How to live vegan as a teenager? A practical guide

Created on: April 23, 2026
Last edited on: April 23, 2026

Even as a teenager with non-vegan parents, you can live a healthy vegan life. Crucial factors are a sensible food selection and vitamin B12.

You want to be vegan, but still live at home and your parents do all the shopping? Then you're not alone - that's the biggest hurdle for many young people. The good news: You don't have to wait until you've moved out. Living vegan as a teenager is often much easier than it seems at first. Together, we'll answer the most common questions 🤝

Disclaimer: Veganism is NOT A DIET and relates to many other areas of life such as clothing and cosmetics. However, with parents, nutrition is usually the biggest topic - which is why we are focusing on it here.

Can teenagers be vegan?

Yes - a well-planned vegan diet can meet nutritional needs even during adolescence. This also applies if your parents are not vegan and buy the food. The key is a solid starting point on which you can build.

Often, it's enough to have a few basics at home to get started.
You can add these 5 vegan products to the shared shopping list:

• Tofu
• Soy milk/oat milk
• Canned legumes (e.g., chickpeas/beans)
• Whole-wheat bread or wraps
• B12 supplement

These products are available in any discount store or drugstore. You probably already have fruits, vegetables, and nuts at home anyway. So your parents don't have to make an extra trip and just need to reach for different items at the supermarket.

How do I tell my parents I want to be vegan?

Some parents react skeptically at first. It usually works best if you approach the conversation with facts and without pressure. Show that you are informed and take responsibility. This works with phrases like:

• "I only need 5 extra products on the list."
• "You don't have to cook anything extra, I'll adapt my own food."
• "I'd be happy to come along shopping sometime."

You don't necessarily have to make your parents vegan (although that would be nice, of course). If your parents are generally open-minded, you can explain to them why you want to live vegan and get information with them on WHY VEGAN. For practical implementation, tools like ChatGPT can also help, which create entire meal plans and shopping lists in seconds.

Is a vegan diet healthy for teenagers?

Your parents might have well-intentioned concerns. In that case, you can tell them that you take their concerns seriously, but a vegan diet can also be nutritionally adequate during puberty. The decisive factor is not the "vegan" label, but whether you eat sensibly and pay attention to your nutrient needs.
The following nutrients are crucial:

• Vitamin B12: Must be reliably supplemented
• Omega 3: EPA and DHA, as the precursor ALA from plants can only be converted to a limited extent
• Vitamin D: Often useful, especially in winter
• Iodine: via iodized salt and possibly supplements
• Calcium: e.g., via calcium-rich tofu, fortified plant-based milk alternatives, or green leafy vegetables

These nutrients can also be relevant in a mixed diet. Suggest getting blood values checked annually with your family doctor. This shows that you are dealing with the issue responsibly.

How can a teenager buy vegan food cheaply?

Parents often also believe that vegan is expensive. However, vegan can also be cheap if you shop smart. Many inexpensive staple foods are plant-based:

• Rice
• Oats
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Bread
• Frozen vegetables
• Tofu at the discount store and much more.

As long as you don't constantly insist on alternative products and snacks, your parents can probably manage your meals with a very similar budget as before.

What to eat when meat is cooked at home?

We are aware that you probably don't want to spend hours cooking extra - and you don't have to. Usually, you can simply use the existing food as a base (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, spreads, vegetables, salad, etc.) and swap out the animal components.

Examples:

• There's Bolognese → Take pasta and tomato sauce and add vegan mince instead of ground meat.
• There are burgers → Take the bun, lettuce and possibly the sauce (ketchup, for example, is vegan) and use a vegan patty.
• There's a snack spread → Use bread and spreads like hummus and add tofu, tempeh, or vegan cold cuts instead of sausage or cheese.

How do I get enough protein as a vegan teenager?

As a vegan teenager, you can also play sports and build muscle. It is important that you get enough calories and total protein.

The strongest vegan protein sources per 100 g:

• Soy crisps: approx. 50-80 g protein (dry)
• Soy granules: approx. 50 g protein (dry)
• Seitan: approx. 25 g protein
• Tempeh: approx. 20 g protein
• Tofu: approx. 15 g protein
• In addition, you can use vegan protein powder.

💪 You can find all other sources and combinations in the PROTEIN GUIDE.

To meet your protein needs as a vegan teenager athlete, aim for about 1.6 to 2 g of protein per kg of body weight daily. For example, at 70 kg body weight, that would be 112 to 140 g of protein per day. This is also achievable with a purely plant-based diet. If you are not very active, about 1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight is usually sufficient.

Vegan at school

Even at school, living vegan as a teenager is perfectly feasible. The easiest way is to prepare something at home as meal prep and take it with you - for example, sandwiches, wraps, overnight oats, pasta salad, or fruit, bars, and nuts as quick snacks. If there are few vegan options in the cafeteria, it's worth asking, as many schools are expanding their offerings. The most important thing is that you get enough to eat and have enough energy for the day.

Summary - starting vegan as a teenager

You can live vegan as a teenager, even if you still live at home and your parents are not vegan. Most important: feasibility beats perfection. If you want to stand on the side of the animals, the most important step is usually to just get started. Further helpful guides on protein, B12, and vegan recipes for beginners can be found on HOW VEGAN ✅
Have a great vegan teenage life!

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