Vegans and non-vegans together? Really? Of course! These yin and yang lovers can find harmony despite their differences. With something as important as food, there will probably be clashes, but it doesn’t have to be steak and seitan sword fights at dawn. There’s a middle ground you can find to keep the peace. To help you, take a little look at the following six relationship tips for vegan/non-vegan couples:
Table of Contents
1. Have Some Sacred Spaces For Both Of You In The Kitchen
To stop any potential cross-contamination and arguments between you, have some sacred spaces for each of you in the kitchen. Ideally, you want a shared shelf with neutral foods in the cupboard and fridge, and then your own shelves for separate foods. You may also want to have specific cookware sets for meat cooking. That way, there’s no worrying about meat and fish mixing with vegan food, even after cleaning.
2.Discuss Your Boundaries And Respect Them
Is it too much for you when your non-vegan partner cooks stinky fish in the morning? Would you like to cook a full Sunday roast with all the meats for your family, but your partner refuses?
It is up to each of you where you are willing to compromise and where you are not. The most important thing is to discuss your boundaries and then promise to stick to them.
3. Share Love Over Shared Delicious Dishes
Day-to-day cooking in a vegan/non-vegan household can work well with a vegan base like salad, stir fry, roasted veggies, or tasty rice. You can then each add your protein source separately.
For unity, it is also a great idea to find some vegan dishes you both love, plus some places to eat out that cater to you both. That way, a shared love of food continues without anybody missing out.
4. Embrace Shared Values
There are plenty of areas of life you can embrace together for a better world and a shared sense of purpose. Here are some areas you could bond over:
- Supporting animal rescues
- Fighting for an end to animal testing
- Showing compassion for all beings (e.g. volunteering with an organization that you both feel inspired to help)
- Fighting pollution together by litter picking and cutting down on your own household waste
You might not have perfectly aligned values, but you probably share a passion for at least one ‘bigger picture’ issue. Focusing on that ensures both of your ‘cups’ are filled.
5. Discuss Deal-Breakers
Vegans tend to be either welfarist or abolitionists and may feel strongly about raising their child vegan. Some meat eaters might also be passionate about feeding their child what they feel is a ‘full diet,’ with all food groups, including meat.
If you intend to have children together at any point in the future, you have to have the chat about children. Be honest and open and research the topic as a couple. Based on that chat, you can then make a decision about what happens next.
6. Allow Those Emotions To Flow
Sometimes emotions can run free in a relationship between a vegan and a non-vegan. You may feel angry, sad, or upset if your partner doesn’t see things the way you do. It is important to keep an open heart and accept your partner as they are right now. If that becomes a struggle, you might have to reconsider whether or not this match is right for both of you.
The tips above can help a non-vegan/vegan pairing work like a dream. If you really love each other, you can and will find a middle ground.
I am an Ambitious girl with a special interest in writing and sharing my knowledge. I love to hangout with nature and learn from it. My words will display the power of nature to the best as I love to write about the environment.
