A new study commissioned by The Vegetarian Resource Group has provided updated data on the prevalence of vegetarian and vegan eating habits among adults in the United States.
The Harris Poll conducted the nationally representative online survey of 2,096 U.S. adults aged 18 and older between Jan. 6 and Jan. 8, 2026. The research sought to provide clarity for food companies, marketers, researchers, and media outlets that have long sought to understand the specific numbers of vegetarians and vegans in the American population.
According to the survey findings, 67% of adults in the United States always, sometimes, or usually eat vegetarian meals, which includes vegan options. The data also showed that 33% of adults always, sometimes, or usually consume vegan meals. In contrast, 33% of adults presumably never consume vegetarian or vegan meals.
The report identified that 5% of adults are vegetarians, with 3% of the total population also being vegan. The Vegetarian Resource Group noted that these figures might be lower than those reported in other studies because the survey focused on specific eating behaviors — such as whether an individual never eats meat, fish, seafood, poultry, dairy, or eggs — rather than simply asking if the person considers themselves a vegetarian or vegan.
The study utilized a Bayesian credible interval to measure sampling precision, with the results being accurate to plus or minus 2.5% at a 95% confidence level.
