Being vegan is super-easy. We get to eat tons of yummy foods and wear stylish clothes. And the best part of living an animal-friendly life is that no one has to suffer for it.

But some people don’t know what being vegan means. So they might have questions about it, which is totally OK. It’s great to be able to answer people’s questions so that we can help even more people go vegan.

Here are the 10 most common questions that people ask, along with some quick answers:

1. “Where do you get your protein?”

Answer: Almost everything I eat has protein in it. Beans, peanut butter, vegan meats, lentils, nuts, seeds, grains, and broccoli are all great sources of protein.

Bonus answer: If a gorilla can get enough protein eating plants, so can I!

2. “Why won’t you drink milk or eat eggs if the animals aren’t killed?”

Answer: The dairy and egg industries are very cruel to animals. Cow’s milk is meant for calves, not humans. But male calves are taken away from their moms to be killed for veal (meat made from calves), and the female ones are used just like their moms.

Male chicks are considered “useless” by the egg industry because they don’t lay eggs, so they are thrown away or killed shortly after birth.

3. “Don’t plants feel pain?”

Answer: Nope. Plants don’t have a central nervous system or a brain, so they can’t feel pain.

4. “What would you eat if you were stranded on a desert island?” 

Answer: Definitely not an animal! But I likely won’t ever be stranded on a desert island, so we shouldn’t worry about that.

5. “How do you live without cheese?”

Answer: I don’t! There are tons of delicious nondairy cheeses in grocery stores. I like eating yummy dairy-free cheeses—that way, I’m not supporting cruelty to cows on dairy farms.

6. “Can you eat pizza?” 

Answer: I love pizza. I eat it all the time. There’s a vegan version of most every kind of food, and vegan pizza is super-popular. My fave kinds are Daiya, Tofurky, and Amy’s. Vegan pizza is also even sold at lots of restaurants.

7. “Do you mind if I eat meat in front of you?”

Answer: Thanks for asking. You should try this veggie burger next time. It’s really yummy!

8. “But aren’t we supposed to eat meat?”

Answer: Says who? Not our teeth, which are great for chewing and grinding plants. We don’t have sharp fangs like tigers and wolves do.

9. “Why won’t you come to the roadside zoo with us?”

Answer: Because animals in roadside zoos make me sad. They were either taken from their home or born in the roadside zoo—so they don’t get to live how they were meant to live. I’d rather watch a nature show to learn about animals in their natural habitats.

10. “Why are you vegan?”

Answer: I want to be kind to animals, the Earth, and myself.

More Questions Vegan Kids May Get and How to Answer Them

Sisters Lana and Dani go over some common questions vegan kids may get asked and how you can answer them!

 

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The main thing to keep in mind when answering these questions is to be kind and understanding. You might be tired of hearing the same questions over and over, but this could be the first time that this person has ever talked about living a vegan life. And by talking with you, he or she might go vegan, too!