What does it actually mean to be vegan? For most people, the answer is simple—until it isn’t.
This week on Food for Thought (celebrating 20 years!), I explore what happens after someone stops eating animal products…when the (seemingly) neat definition starts running into the messy reality of the world we live in.
Most of us don’t actually live by strict definitions, but when real-life scenarios arise that defy simple answers, conflict and confusion can follow, leading to questions like:
What about plant-based foods made on shared equipment?
What about burgers cooked on the same grill as meat?
What about taking life-saving medications that may have been tested on animals
What about sugar filtered with bone char?
And then there’s the bigger question underneath all of it: Who gets to decide what “counts” as vegan? After all, this isn’t the Boy Scouts, where you take a pledge, earn merit badges, and defer to a Scoutmaster. Why does it feel like that to some people?
In this episode, I talk about how an intention rooted in compassion and wellness can unintentionally morph into something else entirely—a purity test. One that confuses the public, exhausts vegans, and sometimes pushes people away from even making kinder, healthier choices in the first place.
I also revisit the origins of the word vegan and why it was never meant to function like religious dietary law, a moral checklist, or a tool for policing one another.
In this episode, we look at:
Why “becoming vegan” isn’t about dogma or doctrine
How perfectionism undermines progress
Why some grey areas are personal lines—not universal rules
And why focusing on purity distracts us from the real problem: the billions of animals brought into this world only to be killed
If you’ve ever struggled with grey areas as a vegan, this episode is for you. And if you’re not vegan but have been turned off by what looks like rigidity or contradiction, this conversation is for you too.
🎧 Listen to the full episode: The Vegan Purity Trap: Grey Areas and Why Perfection Isn’t the Point wherever you listen to podcasts and check out the video version on my YouTube channel, where you can subscribe and get notifications about every new video I post.
And remember: Don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything. Do something. Anything.
For the animals,
—Colleen
Support the Podcast (20-Year Anniversary)!
To keep Food for Thought Podcast ad-free and accessible to all, I rely on the support of paid subscribers. If you’re already one—thank you. If you’re not, please consider becoming one. None of the companies below sponsored this episode. They’re simply brands I personally use, love, and trust—which is why I agreed to be an affiliate.
If you make a purchase using the links below, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you—and you’ll receive exclusive discounts using the codes provided!
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Additional Resources
👉 Connect with me 1:1 – Get personalized guidance whatever you are looking for.
👉 Read A Year of Compassion – Daily inspiration to help you live with intention, kindness, and clarity.
👉 Travel with me! I host animal-friendly, luxury, all-inclusive vegan trips around the world, specifically curated to ensure high-quality, high-touch premium experiences. Check out our upcoming trips, and let me know if you have any questions.
👉 Check out my Recipe E-Books and my library of On-Demand Cooking Classes for recipes.
