Joanne Stepaniak is the founder of the Grassroots Veganism website, a regular columnist for VegNews, a seasoned activist, and author of eight vegan books including Being Vegan, Vegan Vittles, The Vegan Sourcebook, and her recent collaboration with Vesanto Melina, Raising Vegetarian Children . Having been involved in the vegetarian and vegan movements for 40 years, Stepaniak’s primary focus has been and continues to be lessons in all-encompassing compassion reaching beyond humanity. Her quest is to educate others about living healthfully, ethically, and with respect to all living beings.

How much easier is it for teenagers to be vegans compared to when you were a teenager?

There are so many wonderful advances that make being a vegan significantly easier for teenagers these days. When I was a teen, there weren’t any vegetarian (let alone vegan!) cookbooks or reference materials. There was no scientific documentation to reassure my parents that I could indeed be healthy and thrive without meat. Although nonvegetarian parents still tend to worry when their children become vegan or vegetarian, there now is a mountain of evidence that supports the soundness of a plant-based diet for children of all ages.

Countless books filled with recipes and other vital information now exist, with more becoming available every day. When I was a teen, there were no support groups, such as vegetarian societies or school clubs, and there was no Internet. Easy access to online materials, discussion boards, and pen pals has provided a wealth of knowledge and friendships that were unheard of thirty or forty years ago. There are annual vegetarian and animal rights conferences that not only provide ongoing encouragement, but also give vegetarians from around the globe a chance to meet in person and form lasting relationships.

When I became a vegetarian (nearly forty years ago), natural food stores were virtually nonexistent. Soymilk and tofu were not produced on any major scale, so I could not have predicted that one day they would be obtainable in most mainstream supermarkets. In addition, I never would have imagined that an abundance of prepared and frozen vegan foods would be so readily available, or that pure vegetarian restaurants would sprout up in all our major cities, or that the staff at most restaurants would not only understand the meaning of “vegan” but know how to pronounce it correctly.

In addition to vegan food items being fairly easy to locate, there are entire stores, both retail and online, devoted strictly to serving the needs of the vegan community by stocking cruelty-free shoes, clothing, cosmetics, personal care and cleaning products, and more. Today when people (young or old) tell me it must be difficult to be vegan, I have to chuckle. When I look back on how things used to be, I realize how very far we have come and how incredibly convenient it is to be vegan or vegetarian today.

Did you ever cheat on being a vegan? Sneaking some cheese?

I believe that being vegan is a personal, ethical decision. Certainly, there are guidelines that define what being vegan entails, but there is no one looking over our shoulders to make sure we comply with them. Consequently, there is no reason to “sneak” anything. If I breach my personal ethics, I have only myself to answer to. Consuming animal products doesn’t interest me, so I do not seek them out. In fact, quite the contrary. As a vegan, I go out of my way to avoid animal products. However, I know there have been times when I unintentionally ate something that contained dairy products or eggs, generally due to being misinformed or purchasing an item that was mislabeled. I don’t beat myself up over these accidents. In a culture where animal products are so pervasive, mishaps, though rare, can happen.

As a teenager, did you have any vegans to look up to or friends who were vegans?

I was a teenager back in the sixties and had never heard of the word “vegan.” I grew up in a semi-rural area surrounded by dairy farmers and hunters. I did not know any other vegetarians. In fact, I can’t even recall where I first heard the term.

How do you think the vegan movement has progressed from when you first adopted a vegan lifestyle?

I became a vegan about twenty-two years ago. At that time it was almost impossible to find any information about veganism. That was one of the primary reasons I started developing recipes and writing books on the subject, as there was little to nothing available. With the advent of the Web, vegan resources now are just a click away. The Web also has helped to create an international vegan community that is not restricted by distance or differences of culture and language. This has helped to solidify a vegan movement that has the power and opportunity to mobilize change on a global scale. In addition, the media has become quite savvy about veganism. It was a thrill when I first saw the word “vegan” in a newspaper or magazine article and on product packaging, and when I heard it mentioned on newscasts and television programs. The fact that seeing and hearing “vegan” has become relatively commonplace is a testament to our progress.

