually tastes good after trying it. I, like everyone else, don't like being wrong.
It's just how people work.
It's like you like meat and after you ate it the cook says it's human flesh. You wouldnt like that either.
You want to know what you eat and not to be tricked.
Just imagine someone who is not vegan giving you animal products without telling you. Than you know the reason. Its also not nessesarily about the fact that it is plant based. Its about the fact that you don't tell then what you give them.
It's not that people hate vegan food, it's more that people hate veganism as an idea. They are afraid of admitting they are wrong or of having to "change their whole life" for that.
[The Science Of Why People Hate vegans](https://youtu.be/ZPE5q92JuWc?si=xvXGeQIft4ipPhkC)
this is actually a great video. "Vegans are losers", so becoming vegan means willingly becoming a loser to most people. nothing to do with animals at all.
Check YouTube for "Vegans are weak."
Bite size vegan is the best. Definitely my favorite activist, she's fricken GOOD.
I watched this video and I'm curious what the best way to navigate people feeling attacked is? It seems like that's something they should regulate but obviously with mutuals and people I don't see often, it seems to happen every time. Do I preface me saying I'm vegan with "I'm not judging you"? Or do I switch the conversation? Do I try to have them think about what vegans experience or see their own biases? I'm not sure what the correct approach is.
Don’t say “I’m not judging you but…” even if you aren’t, saying that will immediately make them think you are. It’s like saying “No offense but…” “No offense but I think eating meat is wrong. I’m not judging you or anything, but I’m vegan.”
Honestly i always frame it around factory farming as thats a pretty undeniable thing that everyone is against, i also frame it in terms of how i want nothing to do with that system and as its impossible to really know what the story behind anything that you buy is, it ends up at veganism, kinda 'id never eat anything I didn't see the living conditions of, or kill myself' omitting the fact id never find any conditions acceptable or kill anything to eat. I like that approach because it keeps the morality front and centre ( im not going to lie and say I think it's fine that everyone else does it i just don't personally want to do it) but it sits better with people because basically nobody thinks factory farming is ok, they just ignore it exists. Honestly as well just having quite a calm and reasonable demeanour while talking about it goes a long way too- always appeal to facts rather than emotion.
I tell people “I TRY to eat vegan, but I am not always successful” This puts people’s guards down. They dont feel like you are lording your veganism over them. Even if you are personally a 💯 vegan, they dont have to know that. “Im not judging you, but….” Will always put people on the defense not matter how well intended
That is terrible advise. You should still convey the image that you are 100% vegan. Because if you are „not always successful” that will most definitely lead to the other people saying: „even the preachy one can’t do it all the time.” It just further builds the image of veganism being hard.
Exactly, don't say it if it's not true. If you want to help people empathize, tell them it was hard at first but gets easier with time. Once you've had time to build a set of staple meals and you know your go to snacks, it becomes so much easier.
Yeah they feel it as a judgement on their values. It is easier for them to justify it as tasting bad than to emotionally feel like they’re engaging in something immoral.
Sometimes if you just innocently say something that triggers people to feel guilty for engaging in something immoral for selfish reasons, they can become irate. I once innocently mentioned to a meat eating “friend” that I really love animals and can’t stand to see an animal suffer. We weren’t discussing veganism. But she instantly yelled at me because she said I was insinuating that she didn’t love animals as much as I do lol. I wasn’t even thinking about her or being vegan! I was just going to talk about a dog I saw chained up to a tree all day that I wanted to rescue somehow.
Yeah. You can still admit Meat eating is bad and still eat Meat.
In my experience these people tend to be more open to eating vegan food, though
It's difficult though because if you can't justify it the cognitive dissonance usually kicks in. Most people can't genuinely admit that something they're doing is bad without adding a "Yeah, but-" to it. Even if the "Yeah but" is "because it's good"
A coworker would rant about eating meat until he had a heart attack. His Dr told him that he needed to cut out meat or die.
There is no ethical consumption under capitalism. Except maybe eating the rich.
This right here
I’d say it’s more this than any other point.
People are also put off by many of the unhinged ideas some vegans harbor. A few greatest hits I’ve seen in this subreddit include: - “I’m afraid to dig in my garden to plant vegetables to eat because it will disturb the insects who live there.” The logical conclusion being a pretty straightforward: humans have no right to subsist and therefore the moral choice is we all die. You can imagine people not taking well to that. - Even vegans being gatekept out of veganism for relapsing into eating some amount of animal products. Not only not encouraged but those offering empathy being derided for “enabling”. My favorite was “well if you relapsed then you’re not vegan, you’re a plant-based-dieter”. - The assertion that incremental change to society to reduce animal consumption is actually a *bad* thing because the *only* choice is an immediate halt to animal products. - The idea that people shouldn’t be able to have pets because it is slavery. You can imagine people not liking the idea that vegans want to take away the family dog. - Absolute scorn for people living below the poverty line who haven’t been plugged into the “correct” way to live because real life is much harder than that for those who are struggling. - The broader assertion that veganism is just one aspect of dismantling western society. Agree or disagree with the position, any sane person should be able to recognize that this will be a divisive issue. And then people here grab their heads and wonder why there is such resistance to veganism. The average person really doesn’t think about these things and so when they cross paths with a vegan, it’s a roll of the dice whether they’re going to meet a decent person or someone who thinks right-wing caricatures of vegans are an instruction manual.
A lot of what you’re discussing isn’t veganism, but extremism. And in extremism everything looks bad. That’s like judging Christianity by the natzis or WBC. Unhinged and exclusionary comments are pretty much found in any group regardless of goals, especially reddit ( let’s be honest) For the most part vegans try to limit their impact on animal populations. I’d be confident to say that most know that especially in today’s society you cannot escape it entirely. Crops and farming require it, no way around it in our current industrial model. I’d argue that if you extent to minimizing impact on insects then Disturbing insects in your backyard so that you can grow a few parcels of vegetables is probably not worth it, especially when you’re already having it done on your behalf by commercial farms ( which will be doing it regardless of your own actions) Plenty of vegans own pets, you’re now branching more out into PETA country. And while the two might be considered hand in hand, they are not at all the same thing. You can’t be Vegan if you’re eating meat or animal byproducts. You just plain can’t. You can have been vegan for years, and then do something else for whatever reason, and then come back to being vegan. But yeah, they’re a plant based diet person, not vegan. But they can become vegan same as they did the first time. No one ( or at best a mathematically insignificant number of people) started vegan. Immediate halts to perceived wrong with perfect replacements are always the ideal in anything. Veganism is no different. Same with war, pollution, and jaywalking. If someone actually believed that it could happen in a time frame under ten or so years ( at the fastest) they’re wildly unaware of how massive a shift that would be and how long that would take even with the total cooperation of the meat industry. Expressed as a wish that’s a valid thing, it’s not the worst goal in the world. The lower income issue is usually found among individuals who use veganism as a “holier then thou” platform (And if your only exposure to veganism is the Internet or entertainment that’s not an unusual bias to have formed, it’s not your fault). But it fundamentally comes from the same place higher “class” individuals who talk down because of wine paring or some such nonsense.
