When I first went vegan, I had plenty of vegan friends. I lived in a vegan house share, worked for a vegan charity, and generally hung out with vegans. Then, I moved across the country and ended up in a vegan dead zone. All of a sudden, I didn’t have local vegan friends, I didn’t work with vegans, and I missed the ease that comes from hanging out with like-minded people.
Luckily, as the years have passed, I’ve found other local vegans. I have a couple of lovely vegan friends who I meet up with regularly and who share my worldview on the important stuff. They’re lovely, and I’m so grateful I met them. You can’t beat having vegan friends.
Key Takeaways
1. You Can Share Food
It’s not fun being the only vegan and having everybody eye your food with disdain. Or sharing a bake you’re proud of only for people to say it’s not as good as “normal” cake. With vegan friends, you can share your tasty bakes with an appreciative audience. Your vegan friends will be more than happy to sample your latest food, and they might share some of their bakes with you.
2. You Can Visit That New Vegan Joint Together
When a new vegan place opens up in town, you’re probably desperate to try it out. While some non-vegan friends may happily accompany you for a vegan meal, you can’t beat the joy of going with another vegan. You and your vegan buddies can tour the local vegan eateries, sampling all the delicious vegan dishes. It is truly the stuff that dreams are made of.
3. They Get It
Having vegan friends doesn’t mean you have to talk about veganism all the time. In fact, it kind of means you don’t need to because they already understand where you’re coming from. Sometimes, it’s nice not to have to explain to someone why you boycott zoos or wouldn’t buy a dog from a breeder.
4. You Can Barbecue Together
Barbecues are amazing when they’re vegan and not so great when they’re not. The smell of burning flesh is genuinely not the one. Instead of wasting your summer at meaty barbecues, trying not to look at the dead animals, you can have a hot vegan summer! Invite your vegan friends over for a cruelty-free barbecue, and fire up the barbie for a meat-free feast.
If summer is over, head indoors for a classy dinner party. The essential ingredients are vegan friends and vegan foods; you’re bound to create something beautiful.
5. They're Good People
Ok, it’s not an exact science; there are some douchebag vegans out there. But, generally, most vegans are awesome. They care about animals and people and want to live good lives. You can assume vegans will be interested in subjects including anti-racism, equality, environmentalism, social justice, and so on. They might not know as much as you, but they’re likely to be interested and want to be the best they can be about all these critical issues.
They’re like-minded people, and you’ll likely have lots in common. You might be in different places on your journey or have different passions, but hopefully, you’ll agree on the important stuff.
6. They Won't Roll Their Eyes At Your Veganism
Is there anything worse than the inevitable eye roll when you mention being vegan? Apparently, you’re not supposed to mention being vegan. Luckily, this doesn’t apply when hanging with your vegan friends. You can drop the V word all day long, and they won’t roll their eyes at you. You won’t ever have to feel weird or isolated for being vegan—quite the opposite. Let your vegan friends normalize veganism for you!
7. You Can Be Activists Together
Vegan activism takes many forms, so there’s bound to be something you fancy. You could organize a bakesale to raise funds for your local animal shelter, or organize a screen of an animal rights documentary at your local cinema (this is a great way to pick up more vegan pals, by the way). You could deliver animal rights flyers in your area or convince more local eateries to provide vegan options. Normalizing veganism is a crucial part of vegan activism, so be sure to create a visible presence for vegans in your neighborhood.
How To Find Vegan Friends
Firstly, you need to go into the control room and turn on your vegan radar. Ok, it’s not that easy. Sadly, if you want to friend some vegan homies, you’ll have to go out into the world and find them. The good news, however, is that we’re not hard to find. And we’re always keen to make new vegan friends.
Post on your local vegan social media pages to see if anyone in the area fancies meeting up for a coffee or a (vegan) bite to eat. Why not organize a vegan social event for local vegans? Ask your nearest vegan eatery if they’d be happy to host the event. Alternatively, suggest a picnic at your local green space. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there; it’ll be worth it once you’ve got a vegan gang.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Vegan besties are the way forward. You need a couple of good vegan friends in your back pocket with whom you can spend life-affirming time. Sometimes, it matters that you surround yourself with people who care about the same things as you. Sometimes, it’s just nice to have somebody to share your birthday cake with. Find your local vegans and make them your tribe.
How did you find your vegan tribe? Please share tips in the comment section.
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