What particular accomplishment, related to veganism, are you most proud of?

I think I’m most proud of simply having had the perseverance to stand by my beliefs and ethics despite enormous family and societal pressures to conform. Beyond that, I am very proud of The Uncheese Cookbook, as it was a breakthrough in helping people get past a major hurdle in their resistance to veganism. I’m also proud of Raising Vegetarian Children. When I was growing up, I wish a book like this existed, because it not only supplies solid, scientific validation for a vegan diet, it also provides in-depth support, encouragement, and guidance for parents and young people alike.

What is your favorite food or dish?

I was one of those kooky kids who loved vegetables—all kinds, including spinach. I haven’t changed much in that regard. I’d have to say that my favorite food today is steamed kale with garlic and olive oil. A close runner up would be beans—any kind, but especially black, white, and red beans. In third place there is a tie between winter squash and avocadoes. My favorite prepared dish is Cheez-A-Roni from Raising Vegetarian Children. Yum!

Do you think that one should be adamant about their vegan lifestyle in all situations? As a dinner guest? As a tourist in a foreign country?

I think one should be adamant about kindness and compassion towards all life in all situations. This includes our fellow humans, of course. But it does not mean we must sacrifice our vegan ethics in order to appease others or comply with customs that vary from our own. Just as we would not lie, cheat, steal or breach any other values we hold dear simply for the sake of pacifying someone else, we should never compromise our principles at the expense of our integrity.

Do you have any advice for vegetarian and vegan teens?

My advice is to make a sincere effort to understand the true motivations that inspire your actions and decisions. If respect and compassion are at the root of your choice to be vegan or vegetarian, learn how to extend that respect and compassion to other people and to yourself, as much as you offer them to animals. If we want people to hear us and honor our lifestyle, we must be willing to listen to them and honor their lifestyle, even if we don’t always see eye to eye.

What is it that you are essentially trying to accomplish?

That’s an interesting question. I am not really trying to accomplish anything other than to become more awake, aware, loving, and compassionate, and help others to do the same.

What is your ultimate goal for our world 100 years from today?

My hope is that humans will come to realize, appreciate, and value our interconnectedness and interdependency with each other and with all life. Without this fundamental insight, there is little reason to be optimistic about our survival as a species and, perhaps, as a planet.

Why do you think it is that the U.S. government does not advocate the far-ranging and copious benefits of a vegan lifestyle?

There are deep-rooted cultural factors and entrenched economic considerations that encourage the suppression of information from various public and private sectors, including critical scientific, medical, and environmental research. The reasons for this are highly complex, but they hinge on what is most advantageous for the current economic and political regime rather than what is best in the long run for humanity, other life forms, and the earth.

What do you think is the best way to advocate a vegan lifestyle without being perceived as dogmatic?

In my opinion, the best way to advocate any set of values is simply to live them to the best of our ability. If we are positive examples of our vegan beliefs, without forcing them on others or attempting to convince others that we are right and they are wrong, we will be excellent vegan ambassadors. Our lives—including our attitudes and actions towards others—will exemplify our ethics and ideals and inspire others just by our presence. If, however, we are bitter, angry, resentful, or arrogant, these are the qualities others will attach to veganism. The choice is ours.

Do you think that in a relationship it is important for both partners to be living similar lifestyles, i.e., both vegetarians, both vegans, both carnivores, etc.?

Vegetarianism and meat-eating are dietary choices, and I don’t view a diet and a lifestyle as the same thing. There are many reasons people choose to be vegetarian, and there is no cohesive philosophy underlying it that fits all vegetarians. Many meat-eaters eat meat out of habit, cultural influences, enjoyment, or familiarity. Often what we eat is not a reasoned decision but one that is based merely on the taste or texture of certain foods, what we’ve become accustomed to, and our personal preferences. If two people in a relationship eat similar foods, that can be helpful. It eliminates having to prepare separate meals and makes cooking, eating out at restaurants, and shopping more convenient. But that doesn’t have anything to do with a lifestyle, as it simply deals with people’s food. Having a fondness for the same foods is rarely sufficient grounds for building a lasting, cohesive relationship, just as having dissimilar tastes in food seldom destroys a relationship.

