Once upon a time, I was an omnivore in love with a vegetarian (who had a fish & seafood allergy). Living together made things a bit challenging, especially when it came to cooking meals. We’d often have to cook separately. We’d rarely share dishes, unless I got something vegetarian or it were dessert. Dining out wasn’t too bad. I could have fish and seafood outside of our home, but I had to go through the regime of ridding my person of all fishy residue before touching or kissing him.

While his reasons for going vegetarian were personal rather than political or social, I tried to take an interest in why someone would give up eating animals. At the time, I wasn’t absorbing the information presented to me. It wasn’t until a year after my partner became my husband that I began to get it. Why? Because I became ill, suffering through gastric issues that weakened and frustrated me to no bounds!

So fast forward today, 6 years later. I’m now a vegan going on 5 years, who is married to a vegan. It’s certainly easier to have someone in your home that shares in your decision to live a lifestyle free of animal consumption. Carlo (Mr. Artichoke) is just as, if not moreso, passionate about veganism, spreading compassion and reducing suffering as I am. I’m a lucky lady in that regard, because I stay motivated by him, our cat-kids and the amazing vegan community.

So what about vegans looking for love? What can we learn from the “Vegan Loves Omnivore” type of relationship? Is it possible to have a strong bond with someone who does not share in your vegan principles, philosophies and ideologies? Certainly! Think about your family, your workplace, etc. Granted, a romantic relationship is different than the connections you make with others. However, you never know who you’ll meet you can impact your life, even if that person doesn’t share in your lifestyle choices.

Our friend, Tina, whom we’ve dubbed “Ava Avocado,” lives in the South. She shared with us on The Food Duo’s Facebook page that she struggles with dating someone who isn’t vegan. While the guys she meets will try vegan food, she has found that problems arise when they do not connect with her activism. She wonders if location have to do with any of this. Hmmm.

Cavin, who’s in a vegan-omnivore relationship, has found a balance. There’s no need to force veganism upon her boyfriend. She doesn’t foresee a change to go vegan, but if he does go veg, that would be great. She commended him for his patience and does attend events with like DC VegFest.

Brittany, “The Vegan Bunny Slave” in Washington, is also living in a vegan-omnivore relationship with her boyfriend and their bunny daughter, Koucha. Her boyfriend has become more aware to issues around veganism, even bringing them to light at work. Recently, he ordered pizza for his colleagues and asked if anyone was vegetarian or gluten sensitive (note: the 2 are not the same), which made Brittany happy. Her biggest challenge has been trying to find restaurants where the 2 can dine together, while not forcing her vegan choices upon him. I hear he happens to like vegan desserts!

I’d like to call out one of my favorite bloggers/authors, JL Fields! On her blog, JL Goes Vegan, she often shares her experiences with omnivore husband, Dave. While he still eats meat, he’s often whipping up and enjoying vegan dishes in their home. There’s a balance there!

So, there’s proof that you can love an omnivore just as much as you love a vegan!

Still skeptical about that? Well, why not join us tonight for #VeganFoodChat, starting at 8pm ET/5pm PT!

We’ll be chatting about this very topic with our special guests Ayinde & Zoe of IEatGrass.com, which features Zoe’s column, “The Lusty Vegan.” They also have co-authored a book of the same title, now available for pre-order on Amazon!