Great stuff. The moralizing from vegans tends to be counterproductive to the cause, too. I preach meat and dairy reduction, not vegan absolutism.

At the same time, I know what a slippery slope it can be. When I was vegan, I slipped during the pandemic and that was it -- I stepped back to vegetarianism and have been here since. So it really takes discipline to stay vegan, and I can understand the tendency toward absolutism in that regard.

I would only take issue with one point you make-- the implication that veganism is more expensive. With the exception of eggs from our six happy free range chickens, and sometimes cheese, I only cook my family vegan meals. They have to be tasty for the kids to enjoy! But they're not expensive. In addition to the cooking I do most of the shopping, and our grocery expenses are down from when we bought meat.

I seek nutrient-dense whole foods and can get a lot of those in bulk, which cuts down on expenses. Plus, I grow lots of my own vegetables. But still, eating a healthy plant-based diet should not be more expensive, with healthy being the operative word. There's plenty of vegan products out there that are expensive and not always the healthiest.

Anyway, I'm rambling. Good article!

TJ