These 7 phrases make vegans cringe (and we’ve all heard them a million times)

Let’s be honest: when you’re vegan, you expect a few awkward questions here and there. It’s part of the deal.

But then there are the phrases—the copy-paste one-liners that somehow come up in every dinner conversation, BBQ, or first date where food gets mentioned. You’ve heard them so often, you could mouth the words before the person finishes.

The weird part? Most people aren’t trying to be rude. They think they’re being original, funny, or “just curious.” But from the vegan side of the table, these lines get old fast.

Here are seven phrases that make many vegans cringe—along with why they land the way they do.

1. “But… where do you get your protein?”

This is the granddaddy of vegan questions. It always shows up, usually within five minutes.

Sometimes it comes from genuine curiosity. Other times it’s delivered with a smug tone, like the person’s about to unveil a nutritional loophole that will unravel your entire lifestyle.

But here’s the thing: it’s not 1995. We have Google. And the nutritional profile of beans, tofu, tempeh, lentils, quinoa, seitan, chickpeas, nuts, and whole grains has been well-documented for years.

As noted by registered dietitian Taylor Wolfram, “It is not only possible but easy to meet protein needs on a well-planned vegan diet.” This isn’t niche knowledge anymore—it’s nutrition 101.

So when someone asks this with wide-eyed shock, it doesn’t land as concern. It feels more like they’re stuck in an outdated narrative that doesn’t reflect how most of us eat.

2. “I could never give up cheese.”

Say this to a vegan and watch their face do the internal scream.

We get it—cheese is tasty. It was probably the last thing many of us gave up too. (I’ve mentioned this before, but I was a hardcore sharp cheddar loyalist until I started having stomach issues.)

But when someone says this dramatically, they’re not making a neutral statement. It often comes laced with a subtext of “You must be a superhero or a masochist,” or worse, “Your life must be joyless.”

The funny part? With today’s options—cashew brie, almond-based feta, meltable vegan mozzarella—it’s easier than ever to find swaps that hit the craving.

What makes this phrase cringe-worthy is how overused and performative it feels. It’s not curiosity. It’s commentary disguised as admiration.

3. “Plants feel pain too.”

This one always catches me off guard—not because it’s convincing, but because it’s often delivered with such confidence.

Let’s break it down. Yes, plants respond to stimuli. But pain, as defined neurologically, involves a brain, a central nervous system, and emotional processing—things plants demonstrably don’t have.

This argument doesn’t elevate animal suffering. It’s just a deflection. A distraction dressed up as depth.

As neuroscientist Lori Marino has said, “When people bring up plants feeling pain, it’s usually not because they care about plants—it’s to shut down a conversation about animals.”

And vegans can feel that. The intent isn’t scientific—it’s defensive.

4. “If you were stuck on a desert island, would you eat meat?”

Ah yes, the classic thought experiment. Apparently, becoming vegan requires preparing for a hypothetical shipwreck scenario.

Let’s flip it for a second: imagine asking a meat-eater, “If you were stuck on a vegan commune and meat was banned, would you starve?” Sounds silly, right?

These questions aren’t really about survival ethics. They’re about pushing someone into a moral corner. And honestly, they miss the point entirely.

Most vegans didn’t stop eating animals because they thought they’d never be in a crisis. They did it because in their actual day-to-day lives, they have a choice—and they chose compassion, sustainability, or health.

So yes, if I’m stranded and starving with no food in sight, I’ll do what I need to survive. But that doesn’t make factory farming okay.

5. “Don’t you miss bacon though?”

This one’s usually said with a smirk. Like the person believes they’ve cracked the code—this is the one food that will break us.

Here’s the truth: some vegans do miss the taste of certain foods. That’s human. What we don’t miss is the disconnection it required to enjoy them.

Besides, food tech has advanced so fast that you can now buy vegan bacon that crackles, crisps, and even smells eerily similar to the real thing. Brands like Hooray Foods, MyBacon, and La Vie are leading the charge—and doing it well.

But when people say this line, they’re usually not asking—they’re challenging. As if missing something means your choice is invalid.

It doesn’t. It just means you’re honest.

6. “Humans are meant to eat meat.”

Here come the evolutionary arguments.

People love to reference cavemen, canine teeth, or the food chain whenever veganism enters the chat. The logic goes: “We can digest meat, therefore we should eat meat.”

But we can do a lot of things. That doesn’t make them optimal—or ethical.

As noted by Dr. Garth Davis, a bariatric surgeon and author of Proteinaholic, “The idea that we evolved to eat meat is not the same as the idea that we thrive on it long-term.”

Just because our ancestors hunted animals doesn’t mean it’s the healthiest—or kindest—path forward. And frankly, dragging out the Flintstones to justify your steak habit in 2025 feels a little tired.

7. “Well, I only eat humane meat.”

This one is tricky. It often comes from people who do care about animals and want to draw a moral distinction.

But to many vegans, this phrase feels like cognitive dissonance in real-time.

The term “humane slaughter” itself is an oxymoron. As animal behaviorist Dr. Temple Grandin once pointed out, “Animals are very aware of death. They know what’s happening.” Even in the best-case scenarios, fear and suffering are hard to eliminate.

Add to that the fact that the standards for “humane” labels are often murky at best. Marketing terms like “free-range” or “pasture-raised” are not as tightly regulated as many assume.

So while we can appreciate the intent behind this phrase, it often reads as more about consumer comfort than actual compassion.

The bottom line

Most of these phrases aren’t said to be malicious. They’re just the cultural scripts people reach for when they don’t know what else to say.

But that’s kind of the point.

Being vegan isn’t radical anymore. It’s common. Mainstream. And hearing the same tired tropes on repeat can make it feel like people aren’t actually engaging—they’re just recycling noise.

So if you're not vegan but you’re talking to someone who is? Skip the jokes. Ask a real question. Maybe even try a new recipe before making assumptions.

You never know—you might find yourself enjoying that cashew queso more than you expected.