Riley and Will
We are pleased to introduce the VegFamily community to Riley and Will – two brothers blogging about being typical American kids – and vegan.
Riley and Will – welcome to VegFamily. We’re so glad to hear of young vegans like yourselves blogging on the web about living, eating, and having fun as vegans. We’d like to ask you a few questions. Have you always been vegan?
Riley: Yes, I have been a vegan since I was born. I have eaten non-vegan things before by accident. When I was around five years old, my dad, his friend, and our dogs went on a hike and I asked my dad where our food was and he said in the backpack. I accidentally ate our friend’s non-vegan dog kibble. It was really dry.
Will: Yes.
Do you find any particular non-vegan foods tempting? How do you handle temptations?
Riley: I do find some non-vegan foods tempting if they look good, but the temptation is not great enough to actually eat them. I also know that whatever it is can be made in a delicious vegan version.
Will: No.
Do you find it difficult to be vegan at school? Ever had any problems?
Riley: I am homeschooled, so no, being a vegan at school is not hard at all. I did go to a charter school once a week. It was never really a problem being a vegan because lots of the kids were vegetarian. Plus I would run around rather than eat.
Will: I’m homeschooled so my cafeteria is our kitchen. And we only have vegan food.
How do you handle food situations like parties and hanging out with friends?
Riley: When I was younger, my mom would make a vegan version of whatever we would be eating at the social events. But now, I usually find something vegan or eat afterward.
Will: I always eat before or my mom packs food. My friends’ parents also know I’m vegan and most of them have vegan food for me, too.
What is your response to people who make fun of you as a vegan?
Riley: Most of the people I know admire me for being a vegan, or are vegan or vegetarians themselves. But there are a few people who tease me. My response is to try to show them how cruel it is to eat animals, and if they don’t care, I just ignore them.
Will: There are a lot of kids who wonder why I’m a vegan but no one has made fun of it.
Tell us who your favorite vegan person, author, and celebrity is.
Riley: My favorite vegan is not a person, but my dog Mr. Picklechips. My favorite vegan authors are my parents. And I do not have a favorite vegan celebrity.
Will: I don’t know which celebrities are vegan. Outside my family, my favorite vegan person is my best friend Tyler.
Do you have any advice for young vegans or those wanting to go vegan but are worried or discouraged?
Riley: Yes, I most certainly do. For those of you who are worried, do not be. It will not kill you. Your body does not need all the fat, calories, and hormones that are in meat. Veganism is good for you, the animals, and the planet. So GO VEGAN!
Will: It’s not hard if your parents help. You can still have all the things you like to eat and it’s even healthier. My dad and I went to a baseball game and ate hot dogs, French fries, soda, and some lollipops, but they were vegan.
Do you have any specific plans for the future as a vegan?
Riley: I will always be a vegan no matter what. Nobody has a right to kill an animal and eat him or her. Go vegan, stay strong.
Will: I’m going to help my parents make more people vegan. But I’m only 11, so for now I’m going to play video games and ride my scooter.
You are both so inspiring. Thanks guys!! We are also featuring one of your blog posts Riley’s Top 10 Vegan Treats. We look forward to following your blog!
