The Vegetarian Resource Group asked the following in a national Harris Poll. See: https://www.vrg.org/blog/2020/08/07/how-many-adults-in-the-u-s-are-vegan-how-many-adults-eat-vegetarian-when-eating-out-asks-the-vegetarian-resource-group-in-a-national-poll/
Which of the following, if any, best describes your eating behavior?
-I never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs.
-I never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry.
-I never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs when eating out or getting takeout, but eat one or more of these foods at home.
-I never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry when eating out or getting takeout, but eat one or more of these foods at home.
-When eating out or getting takeout, I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, poultry, dairy, or eggs.
-When eating out or getting takeout, I sometimes eat meals without meat, fish, or poultry.
-None of these.
We considered those that never eat meat, fish, seafood, or poultry; plus those that never eat meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs, as vegetarian. We classified that second category of vegetarians who don’t eat dairy or eggs also as vegan. Because we use the word “never” and don’t just ask if a person considers him/herself vegetarian, our numbers may be lower than others. Be wary of comparing to polls in other countries that ask if you are vegetarian or vegan, since people may self define differently. We did not ask about honey.
More than half of the U.S. adult population (54%) always or sometimes eats vegetarian (including vegan) meals when eating out. One fourth (25%) of U.S. adults always or sometimes eats vegan meals when eating out. Six percent of American adults are vegetarian (including vegans) all the time, and half of the vegetarians are also vegan (three percent of American adults).
Looking at the number of vegetarians (including vegan) by race/ethnic group shows few differences across the groups, which reflects information we have found in other polls we have conducted. Six percent of Latinos and Asians were vegetarian, while 5% of Blacks were vegetarians, all of which is pretty close to the U.S. total for all adults. However, of the 5% of Blacks that are vegetarian, included are 4% vegan and 1% not vegan. From our experience, vegetarians from India often have a hard time giving up dairy which is a part of their culture, so it makes sense that vegan was such a small percentage of Asian vegetarians (6% vegetarians including vegans – with less than 1% vegan.)
Black
1% Vegetarians (not including vegans)
5% Vegetarians (including vegans)
4% Vegans
55% Eats vegetarian meals including vegan sometimes or always when eating out
27% Eats vegans meals sometimes or always when eating out
Most important when making food choices: taste (58%); personal health (43%); cost (37%)
Latino
3% Vegetarians (not including vegans)
6% Vegetarians (including vegans)
3% Vegans
64% Eats vegetarian meals including vegan sometimes or always when eating out
30% Eats vegans meals sometimes or always when eating out
Most important when making food choices: taste (49%); cost (38%); personal health (35%)
Asian
6% Vegetarians (not including vegans)
6% Vegetarians (including vegans)
<1% Vegans
59% Eats vegetarian meals including vegan sometimes or always when eating out
23% Eats vegans meals sometimes or always when eating out
Most important when making food choices: taste (55%); cost (40%); personal health (36%)
Total
3% Vegetarians (not including vegans)
6% Vegetarians (including vegans)
3% Vegans
54% Eats vegetarian meals including vegan sometimes or always when eating out
24% Eats vegans meals sometimes or always when eating out
Most important when when making food choices: taste (57%); cost (38%); personal health (36%)
In 2016, we asked what the main reason you eat/you would eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, or poultry. Top reasons that black individuals eat/would eat meals without meat, fish, seafood, or poultry were health (38%) and cost (11%). For Latinos it was health reasons (31%), cost (5%), animals (5%), and inability to obtain animal products that are organic, GMO-free, or labeled humane (5%). Taste was not a choice. We can’t compare the poll questions directly since they were different questions. See: 2016 poll at https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/Polls/2016_eating_out.htm
This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of The Vegetarian Resource Group from June 22-24, 2020 among 2,074 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For survey methodology, please contact vrg@vrg.org. Please note that this poll was taken during the Covid-19 pandemic. We do not know what influence, if any, that may have had on the survey answers. See: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll for more poll information