Everyone is different, and thus exactly how you convince people will always be a situational decision. There are so many reasons for adopting a vegan lifestyle, and your choice to become a vegan has a ripple effect on the people around you. It is estimated that if someone becomes a vegetarian, they save 30 animals each year, and a vegan saves 100 animals (these are approximate numbers that depend on the individual’s eating habits). You can refer these numbers to your friends and family.
Most people don’t think about going vegan because they just don’t know why. The first step is to educate your friends about why this important step is worth taking. It can sometimes be frustrating or hard to explain why being vegan is important. Documentaries can be very helpful in communicating vegan ideas. Many people show their friends the film “Earthlings” or short videos. These videos have a huge impact on people’s perceptions, arouse responsibility in them and inspire them to change the way they eat.
Understand where the person is and try not to overwhelm their personality with your preaching. Vegan pushiness can frustrate and alienate would-be vegans. Flooding your friend with an abundance of vegan information or full vegetarian rules is not the best way to stir him up. This may sound intimidating to your friend, it’s best to tell him the basics first.
When you buy and cook vegan food with your friends, you will lead them by example. The way to the heart is often through the stomach. Try making their favorite meals by swapping out animal ingredients for vegan alternatives. This can be done with most meals and helps people understand that their lives are not turned upside down when they switch to a plant-based diet.
You can host a vegan party in your home where vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters can get together and enjoy vegan food. You can also try inviting your friend to go shopping with you and show him what types of food a vegan can buy. For extra encouragement, you can give your friends recipes or cookbooks to try out. This gives them an incentive to use them! Those people who cook vegan food are beginning to perceive it normally.
Encourage them, but don’t push them away. You don’t want people to feel like they have to be vegan to be part of some elite club. Otherwise they are not cool. This kind of pressure can backfire and cause people to resent veganism.
A maximalist approach can also repel people. If your friend deviates from strict veganism, you can remind him that this is normal and there is a chance to try again. Every time we eat, we make a choice. If your friend accidentally ate something with milk or eggs, they might try to avoid it next time.
By telling your friends about the idea of veganism, you are certainly planting the seeds of a healthy lifestyle. For those interested in veganism, the best thing you can do is lead by example. Be patient, share what you know and your food.