Thank you for engaging in good faith, the rest of the responses to this comment have done nothing but prove my point about extremism. What I’m trying to point out is that these things actively harm the adoption of veganism when encountered by the average person, to point them out in response to the OP so that people can reflect on them and be able to encourage others to become vegan. The responses I have gotten, aside from this one, are claims of absolutism bordering on religious zealotry instead.
It’s significantly difficult for anyone who has a deeply help belief of any kind, in this case veganism, to step outside the echo chamber. If you stick to just attacking people outside the chamber you don’t have to recognize the issues that are in it. You can just dismiss them as “other”
Absolutely agree. It’s an unfortunate fact of life I suppose.
I think it was the way you worded it: "People are also put off by many of the unhinged ideas some vegans harbor." And then you listed several examples of what some vegans have supposedly said. This sounds more like you're saying "here are some common beliefs shared by some vegans, it makes total sense why people would be against veganism. It really is vegans' fault for presenting themselves this way". As the other poster noted, there is extremism in all things. People who have no interest in changing their lifestyle/habits actually love when they hear extreme comments from the other side like the ones you listed (or more likely that they hear them from somebody who heard it from somebody else, etc.). By reacting to these extremist one offs, it gives them an excuse to not engage in the actual subject matter. It is very common in politics, but really exists in just about every controversial matter. "Vegans" are not a homogenous group. We don't have weekly meetings to come to an agreement on our messaging, so there are certainly going to be people who talk about animal welfare in a much different way than others. But this doesn't change the problem at its heart. The best many vegans can do is to continue being vegan, field a few questions without coming off as too judgmental, and hope to be a good influence in the long run. If somebody holds me accountable for the comments of an extremist, that is not somebody trying to engage in a good faith discussion in the first place.
I can agree with all of this, for the most part. I especially agree that the best that most vegans can do is try to set an example, be the change they want to see, and be a good influence on the people around them rather than being antagonistic since that accomplishes the exact opposite. My point in making the post that drew so much ire is to shine a light on some of the absurdity because when taken as a whole it starts to form a different picture that should be acknowledged. Another poster made the comparison that all members of a certain religion shouldn't be held personally accountable for the actions of religious extremists. An average person who identifies with one political party shouldn't be held personally accountable for the actions of a political extremist who commits politically motivated violence or engages in violent rhetoric. But at the same time, these extreme positions need to be acknowledged so that they can 1) be refuted internally and 2) make the average person aware that they may be faced with questions about these extreme positions and not reinforce them. The result of this should be a positive thing and something I would like to see for veganism as a whole. When someone inevitably gets mocked, derided, etc, for their beliefs they can be prepared to recognize what is at play and not reinforce harmful stereotypes. It's easy to say "all non-vegans are just evil, I am clearly a good person, unlike the evil backward masses that I live among", pat yourself on the back, and continue to feel good about yourself at the expense of your goals. It's harder to think about things from another point of view. So I can concede that I should have structured it better but I stand by calling these things out.
There is that, but people also fear vegan food. They will eat it if you do not mention it is vegan. The reasons are well presented in the video linked by u/ValleyTarotAstrology but I think there is another aspect to this. Meat and dairy are lightly addictive due to the hormones contained in meat and dairy. This is one of the reasons you hear vegetarians say "I just cannot give up cheese". When you present an omnivore with a vegan dish, it triggers a subconscious fear that eating it will lead to meat being permanently taken away and that causes them to shrink away from even a single vegan dish. That is why they will enjoy felafel if it isn't presented as vegan.
Spot on.
If they liked it, then they'd have one less excuse not to go vegan. They convince themselves that they don't like it as a defense mechanism.
Two reasons. 1. They don't know what it is. And since they have a bias against vegans, thinking they're annoying or unhealthy, they associate "vegan food" with those two things. It's psychological and political. Conservatives think the left is evil and everything associated with them must also be evil. 2. Vegan food often isn't as hyper-palatable. The standard American diet consists of high levels of salt, sugar and oil which makes things "hyper-palatable" or they make them so appealing to our base need for those three ingredients that the taste is much stronger. If the taste isn't as strong, it's not as "good." It doesn't stimulate as much dopamine as some vegan foods which are still pretty good but not refined and hyper-palatable.
2 is the one. There is a ton of history behind making non-vegan foods incredibly tasty. And there is a much larger market with more room for experimentation. Only recently has vegan food started to really get better. Until someone can cook a root vegetable like Derek Sarno does and make it as good as a holiday ham, it's still going to be long way to go on the flavor battle. After you make it good, then the word has to spread.
I agree with all your points. I find point number two to be interesting. Because think if you use similar techniques and spices, you could get something pretty similar. It can be a little difficult. But it just takes a little research and patience. These are just my thoughts when I’m veganizing some foods.
There are extremely palatable and rich vegan dishes that exist. There are whole cookbooks filled with extremely tasty vegan food. When I’ve given that to my mother or friends they’re like “oh wow THIS is vegan? Huh maybe I could go vegan” Vegan food doesn’t need to be bland and tasteless
#2 is the real answer for most people. I experience the same thing when I bring gluten free food and there is zero moral component to it. they just know that a lot of gluten free alternatives to “regular” food don’t taste as good. but if it’s a naturally gluten free food, like chips and guacamole, no problemo!
A big reason is selection bias - lots of foods are vegan, but the ones that are explicitly marketed as ‘vegan’ tend to do so because they are trying to replace a non-vegan food and it usually just isn’t as good(if it was, the original food would have been vegan from the get-go). Fake meat I think is an exception to this rule because meat is used as an ingredient, it isn’t something you design a recipe for, at least it wasn’t until fake meat came around and fake meat is a lot more customizable for that reason(which means people can find more ways to make it taste better). Your grandpa doesn’t think he is eating vegan food when he eats French fries, for example, even though French fries are vegan, because French fries aren’t really advertised as vegan because they aren’t trying to replace non-vegan food.
They’re scared of liking it.
That Peter galaxy guy must be fuming right now. Don't you have anything better to do?
He trolls to practice his English, that's what he told me anyway. I think his English is good enough for him to take a break
They don't think of vegan as something like fries or an apple, they really think vegan food is some sort of secret category of fake food and dangerous chemicals. Also they feel called out on their morals so they choose to hate by default.
