Vegan on a low budget: enacting identity through cuisine in an internet community

Abstract

The adoption of veganism implies a change in food practices. This study investigates how low-budget people lead a vegan lifestyle. Using Bourdieu's habitus and food sociology concepts, we analyze 884 posts on a Chilean Facebook group, in which members share low-budget vegan recipes. Our results show that low-income people enact veganism mainly by constructing cuisine based on their social class and avoiding animal consumption products. The definition of this cuisine continues to be a battleground in terms of practices considered legitimately vegan, regardless of poverty. This article contributes sociologically by deepening our understanding of everyday practices that help enact veganism in non-hegemonic positions, how individuals forge their social identity, and the role of cuisine in adopting a vegan lifestyle.