What's actually drawing you to try going vegan?

Ethics, animal welfare, or environmental concerns; Personal health — I'm hoping it'll help me feel better or live longer; Mostly curiosity, or a friend or partner who's into it

What does your current diet look like?

Mostly plant-based already — vegetarian, or animal products are a small part of my meals; Mixed — animal products show up regularly, but not every meal; Meat or dairy is at the center of most of my meals

How much do you cook at home?

I cook regularly and enjoy trying new recipes; I cook sometimes, but I'd want to expand my repertoire; Honestly not much — I rely on takeout, convenience meals, or whoever else cooks

How does the household and social side line up?

Supportive — my household eats with me, my partner or roommates are on board, or I live alone; Mixed — I'd be the only vegan around me, but I can manage it; Tricky — frequent shared meals where vegan options would be hard, or a household that won't change with me

Where do you live, food-availability-wise?

Urban or somewhere with plenty of vegan-friendly restaurants, grocery options, and produce; Suburban — some options, some friction; Limited — small town, fewer vegan options at stores and restaurants

How do you feel about taking a daily B12 supplement (or eating fortified foods consistently)?

Fine — I'd take a supplement or eat fortified foods without thinking about it; Sounds doable, but I'm bad at remembering supplements; I'd find that annoying, or I don't like the idea of needing supplements

Are you in a life situation that needs extra planning?

No — I'm a healthy adult without specific dietary needs to worry about; Sort of — I'm an athlete in training, or there's a moderate factor to plan around; Yes — pregnancy, breastfeeding, a history of disordered eating, a medical condition, or planning this for a child

Should I Try Going Vegan?

Answer a few honest questions about your reasons, your kitchen habits, and your life situation, and this Decision Guide will tell you whether to go vegan, try a softer version first, or skip it for now.

Published May 14, 2026

Questions in this guide:

What's actually drawing you to try going vegan?
- Ethics, animal welfare, or environmental concerns
- Personal health — I'm hoping it'll help me feel better or live longer
- Mostly curiosity, or a friend or partner who's into it
What does your current diet look like?
- Mostly plant-based already — vegetarian, or animal products are a small part of my meals
- Mixed — animal products show up regularly, but not every meal
- Meat or dairy is at the center of most of my meals
How much do you cook at home?
- I cook regularly and enjoy trying new recipes
- I cook sometimes, but I'd want to expand my repertoire
- Honestly not much — I rely on takeout, convenience meals, or whoever else cooks
How does the household and social side line up?
- Supportive — my household eats with me, my partner or roommates are on board, or I live alone
- Mixed — I'd be the only vegan around me, but I can manage it
- Tricky — frequent shared meals where vegan options would be hard, or a household that won't change with me
Where do you live, food-availability-wise?
- Urban or somewhere with plenty of vegan-friendly restaurants, grocery options, and produce
- Suburban — some options, some friction
- Limited — small town, fewer vegan options at stores and restaurants
How do you feel about taking a daily B12 supplement (or eating fortified foods consistently)?
- Fine — I'd take a supplement or eat fortified foods without thinking about it
- Sounds doable, but I'm bad at remembering supplements
- I'd find that annoying, or I don't like the idea of needing supplements
Are you in a life situation that needs extra planning?
- No — I'm a healthy adult without specific dietary needs to worry about
- Sort of — I'm an athlete in training, or there's a moderate factor to plan around
- Yes — pregnancy, breastfeeding, a history of disordered eating, a medical condition, or planning this for a child

Whether you should try going vegan depends less on whether the diet is 'good' — well-planned vegan diets are nutritionally adequate at every life stage according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics — and more on whether your motivation and setup will actually carry you through it. The most durable reasons to try are ethics and environmental concerns; pure health motivation has the highest dropout rate, since the expected health changes don't always appear and the social friction starts to outweigh them. The practical checklist: how far is your current diet from plant-based, do you cook enough to handle the change, will your household and social situation flex with you, and will you actually take a daily B12 supplement — that one nutrient is the only thing a vegan diet truly requires you to plan for, though iron, omega-3, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, and zinc also need attention. The retention research is sobering: most people who go vegetarian or vegan eventually quit, often within the first year, so going in with eyes open beats going in on enthusiasm alone — a 30-day trial or a vegetarian-first stepping stone is a reasonable low-risk way to test fit. If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, planning this for a child, have a history of disordered eating, or are managing a medical condition, the diet can still work — but talk to a registered dietitian first; it needs real planning, not Pinterest.

Sources

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
The vegan diet — NHS (UK National Health Service)
A Summary of Faunalytics' Study of Current and Former Vegetarians and Vegans — Faunalytics

Should I Try Going Vegan?

Sources

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