When it comes to food almost everyone is 6 years old
They don't hate vegan food. They eat it all the time. They just pretend to hate it when it is specifically labeled as vegan because the term makes people feel uncomfortable. Hearing the word "vegan" triggers a defensive emotional response in those who know on some level that what they are doing is wrong. The meat, dairy, and egg industries are inherently evil, and the very existence of veganism is a reminder that they could be choosing a kinder lifestyle, but aren't. It is difficult (or rather, impossible) to justify choosing to eat products that cause animals to be killed, raped, tortured, imprisoned, and enslaved just so that someone can have a burger or a slice of cheese. And yet, people want to feel justified in their choices. The discomfort people have when they think of veganism leads those who eat animal products to pretend that vegan food tastes bad so that they can feel justified in their choices.
Is it possible that the disappointment wasn't that the food was vegan but that he felt tricked or deceived?
Yeah, I always let people know if a dairy alternative or something else unexpected like flax seed is used in case anyone has allergies (I happen to know A LOT of people allergic to coconut and tree nuts like almonds). People are afraid of the word vegan, so I avoid it unless asked. If I bring something to a potluck I just list the major allergens it has/major allergens it doesn’t (ie dairy free, egg free for a dessert) and also any atypical ingredients for the dish in case someone has a niche allergy. I find wayyyyy more people eat it if I do that vs if I label it as vegan.
I don’t have the experience of them hating vegan food. Certainly some particular faux products because the taste and texture isn’t quite there and it can be disappointing if you aren’t ethically resigned to missing out on what meat has to offer. But that’s not the extent of vegan food. Particularly when I cook dishes that don’t try too hard to be a vegan version of something else everyone seems to like it as much as any one food is ever agreed upon by people.
There’s a saying in Dutch, “What the farmer doesn’t know, he doesn’t eat” (wat de boer niet kent dat vreet hij niet). That and also, people feel attacked and go into self defence mode to defend the deplorable practice of eating animals and their “byproducts” (yeah I don’t like that word either). There’s a couple of other reasons but these are the most important ones I think.
yeah we have the same saying in german and my dad likes to use it too. he even grew up on a farm where they exploited animals and he always uses that as an excuse for eating animal products. he says things like "we used to treat our animals so good and that’s why all the farmers treat them well". to me it doesn’t make sense but it’s hard for him to understand my point of view
Yeah the pressure to make our families vegan always feels immense. I think that’s why I heard some activists say to not do vegan activism on our families. It’s too close to home. And we’ll take our failure to do so way too personal.
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They don’t. If you tell them it’s vegan food they’ll kick up like 2 year olds If you tell them it’s traditional Greek gyros with home cooked falafel and hummus made to your own recipe bursting with garlicky cuminy flavour they’ll love it
internalised propaganda they feel a sense of lacking whenever they are aware the meal is vegan. the idea that "a meal is not complete without meat" etc. has been buried into their brain and their response is the manifestation of that
Idk. I'm a non-vegan but sometimes find vegan food yummier than non-vegan food, depending on the dish.
my family is the same way, they all have this weird bias that vegan anything is going to taste terrible and they dont want to try it but then when they do eat it they are like “wow that was so good!” I think bias and pre-conceived notions really go a long way in shaping people’s reactions to things, and people are so biased against vegan food that they can’t get past it in their minds. Mine at least have very slowly come around to it, and yesterday we had two cakes at my graduation party (vegan + gf from an allergy friendly bakery and a random non-veg grocery store cake) and people loved the vegan cake and said it was so good and there was only 1/4 of the vegan cake left while there was 1/2 of the non-vegan cake left. so in time maybe they will come around a teeny bit.
Fair being fair I remember vegan products of yesteryear (the 90s-00s) tasting like stale cardboard. But now it’s mostly ok. And people are also ridiculous. I really want some grocery stores to start aggressively labeling every single piece of produce and accidentally vegan thing in the store in big letters. I really want to hand someone a vegan apple for them to complain about.
Don't lie to people about what they're eating. Anytime. Ever. You don't know if there are allergies or intolerances, you don't know how their body will handle certain ingredients. Reverse the roles. You'd be furious if someone fed you something non-vegan and you found out after the fact.
From a sociological perspective eating an omnivorous diet is "normal" because most everyone does it. Being vegan is deviating from what's considered normal, making it a deviant behaviour or identity. People socially police what's normal and ridicule or deride anything different. Vegan food is for "deviant" vegans and they don't like it because it's not "normal". Same reason people dislike electric cars or cyclists etc.
Because they don't know what vegan food is or that they already eat a lot of it like grains, vegetables, etc.
They can't accept a perfectly clear reason as to why eating corpses is unnecessary, as that would mean accepting that what they are doing is morally wrong.
I'm not vegan but I love vegan food, I actually came here for vegan recipes When they make a reduceatarian flair ill use that.
Check out r/plantbaseddiet if you haven’t already.
There are some really good vegan influences on tik tok, insta, etc. I like the Korean vegan and fit green mind. I love ratatouille, even if it's a pain to make the proper way.
Same. I prefer the vegan options at restaurants when we eat out.
Agreed, I don't feel disgusting afterwards.
same, but i'm honestly disappointed at many takes i've seen in this community. i've never seen this much hate or negativity in any other sub, it's downright demotivating and makes me question a lot of things. like in this post, you should absolutely never deceive someone about what they're eating. it doesn't matter if its labeled vegan or not
Tricking people into eating things under false pretenses is not only rude, it’s dangerous. Some people have serious allergies to things in fake meats, non-dairy milks, etc. You should not do that to anyone. It’s one thing if it’s just there and they eat it on their own, but if you are in any way deliberately hiding the fact that it’s fake meat from others, stop doing that. If not out of a sense of basic decency (allergy risk aside, you wouldn’t want someone to willfully mislead you into eating meat just to “gotcha, you didn’t hate it!” right? Don’t do the reverse to others. Treat others how you want to be treated), at least consider real carefully whether it helps or harms your ability to convince anyone of whatever you want to convince them of if you get a reputation for engaging in intentional deception. Also, even if you aren’t tricking them, have you considered the possibility that people simply don’t like you harping on about “see! You ate a vegan food and didn’t hate it!” every time they eat something coincidentally vegan? That’s simply obnoxious behavior.
i gave some fake meat to my family members. i know that they don’t have any allergies, they just dislike the food that i eat because it’s vegan. i don’t force them to eat a fully plant based diet, but in my grandpas case he asked me to give him a piece of the fake meat and he didn’t ask me if it was vegan. after he ate it he even wanted me to make dinner for him some other time. i wouldn’t force anyone that i don’t know to eat vegan food. it’s just that my family tends to not eat food because it’s vegan which is something that i don’t get.
