Valentine’s Day is approaching, and passion is in the air. If you’re single, your wish list for a spouse can include attributes like intelligence, attractiveness, health-consciousness, dependability, and drive—plus a wicked sense of humor wouldn’t hurt either. It’s not every day that a romantic potential with all of these attributes walks through the door. When you add “vegan” to the list of requirements, it can feel like you’re looking for a unicorn. Rest assured that you aren’t the only vegan single who is irritated by the lack of vegan dating options. The good news is that other vegan singles are just as eager to meet you as you are. Whether you’re open to dating a meat eater or not, meeting someone special who matches your values, lifestyle, and diet has a lot of appeal, both ethically and logistically. The vegan dating pool and the market for connecting those vegans is increasing, with a record 400,000 people promising to go vegan in January alone. Here are four ways to get started if you’re looking for a Valentine or simply want to meet other vegan singles.
Vegan-Friendly Online Dating Sites
Online dating has the advantage of allowing you to be open about your exact preferences and interact with other individuals who satisfy your must-haves while avoiding your red flags. This can be a game-changer for vegans because it allows you to filter out anyone who does not share your lifestyle. On any dating platform, stating your vegan choice in your bio is a terrific way to save time and connect only with singles who will support your lifestyle. It’s even better if you use dating services that cater particularly to vegetarians. Fortunately, dating services like Green Singles, Veggie Date, and Veggie Connection make it easy for vegans and vegetarians to meet, so you can be confident that your next hot date will be down for a meatless curry with avocado on the side.
Vegan-Specific Dating Apps
A dating app may be more tempting to younger smartphone-dependent singles than a dating website. Apps provide the same benefit of upfront pre-filtering choices, as well as the convenience of easy access on your phone. Grazer and Veg are two apps for app-based vegan dating, and it’s as simple as swiping right if you like someone and swiping left if you don’t. It’s a match if you swipe right and they do the same. Photo sharing and recipe trading are among the interesting features included in these free applications. It’s only a matter of time until additional veg dating apps emerge, with millennials driving the global drive toward plant-based living.
Vegan Speed Dating Events
You’re not a fan of online dating? FindVegLove, for example, provides an in-person alternative that adds some excitement to the vegan dating scene. FindVegLove hosts speed-dating events across the United States and Canada, allowing participants to meet a variety of vegan and vegetarian individuals in five minutes. Fortunately, there’s no need to be concerned about the unpleasantness of in-person rejection. Once each event, you’ll use a unique software built by the founders to choose who you want to match with as a romantic interest or a buddy after the event is ended.
Special Interest Groups and Activities
For singles who prefer a more natural type of in-person meeting, participating in activities that represent your interests and values is the greatest method to meet people who share similar interests and values. You’ll find a network of like-minded people whether you join a vegan Meetup group, a book club, or volunteer at your local animal shelter. As the expression goes, “birds of a feather flock together.” Even if you don’t meet a love interest, you never know who has a nice cousin who makes teriyaki tempeh.
Go forth, have fun, and remember that asserting your dating agency is putting yourself out there, being clear about your preferences, and relishing the experience of meeting new people. It’s only a matter of time before you fall in love.
