To date a vegan or not to date a vegan? That is the question. According to a national Harris Poll it’s estimated that about 3.2% males and 3.5% females in the US are vegetarian. Vegans make up a smaller percentage. When it comes to dating it’s often a concern for a vegan or vegetarian to find someone that lives the same lifestyle. The pool of eligible partners is already limited based on your compatibility, but once you add another factor like veganism it limits your selection even more and it can seem like finding love is nearly impossible.
While it’s definitely easier in many ways to have a partner who is already vegan, you may be ruling out the possibility of having a rewarding relationship with someone that isn’t vegan yet, but may become vegan through your influence.
Most vegans or vegetarians in the US are not life-long vegans but instead transition to a vegan lifestyle after being raised eating a Standard American Diet. That means that just like at one point you were not yet vegan, your partner can also make the transition once the information is presented and your partner sees your example. As long as your partner treats you well and is open-minded, you may end up in one of the best relationships that you may have missed out on had you written someone off based on their current life style. It typically takes an average of 1-3 years to make the transition so there’s hope!
Living in a mixed household can be interesting. It requires compassion, understanding, and an open-mind on the part of the vegan to have the patience and allow the “vegan in training” to make the switch when he/she makes the connection. Keeping separate pots in the kitchen can make both parties more comfortable. Introduce vegan options for cheese and meat alternatives to your partner. Have fun cooking together and experimenting with different plant based foods. In DTLA there are a plethora of restaurants like Âu Lac LA or Shojin to enjoy a romantic vegan dinner.
If you’re on the market and prefer to date someone who’s already vegan, there’s plenty of ways to meet someone on or offline even sites that have specifications for vegans. Get involved in meet-up groups or strike up a conversation with that cute guy or gal at your local organic market. Have you tried speed dating? VegSpeedDate host speed dating events for vegans nationally. They allow you to meet up to 15 potential suitors for mini dates and if things work out, you’ll have a second date on Valentine’s!