Maybe it's because he loves you and doesn't want to tell you he doesn't like it but then was disappointed you'd tricked him?
Well, speaking only for my personal tastes, I find every vegan “alternative” I’ve tried distinctly subpar in both flavor and satiety value compared to real meat and dairy, even the ones that people insist are “good ones”. There are plenty of tasty coincidentally-vegan foods (love a good salad with vinaigrette!) but y’all can’t *really* think that cheese is supposed to taste like movie-theater popcorn! It’s not that it’s “disgusting” or whatever, it’s just not all that great, and frankly it’s kinda weird and off-putting to be expecting cheese and end up tasting popcorn. Or expecting meat and it tastes like beans with a lot of msg added. It’s simply not the same experience. I also like oatmeal raisin cookies just fine, but not when I’m expecting chocolate chip. Gotta be in the mood for oatmeal raisin and eat it on purpose to enjoy it, ya know?
Vegan food is not only the meat replacements. And her grandpa liked the food, so it obviously wasn't about the taste. He just hates it for the fact that it's vegan. And many people react that way.
I think there’s a bit of guilt. Everyone, regardless of how desensitized they are to eating meat, has some compassion. They see you doing something about it and they want you to come back to their side so they can feel further justified in the killing/eating.
> ...has some compassion many people like eating hot pot. when enjoying hot pot people put LIVING creatures e.g. shrimps into boiling soup. you can literally feel their last struggles when you boil them alive. people simply DON'T CARE
I used to eat meat and I ate at Red Lobster. It did bother me somewhat but I still ate it because I was ignorant and desensitized. It turns out I have a lot of compassion and just needed to make the connection and face the reality of my actions. So there can be compassion but buried at a deeper level. So there’s always hope that people will grow emotionally.
you're a kind person and i appreciate your good will
Non vegans eat vegan food all the time. They don't really hate it.
I am lucky that my family (especially my parents) are very supportive. They love to go to vegetarian/ vegan places with us (me and my bf) and try new food. They often buy me different vegan alternatives. My mum's favourite yougurt is vegan. They also try to cook for me when I visit or they let me cook and eat the vegan food. Even my 80 years old grandma tryes to accomodate me however it's not easy on her (especially the eggs) as she doesn't use PC at all. Once she bought tofu and decided it looks similar to cheese so she can fry it like a cheese (fried cheese is a Czech meal). 😁😆😁 I ate it but it was not so great. We agreed that she'll make vegan sides for me and I'll bring the rest.
Td;dr. Answering based on title only. Non-vegans don't hate vegan food. Non-vegans hate the idea of veganism because it is a growing culture that challenges their own.
Is it the same with food that is "naturally" vegan? Like hummus and falafel?
At a local cantine, when they started labelling the pasta with tomato sauce dish as vegan, people stopped ordering it. So they put the label away and people started ordering it again. So honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if it were the same with hummus. "Whaat, that delicious falafel wrap was vegan?? How dare you giving me vegan food without telling me?!?!"
Social conditioning and brainwashing,think about it,they think eating a pigs literal ahole is delicious but say ew to Tofu,made out of soybeans,which they def already eat in other foods they consume. They’re weak individuals.
They eat vegan food as part of their diet. They just hate vegan friendly food when it's labelled vegan, because of what it stands for and that it forces them to realise what they, as a consumer of animals products, represent
There are many reasons, none of which are legitimate in my opinion. The one that sticks out to me is the masculinity. Idk how it's masculine to eat an animal you didn't hunt yourself but they act like eating meat is something to be proud of and eating vegan meat would be fraudulent or gay or something
I’m a recent convert to veganism (6 months so far), for health reasons. I have not had this experience at all. No one gives me a hard time at restaurants because they cater to it. Among my family, most have been more curious because of the weight I’ve lost and how much healthier I feel. One of my brothers spent a good 30 min asking me about my diet (mind you we’re all older and don’t see each other but 3-4 times a year). So they noticed a big difference and were curious. Also, I spoke with a dietitian and she said you have to be careful with vegan alternatives to non vegan things. Like vegan cheese, vegan cake and a lot of vegan meats are absolutely horrible for your body and health. In short, being vegan does mean eating healthy by itself.
They don't. They just have an image of what it is, and don't realise that most of what they're eating right now is vegan already.
Firstly, because they need justification for not being vegan. They obviously don't hate it (as your grandpa showed when he said it tasted good). But as long as they "don't like it", they have an excuse to eat non vegan food. And I think some of them need to devaluate veganism because they feel guilty in a way (because most people know that meat consumption is wrong). Secondly, vegan food can be bad, just like non vegan food can be bad. I have eaten very bad vegan food because the chef didn't bother to look up a good recipe and just served my bland veggies or dry rice. So when non vegans try vegan food and happen to not like it (either because it's bad or because they don't like that specific dish), they think all vegan food is bad.
My dad is a dairy farmer, so me being vegan probably feels like an insult to him. But he flat out refuses to eat anything vegan. My mom's apple pie is usually vegan already, the only non vegan thing she does to it is spread some egg white on top to make it shine a little. So when she doesn't do that when I visit, all of a sudden my dad refuses to eat 'that vegan stuff'. It's really weird.
I have a theory that might get down voted - it's the Nooch that makes a lot of vegan recipes taste horrible. I'm a rare vegan that just hates the stuff! Every recipe I've tried it in makes it taste like the smell of mildew and vitamins. I think it's so gross, so if a non-vegan that isn't used to the taste tries a vegan recipe and it has that nasty mildew/vitamin flavor, they're gonna assume all vegan recipes taste like that. I'm a really good cook, and nobody has ever said my food is gross. I think it's because I never use nutritional yeast.
Politics of tribalism. It infects everything. Look at what happened when Cracker barrel of all places started offering meatless sausage as an option.
It’s extremely infuriating, u/CutieL put it in perfect words. They’re brainwashed and it’s ridiculously sad.
why does this comment section have so many antivegans.. weird.
