Vegetarians don’t eat meat, fish and poultry, and neither do vegans. But vegans go further, excluding all animal products from their diets – even dairy and eggs. If you’re adhering to a vegan diet, that means no refried beans with lard, margarine made with whey and anything with gelatin, which comes from animal bones and hooves. Fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes will be your staples.

Plant-based diets are becoming more popular in the United States. A 2017 report found that 6% of people in the U.S. now identify as vegan, compared with just 1% in 2014. That’s good news for finding more vegan options for a variety of products in the grocery store – and when dining out. Precisely how you shape your vegan diet each day is up to you, but you'll typically aim for six servings of grains; five servings of legumes, nuts and other types of protein, such as peanut butter, chickpeas, tofu, potatoes and a plant-based milk; and four daily servings of veggies, two servings of fruit and two servings of healthy fats such as sesame oil, avocado and coconut, according to an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guide. There's also no need to give up dessert: Vegans can choose from one of the many vegan ice cream options or eat baked goods (cupcakes and cobbler, for example) made without butter or eggs.