A lifestyle, on the other hand, takes into account every component of our life, not just what we eat. Generally speaking, a lifestyle is the manifestation of our principles and ideals, so it covers and colors all that we think, say, and do. Veganism is a good example of a lifestyle, because the philosophy that inspires it guides all facets of a vegan’s life. Having similar values is crucial to the success of any intimate relationship, so it makes sense that sharing a vegan perspective would be exceedingly beneficial and significant.

When entertaining friends or guests, do you think it is unprincipled for a vegan host to offer nonvegan foods?

I would not purchase or prepare foods in my home that conflict with my ethics, just as I would not engage in activities in my home that conflict with my ethics. Simply because a guest chooses to eat or do things that I find objectionable does not oblige me to indulge them when they stop by my home. There are many vegan foods that nonvegans regularly eat and enjoy. No one needs to go hungry or feel deprived when they visit a vegan.

What do you think is the best way to let people know of the benefits of a vegan lifestyle? Through speech, action, writing, etc.?

I feel the greatest way to influence others toward a vegan lifestyle is to be the finest example of compassion in action. As Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

What is the best way for teens to approach parents who are opposed to their decision to adopt a vegan lifestyle?

If parents are resistant to a teen’s decision to become vegan or vegetarian, it is important to find out why. Often parents are concerned that a drastic change in diet is a shield for a deep-seated health or emotional problem. Consequently, it is essential for teens to fully explore their reasons for wanting to be vegan or vegetarian, learn how to calmly and rationally explain their point of view, and show their parents that their decision is reasonable by having the maturity to research, devise, and implement a sound diet. Demonstrating responsibility is the best way to arouse parents’ confidence and gain their support.

Raising Vegetarian Children contains all the latest scientific data on the health benefits of a vegan or vegetarian diet and can teach you how to get the nutrients you need on a daily basis. It thoroughly covers all aspects the teen years and even addresses specific needs, such as teen athletes or maintaining a healthy weight. There are over 100 delicious recipes and several sample meal plans to get you started. If parents are concerned about particular nutrients, there are charts in the book that list the richest vegan food sources. Of course, it is the teen’s duty to eat a nutritious and well-planned diet, thereby proving they can be healthy and strong without animal products as well as make sensible and responsible choices.

What do you think needs to be done in universities and colleges for its vegan or vegetarian students?

All schools should be providing healthful food options through the campus dietary service. This, of course, ought to include those items we know most people eat too little of—whole, unprocessed plant foods including plenty of fresh vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fresh fruits. College students tend to have horrible eating habits because their lives are so hectic and pressured. They generally have limited access to quality food on campus and often have no access to cooking facilities where they could prepare their own meals. Like most busy people, college students are inclined to eat on the run, grabbing whatever is convenient, filling, and reasonably tasty, even if it’s not particularly nutritious.

Most progressive universities and colleges offer a wide variety of vegan options. However, smaller and more rural schools have been slower to follow suit. They may be under the false belief that their student population doesn’t need or want these options, so it may be up to the vegan and vegetarian students to petition the school to ensure their needs are met. Besides having a good assortment of vegan foods available at every meal, dormitory rooms should be equipped with kitchenettes large enough for vegan students to prepare meals and store basic cooking supplies. In addition, vegan students should be offered the opportunity to be paired with vegan roommates, if they desire, in order to make their living situation as comfortable and peaceful as possible.

Vegan and vegetarian nutrition should be an integral aspect of all health- and nutrition-related coursework. Similarly, animal rights and vegan philosophy ought to be incorporated into the study of sociology, psychology, and philosophy, as well as courses on the ethics of business, religion, and science.