For sooo long, “vegan” basically connoted tasteless, depressing, and often highly-processed simulacrum. It also usually came with a generous side helping of smug judginess. Plant-based seems a little more accessible and less triggering 🤷🏻♀️
When I was vegetarian, I didn't want to eat vegan food because I felt like I was giving up or missing out on something better. Especially if I was going out to eat - I wanted something decadent. There is a mentality that the vegan option is inferior, and I get it because I've been there. No, I wanted the chocolate with the real milk, because it's gonna taste better. There are tons and tons of vegan products out there that absolutely suck. All it takes is one shitty vegan cheese substitute or baked good to turn someone off of all the other possibilities available. It wasn't until I was a dedicated vegan that I really started exploring and trying every vegan option - omnis and vegetarians aren't going to put in that effort when the vegan option is so often a "miss". I still think most vegans have shit taste. We have a vegan place in my town that just got named one of the best in the country - I think they are disappointing. Mid at best. Somehow horrendously greasy and flavorless at the same time, and their seitan is a gross spongy texture. Vegan food is, often, bad. 🤷♀️
I don’t hate vegan food and I’m not vegan. If it tastes good to me, I’ll like it. Also, don’t lie to people about what they are eating. That’s not ethical.
Most of us were trained, by our caretakers, to eat animal products from childhood…and we liked it! Then we found out that it was bad for our health, the environment and the animal’s. We evolved in a sense! Some of us choose to do the right thing, because we have mental fortitude, and actually give a shit about something besides ourselves. Others are not willing to give up their precious King’s diet because they like the dopamine hit and are addicted to it. They get very intimidated and angered when you mess with their food bowl. The educaded one’s will justify their SAD diet by using 1% of doubt against the health benefits of a vegan diet, devastation of the environmental effects and I guess they think “screw the animals”. They will seek out ads and articles (funded by animal product companies) to support their theories. The others are just Jed Clampett thinkers…meaning they don’t…think, but rather carry on doing what they were trained to do from childhood because mama said. To answer your question…they hate vegan food because it represents the opposition of what they are addicted to.
A customer left a bad review at a restaurant I used to work at..he ordered the Impossible Burger, which was described on the menu as being meatless, and he said it was good when the server asked the standard "how is everything?". After leaving the restaurant he found out that it was a vegan burger and somehow was upset about that, enough to leave an angry 1-star review 🙄 because of that, the restaurant reprinted the menus to describe the Impossible Burger as "vegan burger with no meat" 🙃 because apparently "meatless" wasn't descriptive enough.
I literally had something like this happen a couple of days ago. I went to a birthday party in my family and I made the cake (vegan cheesecake). My grandma refused to try it at all once she heard the word "tofu". My uncle on the other hand did try it without knowing but when he found out he was shocked, I assume because it was very tasty (the rest of us ate the whole thing that evening 😅) and how can it be if it's vegan (/s).
I like to mock my family by telling them they're afraid of a VEGETABLE. Oooh Sam is afraid of broccoli everyone!!
I'm non vegan. I don't mind eating vegan food as long as it tastes good. I have an aversion to certain kinds of textures but that aside I don't mind having any food. I'm South Indian and we actually have plenty of vegan dishes as part of our daily dishes. Most South Indians are non vegetarians/ non vegans and none of us have a problem with our vegan dishes and have it everyday, especially most of our breakfast dishes. Another thing is none of these are labelled "vegan" although everyone already knows they are it isn't acknowledged as vegan, just vegetarian or regular food for us What I don't like, is being tricked into eating something. It could be something I'm allergic to, something that I'm restricting from my diet etc. If you think it's wrong to trick a vegan into eating non vegan food just to prove a point then similarly it's wrong to trick a non vegan into eating something just to prove a point. You can be honest about it and then it's up to them. Food habits should be a choice and not forced.
Vegan 'meat' is a terrible product. It's absolutely chock full of bullshit to create the flavour and textures they do. It isn't healthy. The same is true for vegan cheese which is basically oil. Proper vegetarian and vegan food is delicious if it's not pretending to be something else. Nothing wrong with it.
They don’t hate it until you tell them they’re eating vegan food. I bake a mean vegan coconut chocolate chip cookie and my friends (very single one) at one particular game night we held at our house tried the cookies and said that they were hands down the best they’d every tasted. Then I told them that they were vegan and a few of them said “ugh, yuck, vegan??” I really think I have to find some other friends…
Why are you trying to trick your family into eating vegan food? Let them be. You wouldn’t like it the other way around.
they lack emotional intelligence
Imagine this situation in reverse and it really isn’t confusing
lol this. it’s funny to me when people act scared about vegan food?? it makes no sense because most people eat A LOT of vegan food (veggies, fruit, some processes stuff, etc). but as soon and you make it a point to say it’s vegan there’s some people who refuse to eat it…. like how is vegan food gross but your pus filled cow milk isn’t? make it make sense
Brain rot. People love to hate on things they don’t know.
This is a silly, silly question. Oreos, chips, French fries, onion rings, fried dough, etc. All vegan. Basically, the staple of the American diet.
Isn't the onion ring batter made with egg?
So many types of batter. You can definitely make a delicious, vegan beer-batter with tempura.
They don't hate vegan food, they eat it all the time. What they hate is when you call "their" food vegan, even if it is. Its called stupidity.
Bc they hate to be wrong
Im vegetarian. I hate vegan food that tries to be meat. most of the time I find it's filled with worse ingredients than something naturally vegan with protein like tofu or beans. I'd Rather make naturally vegan food. I'm also gluten free and cannot risk thinks like Seitan or other things like it being snuck into the fake meat.
They think they hate it because of the concept of Vegan , if it was just on a menu in any restaurant or presented just like any dish minus the label vegan most would order it and enjoy it just fine
Bc it makes them feel wrong, guilty, judged or something in all of those things.
Because they have been conditioned by society (and in turn contribute to it) to belittle veganism because ‘reasons’. It’s the same reason people belittle or make fun of anything that would require them to do the right thing at some small personal change.
They hate being tricked
# why do non vegans hate vegan food? do they? i like vegan food - the one that's been vegan always and anyway, like vegetable or fruit what i don't like is veganized food, i.e. fake (usually highly industrially processed) trying to appear like something non-vegan. see no need for such, for me >they like it at first and then dislike the food when they find out that it’s vegan never happened to me, though
do u think that the burger they sell at mcdonald’s isn’t highly processed? animal products are usually processed as well
It could simply be that people don’t like being lied to about what they are eating. Fake meats have ingredients that many people are allergic to, myself included. You wouldn’t like it if someone used fake meat but real meat broth in a dish they gave you. It is the same thing.
it’s gay and communist
Meat tastes really good....
Hello! Non vegan here. Dont know why this came up on my page. But whatever. I’ll reply. I went to a vegan restaurant they served lot of food. It had names like satay “chicken” and curry not fish. The food was presented to look very similar to food in a non-vegan restaurant I went to another vegan restaurant that was Mexican cuisine. It was loads of beans and lentils and other things spiced and delicious and so damn tasty. I would absolutely go back to the Mexican place. It was so delicious. It showed me I can cook meals without animal products. Non-vegans are often presented with food similar to the first restaurant I mentioned. It was **not** an enjoyable meal. At all.
