7 things vegans always ask at the grocery store that give them away every single time (and I always find myself asking every single one)

I’ll never forget standing in the cereal aisle last month, squinting at a box of what should have been simple granola, when another shopper caught me muttering “but why is there milk powder in this?” under my breath. She laughed and said, “Let me guess, you’re about to ask the staff if they have a dairy-free version?”

Busted.

After years of gradually shifting toward plant-based eating, I’ve developed a repertoire of questions that instantly reveal my dietary choices to every grocery store employee within earshot. These days, I can’t make it through a shopping trip without asking at least one of them. And judging by the knowing looks I get from other shoppers, I’m definitely not alone in this.

Whether you’re fully vegan, plant-curious, or somewhere in between, these seven questions have probably escaped your lips at least once. They’re like a secret handshake, except everyone can hear it, and it usually involves explaining what nutritional yeast is to a confused teenager.

1. “Excuse me, do you know if this has dairy in it?”

This question haunts me in every aisle. You’d think reading labels would be straightforward, but then you encounter “natural flavors” or “lactic acid” and suddenly you need a chemistry degree to decode your crackers.

Last week, I spent ten minutes examining a package of seemingly innocent veggie burgers, only to discover whey protein hiding in the ingredients list like some kind of dairy ninja. The employee I flagged down looked at the package, looked at me, then said, “I think vegetables are vegan?” Bless his heart.

The worst part? Sometimes the answer leads to a philosophical discussion about whether honey counts as vegan while a line forms behind you at the deli counter. You can feel the collective eye rolls as you explain that yes, you really do need to know if the bread was brushed with egg wash.

2. “Is there a health food section, or is everything just… scattered?”

Every new grocery store is like a treasure hunt where the treasure is tempeh and the map doesn’t exist. You walk in confident, thinking, “How hard can it be to find tofu?” Forty-five minutes later, you’ve discovered it’s in three different locations: some by the produce, some in the “ethnic” aisle, and a mysterious third variety hiding in the deli section.

I once asked this question and the employee cheerfully responded, “We put healthy food everywhere!” While I appreciated the optimism, it didn’t help me locate the coconut aminos I’d been searching for. Now I’ve learned to allow an extra thirty minutes for any shopping trip to a new store, which my husband finds both amusing and mildly concerning.

3. “Do you carry nutritional yeast?”

Nothing reveals your plant-based status faster than asking for “nooch.” The blank stares I’ve received could fill an entire photo album. You try explaining it’s “those yellow flakes that taste kind of cheesy,” and suddenly you’re giving an impromptu TED talk about B vitamins in aisle seven.

One memorable afternoon, I asked three different employees about nutritional yeast. The first thought I meant regular yeast and directed me to the baking aisle. The second suggested I try the pharmacy. The third, bless her, whipped out her phone and we googled it together. We finally found it hiding with the specialty flours, because of course that makes perfect sense.

The victory of finally locating it feels disproportionately huge. You want to text everyone you know: “THEY HAVE NOOCH!” But you resist, because explaining your excitement would take longer than your actual shopping trip.

4. “Which of your wines are vegan?”

This question guarantees at least one person will overhear and say, “Wait, wine isn’t vegan?” Cue the explanation about isinglass (fish bladders) and egg whites while the wine department employee slowly backs away.

I’ve found that smaller wine shops actually handle this question better than big chains. Last month, a lovely wine shop owner spent twenty minutes showing me which vintners use bentonite clay instead of animal products for filtering. Meanwhile, at the supermarket, the response is usually, “I think the organic ones?” followed by a shrug.

The conversation inevitably leads to someone asking about beer, and before you know it, you’re conducting an impromptu seminar on beverage production methods while clutching a bottle of clearly-labeled vegan Pinot Grigio like a life raft.

5. “Can you check if the sugar in this is bone-char free?”

This question turns you into “that person” faster than you can say “organic cane sugar.” The bakery employee who just wanted to sell you a muffin now needs to call their manager, who needs to call corporate, who probably needs to call the sugar supplier.

I asked this once about brownies at a local bakery, and the owner looked at me like I’d asked if the flour was made from ground unicorn horns. After explaining that some sugar is filtered through animal bone char, she said, “I’ve been baking for thirty years and no one has ever asked me this.” We both learned something that day, though I’m not sure she was grateful for the education.

6. “Is your produce wax plant-based or beeswax?”

Picture this: you’re holding an apple up to the light like you’re checking for fingerprints, and another shopper asks if you’re okay. You explain you’re trying to determine what kind of wax coating it has, and suddenly you’re the weird apple person.

The produce manager usually has no idea what you’re talking about. One told me, “It’s just wax,” which led to me explaining that some wax comes from bees while other types come from plants. He looked at the apple, looked at me, and said, “Would you like me to wash it for you?”

Sweet gesture, but not quite what I was going for.

7. “Do you have any cheese alternatives that actually melt?”

This question comes loaded with the disappointment of every non-melting vegan cheese you’ve ever tried. You’ve been burned before, literally and figuratively, by “cheese” that remained defiantly solid even under broiler conditions.

Store employees can sense your skepticism. When you ask this question, you’re not just asking about product availability. You’re asking them to restore your faith in dairy alternatives. One employee recently told me, “I don’t know if it melts, but people keep buying it,” which was oddly reassuring.

The follow-up questions are endless: “Does it stretch? Does it bubble? Will it work in a grilled cheese?” By the end, you’ve shared your entire disappointing vegan cheese journey with a stranger who just wanted to finish their shift.

Final thoughts

These seven questions have become my grocery store soundtrack, and honestly, I’ve stopped being embarrassed about them. Sure, they immediately out me as someone navigating the plant-based world, but they’ve also led to some genuinely helpful conversations and unexpected connections.

Just last week, while asking about hidden dairy in bread, another shopper overheard and recommended an app that identifies vegan products. We ended up exchanging numbers and now share grocery finds like other people share memes.

The truth is, asking these questions gets easier with time. Store employees start recognizing you as “the person who asks about ingredients,” and sometimes they’ll even do research between your visits. It’s oddly heartwarming when the deli clerk flags you down to announce they’ve started carrying coconut-based cream cheese.

So if you find yourself asking these questions, embrace it. You’re part of a growing community of people who read labels like detective novels and consider finding good vegan butter a legitimate accomplishment. And if you haven’t asked them yet, but you’re curious about plant-based eating, don’t worry. The grocery store employees are getting used to us by now.