Veganism at Morningside vs. Veganism in Germany

Whether for climate change, animal welfare, or health reasons – more and more people decide to cut meat products off their diet. In fact, many even choose to not eat any animal products at all and go vegan.
However, there are certain regional differences when it comes to veganism. Whereas there is a big variety of vegan options in some places, it is very hard to find vegan products in others. For example, how is it to be vegan here on campus compared to Germany? Let three people tell you about their experiences.

A vegan diet is defined as a diet that “excludes all forms of animal exploitation,” meaning it doesn’t involve meat or any other products derived from animals, such as anything that contains milk or eggs.

Germany was found the fifth-best country for vegans in 2021 by Chef’s Pencil. In addition, four German cities secured a top 15 spot in the city rankings. Even though Germany is well-known for its schnitzels and sausages, it also leads in the production of meat substitutes and plant-based food.
With close to 10% of the population considering themselves vegetarian, and about 1.6% vegans, the country has the highest rates in Europe – and the numbers continue to increase. From 2016 to 2020, the number of vegans has doubled.

Conny Wagner lives in Berlin, the city that was named the vegan capital of the world in 2017. She has been following a plant-based for number years.
Experiences

In the US, the number of vegans in the population has increased drastically over the past years. Nevertheless, Iowa belongs to the least vegan-friendly states in the US. Number of restaurants with vegan options

Experiences of two students from Germany, comparing being vegan here at Morningside with being vegan back at home in terms of options and other people’s mindsets

Of course, it is hard to compare options in a school canteen to food in Germany as a country. However, about 13.5% of Berlin’s students are keeping a vegan diet, according to statistics. As there was a huge demand, the city’s universities will go almost meat-free in the future, with a 68% vegan menu and only one meat option four days a week.