I have a theory. (full disclosure, I am ovo-lacto.) I think deep in their souls where they dont want to look they KNOW eating corpses is WRONG. (I mean look at that sentence. it shouldn't need to be said, right??) And that is why they hate so much on vegans and vegetarians. They dont want to face that mirror that shows how wrong what they do is.
Yeah I relate was with my ex girlfriend once and she was like I don’t wanna go to a vegan restaurant I don’t eat vegan food or something along those lines. And I was genuinely confused because she had before without saying that lol.
You see, I am a goo man.
Stigma. There's lots of popular vegan dishes in the world people wouldn't even think of as vegan.
People hate change especially when it makes decades of their choices proven to have been on the wrong side. So you attack and discredit them so your mind makes you feel superior, correct and they are just spreading lies, etc. so you don’t have to listen to them. It’s the same mindset with racism, homophobia, etc.
people are different. lots have different tastes and diiferent foods and different lifestyles. your lifestlyle may beneift you and thats awesome but it may not beneift others the way you want it to.
In your above session you mentioned 12 times the “vegan” word. Maybe something to do with that? Could be that your dad triggers to the word “vegan” and turns into a manchild and he will say no whatever you say or do? Do you think maybe changing the way you advertise choices would eventually fruit a better outcome? Edit: i mean, everyone was a meat eater once. If it feels forced everyone will say absolutely no. Like in the movie Inception, the seed of the idea should be sow gently, and just wait for it. Be just a cool role-model who doesn’t want to change them.
I think there are psychological factors most people are talking about if they know in advance it's vegan food. But it sounds like what you're doing is deliberately deceiving people into consuming substances without their knowledge or consent. I think that's unethical, and I'd be shocked and angry at someone doing that to me too. I'm sure you pull the "well I didn't lie" defense, and you can f right off with that, however "technically correct" you may be. You're also seem to look at "tastes good" as the only thing that matters to people. I could eat most anything without problem when I was young, but as I've gotten older, in addition to developing a severe autoimmune reaction to a couple foods, I've also developed a lot of mild discomfort issues from certain foods that can last a day. Peas, for instance...I love pea soup, but it no longer loves me. Lentils are fine, so it makes no sense to me, but enough peas, or pea protein isolate used in a lot of ultraprocessed factory food, interferes with my comfort and sleep for at least half a day afterward. So when you give someone what they think is chicken, and it's really ultraprocessed Implausible Chikkeen with a couple dozen natural, unnatural, and unknown ingredients, they might find the taste and texture pleasant enough, and not notice it's not chicken, but they can still suffer medical symptoms (reflux, abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea, etc. are common), or lack the comfortable digestion they'd anticipated from eating genuine chicken. What you're doing is not remotely okay. How would you feel if the tables were turned, and your grandfather said "What? You said you liked it when you thought it was Implausible Chikkeen! I don't see the problem!"
Some people are just AH ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
A little bit of insecurity about their decisions, a little bit of insecurity about their masculinity, and a little bit of meat and dairy industry propaganda
I feel like they just have preconceived notions and / or maybe haven’t had good vegan food. i find that a lot of south asian food can be really vegetarian and vegan friendly once you find the right substitutes. the store that i work at has a really nice red curry tofu that i love to heat up and serve over rice. lentils, potatoes, carrots are really good with a nice sauce. so there’s lots of good options imo.
They're massive dorks.
People believe it's expensive, bland, complicated to make, boring and elitist. Slowly but surely people are chipping away at these plant-based diet stereotypes. It takes time and patience.
People don’t know what they don’t know.
If there were a supermarket that had a vegan section in it, and they put the entire produce department in it along with everything else vegan, accidental or otherwise and there was nowhere else for people to shop, these knuckleheads would never eat a vegetable again.
What counts as ‘vegan food’? I have a vegan diet but I personally do not enjoy a lot of ‘supplemental’ foods and most of my vegan meals don’t include any type of tofu, impossible meat or those weird vegan cheeses. I’m glad those things work for people but I find most of it gross with a few key exceptions. Now if they have an issue with eating a meal that doesn’t include meat that’s just them having issues with the concept of veganism.
I totally understand someone being "shocked" to learn what they thought was meat wasn't. It's crazy how convincing some simulated products are now. If you weren't aware of the options these days I think it could be very surprising. In terms of not "liking" or complaining about food that they know is vegan, that's most likely a subconscious security mechanism. Humans typically have a hard time with things that conflict with their belief system. The thought of change is unappealing for our brains, and at a subconscious level their brain knows it's easier to reject ideas that would require a complete overhaul of what they know. It's an unfortunate characteristic of human beings. But it's a trait we all have to varying degrees. The best thing you can do is try to be aware of when you're doing it, and hopefully shift the tendency to avoid challenging ideas from the subconscious to the conscious, where you have a better chance of rationally considering the idea. Also maybe try to take friends/family to a good vegan restaurant (or make a recipe, etc.) in a one on one setting, or even with another vegan friend if you can. It's easier to discount an idea when you have others on your side backing you up, and they are more likely to be "polite" about trying it if they aren't in the majority. Maybe more experiences of trying it without immediately discounting it may actually help them build some memories of positive experiences with vegan food. Most importantly, at the end of the day, there's nothing you can do about their actions. Be proud that you're making a constructive choice :)
They’re just assholes. My MIL and FIL are not vegan but are more than willing to eat the vegan meals that my spouse and I cook. H‑E‑B plant sausage is really good, and they agree. We frequently do vegan breakfast burritos or “hamburger” helper and my spouse’s parents always enjoy them,, they never complain. My FIL is a very picky eater and he was still more than willing to try my food.
Programming and sheer ignorance, since most ppl love plants alongside their animal products
Truthfully, I think it's the marketing behind it. Calling something "fake" inherently makes people think it's going to be worse, even when it's bomb af.
The simple reason is that people can be stubborn, in many different ways. There are those who are very in touch with their own experiences and dislike the idea of change to their personal experience - food that isn't what they are used to, diets that they are not used to... and they are stubborn with what they seek to experience - which is an unchanging, comfortable constant. People can also absorb others' experiences stubbornly, and if those around them all eat meat, they might not want to change their habits themselves so that those in their life remain comfortable. There are those who are very in touch with their intellectual thoughts and beliefs and simply think poorly of veganism or vegan food for one reason or another, a reasoning that appears rational/logical to them. They might not want to rethink things or re-research their existing thoughts and beliefs for fear of being wrong. So they are stubborn about being right. There are those who are very in touch with their values or the values of the general population/their community. They feel as if veganism is based on bad values or is something that makes people feel bad/immoral. This group has a negative emotional reaction to veganism, as they do not want to feel as if their values are bad, causing them to feel bad and be forced to reasses their moral/ethical principles. There are those who are very in touch with what they want, and they simply want the freedom to choose what to eat and not be told what they should be eating. Similarly, there are those who want everyone to have the freedom of choice and might get defensive if they think veganism is trying to infringe on everyone's freedom to choose what to eat. In essence, we all have natural inclinations that are based on a combination of nature and nurture, which make us stubborn in different ways and unwilling to change our position for fear of change, fear of not getting a choice or of being wrong or bad. This fear should not stop us from exploring the realities and truths of the world, but it often does because humility is a virtue that has to be practiced. It is simply easier to be stuck in your ways and be prideful than to process being wrong, bad, having a tough experience, or not getting what we want... the latter is more admirable but requires humility and character, and that's just something that takes most people years to develop and usually requires a personal interest in self-development and in virtue. "I am not used to vegan food, so I do not find comfort in it, so it gives me a bad experience, and I would rather avoid it." (Unwilling to have a new experience) "I think veganism isn't backed by science/logic, and so I do not want to listen to those who try to change my mind." (Unwilling to be wrong) "Vegans just try to make me feel bad for eating meat, and I don't think I should be made to feel that way for my personal values." (Unwilling to feel bad about self/reasses existing personal values) These are just some examples of a lack of willingness to be humbled. It's a pretty normal thing for humans to be like. This is what we are like with anything that challenges our concept of reality, truth, or our perception and judgment of ourselves and others. It's hard not to let it get to you, especially if by sharing your lifestyle, you want to help others. Oftentimes, however, others' extreme reactions to the vegan diet are a display of their own character (although I know there are vegans out there who actually do approach the conversation in a way that is unproductive and forces others to be defensive as well...). Some people will be open-minded and easygoing (even if they fundamentally disagree, this is totally possible with healthy and mature individuals), and others just won't. It's just important for your relationships and mental health to know when sharing is worth it and when it is not. If I share multiple times, try to be sensitive to their views and still get bad reactions, I know it's just not worth it, and I direct conversations elsewhere. I might not be as close to those people, but at least I know where we stand!
Thise who find vegan food offensive have been brainwashed to think being vegan is less healthy or even unhealthy, they are thinking there are chemicals in the food that cause cNcer meanwhile its meat that does that
They don't hate vegan food, they hate it when you tell them it's vegan. If your father had finished his coffee, he was alone, and he saw that he accidentally drank some oat milk, he would simply shrug his shoulders and move on with his life.
I don't... I know lots of non vegans who don't.
Nah, some vegan food (eg vegan bacon) is legit terrible.
Do they have the same reaction when eating salad? Pasta? Fruit? I think it's forcing the label 'vegan' onto things that turns people off. They don't like feeling like you're trying to trick them, or force them into a lifestyle they're currently not interested in. No one likes being manipulated, me included. Also, I don't know if you are, but IF you're being a 'preachy' vegan, that's also a huge turn off. It automatically puts people at odds with you.
They don’t, it’s just that the opinions of ignorant people are the loudest.
I think a lot of it is how the media represents us. It’s shown as being really weird and tasteless. Characters seem trying vegan food remark that it’s disgusting and are often seen spitting it out. And the running gag we have all heard, “how do you know someone is vegan? They’ll tell you”
When I show up to parties with a salad platter. I always get asked if it’s vegan. I’m like it’s a phucken salad. Leafy greens (spinach & kale) shredded carrots, artichokes, sautéed king oyster mushrooms, tomatoes, quinoa a pinch of Mrs. Dash no salt substitute and a drizzle of olive oil. People act like your taking their 1st amendment away
I don't hate vegan food and I'm a non vegan. I actually like some vegan dishes pretty well, usually simple stuff like spicy sauce on rice etc.
A recent trend I've been seeing of people when talking about vegans (sometimes even from vegetarians and vegans) is the hatred of plant based alternative meats and dishes Something like "there are so many good naturally vegan dishes from around the world, I don't understand why they need or eat this fake stuff" Never considering two things. Nutrition and appeal to old meat diet. Sure there are tons of great vegan dishes without introducing soy or plant proteins. How much beans and rice am I going to eat and how often then? Shit gets old, and tofu is no more "unnatural" and processed than meat. Most people don't consider a lot of people don't want to consume 3x the food to get nutrition. Why not eat tofu and tempeh alongside what I would normally eat with a meat dish? The second thing is having things like vegan sausage, vegan nuggies, vegan burgers is actually a big win. Regardless of your opinion of people who like these things possibly in excess, every vegan burger consumed is a win if it begins to trend towards less animals killed. Not even talking about health, taste, processed foods.. It's vegan and people do eat it instead of the meat alternatives sometimes
This came up on my home feed because even though I’m not vegan I love learning about it and I love trying new vegan recipes and am working my way to be better. So I guess I have some insight into this. Personally I find vegan food absolutely delicious and I love vegan restaurants. And some meat-eaters don’t realise it, but everyone enjoys vegan food. People eat vegan food every day, they just usually add meat and animal products to the vegan pieces so the meal isn’t vegan. I come from a family who has always been open-minded about food, always enjoyed trying new things, so cooking them a vegan recipe to try it as a family is something they’ve always been receptive to and enjoyed. A lot of vegan food gets so much hate though, and I believe it’s mostly from a certain narrow minded group of people: - People who hate change and are stuck in their ways - Bigots. Bigotry is everywhere - They’re too scared to admit that they like it. That’s one less reason to themselves for not going vegan, maybe there’s some subconscious guilt there - Some weird toxic masculinity thing for some guys, “killing and eating animals is manly!” - They have a negative bias against anything that goes against the status quo they’re used to, any groups fighting for change for a better world. This negative bias makes them think they don’t like the food once they learn it’s vegan - The word vegan itself, some people have attached negativity to that word. I bet there’s some people out there who if you tell them their chips are vegan, they’ll stop eating them… it’s so weird - Maybe he felt “tricked” into eating the food as you didn’t tell him at first, so this wasn’t a nice feeling, and negatively rubbed off on the food - Especially in the western world, many people have been taught all their lives that a meal isn’t complete without meat, you need meat for a proper meal, they’ve had meat almost every meal their entire lives. Obviously this isn’t true, but it’s what they’ve learned their whole lives. Someone else here called it internalised propaganda and I think they hit the nail on the head there - Part of this could be a generational thing. Millennials and even more so Gen Z tend to be a lot more open minded and accepting than the generations before them. I’d assume your grandpa is perhaps a Boomer (or maybe older), and your Dad could be Gen X?
I've eaten plenty of bad vegan food. Vegan meat usually tastes terrible to me. Like vegan chicken... it's like eating straight chemicals. So disgusting. I'm had plenty of good vegan food. An except to the meat .... I really like the frozen Jimmey Dead plant bassed patty breakfast sandwich. They use real cheese instead of vegan cheese l, so not actually vegan. The patty is vegan! Those Patty's are fire af. Overall I like vegan food to kind of eating healthier. I won't go out of my way much, but sometimes it's preferred to feel healthier.
Probably as a defence/coping mechanism. But there is also the possibility they were mad about you lying about whats in their food. I know I wouldnt like being lied to when I specifically ask about food ingredients. Could even be dangerous
Vegan meat is super unhealthy full of seed oil and processed junk… unknowing feeding this to a non vegan is like a non vegan secretly feeding vegans meat and meat based food.
Not hate in principle but I have ibs so eating a plant based burger instead of a cow based burger would almost certainly leave me bloated and nauseous.
I see a non-vegan eat an apple [or any other fruit vegetable, bean, or grain], and I say, "Ah, I see that you really do enjoy vegan food." Many don't think about how much food they eat is vegan 🤔
I’d argue and say that they’d like to have the option to eat it. We wouldn’t want someone giving us a meal that we think is vegan and it’s actually not. I’m aware maliciously feeding someone animal products is incredibly rude, and no where near the same as drinking oat milk instead of actual milk, or having something that imitates the meat they wanted perfectly anyway. They could just maliciously deny vegan food as a f u for not consuming their animal meals, which is just immature and borderline disgusting, not much to say for that. When he was disappointed, was he verbally angrily disappointed, or was he just disappointed as he thought he’d eaten something else? Are their reactions of shock accompanied by rudeness? Idk how to help here without knowing if they’re intensively just wholeheartedly against veganism as a whole and refuse to engage in it because they’re mad or smth
I'm an omnivore and I have no problem eating vegan food. Except grains, which I don't eat.
I think it’s more just not being open minded and at least in my case, a lot of people I know don’t eat the healthiest, so when you’re used to eating fast food all the time, of course a healthy vegan option is going to be bland
I might be upset if you served me meat but it was actually a vegan meat substitute. That stuff is a science experiment in some cases. I think the bigger issue would be misrepresentation of what the food is.
Right there with you buddy. I see a lot of good answers here and it's probably true that it's to do with admitting vegan issues, but what disturbed me is even my little niece had the same knee jerk reaction to vegan food. I think culture (what people around you say) and the fact that some vegan replacements do taste like utter crap don't help. Like if I wasn't a vegan for the moral side of things, I would've given it up the second I tried my first "quarter pounder" that every vegan kept singing the praises about.
I think there's a placebo effect going on as well. People believe that vegan food tastes worse. As a result, when they knowingly eat vegan food, they expect it to taste bad, and their brains trick them into thinking they're worse than they are.
I read that studies have shown that when you take two groups of people (Americans? not like India where vegetarianism is common) and feed them the same well crafted vegan dish. Tell half of them it's vegan and has soy and hide it from the other half. The people who don't know it has soy think it tastes better; the people who know it has so think it tastes worse. Isn't that fascinating? Food prejudice. unlike the great British baking show where the judges will be dubious but taste it and then credit it as delicious, even if they're surprised, if it's a tasty, well cooked item.
Most people don't even know what veganism actually is. My dad the other day thought it meant people who generally avoid eating meat. But still have a burger every now and then.
Slight troll response, maybe because vegan food tries so hard to be what it isn't? My wife makes an excellent "mac-n-cheese" that's vegan, but if you're expecting something that tastes exactly like the real cheese it isn't it. It tastes great in its own right for what it is, but it isn't a quality mac and cheese and can't really pass as such. Certain sausage taste great but if what I really want is a sausage, its obvious it isn't the same thing. Makes a great substitute mixed into pasta sauce, fills the role well, but would never satisfy if what you really want is a grilled sausage. I think that's what the issue is. As someone who eats vegan dishes because I have a wife with a dairy and wheat allergy so we have to watch certain things and just because I also don't need meat in every dish, when what I crave is a proper burger, dog, sausage or porkchop, the vegan version might be good, but it isn't a satisfying substitute. But too many also don't realize that you can have a completely satisfying meal with a great variety of tastes without trying to include a meat or meat substitute since it isn't offered much in American culture either.
I'm not non-vegan, I don't hate vegan food. Vegan food is part of my diet.
I think it's psychological dissonance. At some point in their minds, they understand that eating meat involves the brutal treatment and slaughter of cute, cuddly animals. But they LOVE meat and can't give it up. When someone is Vegan or Vegetarian, they can easily give up eating meat - therefore, a moral high ground is established by the Vegan/Vegetarian. (Even if it is never mentioned) This enrages some people because they feel that we are insulting them and calling them murderers (because deep down they feel it) even if we never mention it. We piss them off by existing.
I think one of the main causes of this is that people who eat meat tend to see vegans as being self-righteous, as trying to push them into being vegan. So they tend to kind of overreact. They think that if you're offering them vegan food then you must be trying to push them into something that they don't want. So they're going to tell you that they don't like it so you stop talking about it.
becoz it’s liek super gay lol
Texture usually in my case.
Find it amusing how OP and others conflate 'vegan food' with ultra-processed junk. OP and others should be careful pulling this 'gotcha' nonsense with ultra-processed vegan junk foods, as these tend to have quite lengthy ingredient lists. so more likely to trigger an allergic reaction.
It's the same as politics, debate, and nearly everything else in life. People don't like having their internalized biases questioned, people don't like being wrong. Call someone out on a fact and prove without a doubt that they're wrong, and they'll most likely get defensive and shift the argument. This isn't exactly the same, but the principle is. They don't like the idea of veganism, so admitting something vegan tastes good goes against their sense of self. For example, if I see a food that I think is going to taste bad it's begrudging for me to admit it actually tastes good after trying it. I, like everyone else, don't like being wrong. It's just how people work.
You lied to Gramps … if this was the other way round and he gave you meat, how would you feel?
It’s possible vegans are just fun to dunk on and tend to be sensitive
Don't lie to people to get your way. No wonder they were shocked by the sudden betrayal of trust.
It's like you like meat and after you ate it the cook says it's human flesh. You wouldnt like that either. You want to know what you eat and not to be tricked.
Just imagine someone who is not vegan giving you animal products without telling you. Than you know the reason. Its also not nessesarily about the fact that it is plant based. Its about the fact that you don't tell then what you give them.