Do Vegetarians Include Milk? An Explainer of Dairy in Plant-Based Diets

January 2, 2026 •

3 min read

According to a 2024 survey by The Vegan Society, around one in three people consume plant-based milk regularly, indicating a growing movement away from animal products. While vegans strictly avoid all animal products, many people often wonder, "Do vegetarians include milk?" The answer is that it depends on their specific dietary subcategory.

Quick Summary

The inclusion of milk in a vegetarian diet depends on the individual's specific dietary choices. While vegans avoid all animal-derived products, many vegetarians consume dairy and/or eggs, defining distinct dietary variations like lacto-vegetarian and ovo-lacto vegetarian.

Key Points

Vegetarianism isn't a single diet: It is an umbrella term with several subcategories, meaning the inclusion of milk is not universal for all vegetarians.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarians consume milk and eggs: This is the most common form of vegetarianism and includes dairy and eggs alongside a plant-based diet.
Lacto-vegetarians drink milk but no eggs: This subset consumes dairy but refrains from eating eggs, meat, poultry, or fish.
Vegans are the only vegetarian group that excludes all milk and animal products: Vegans avoid all animal-derived foods and by-products, including milk and dairy.
Ethical considerations influence choices: While milk production doesn't require killing an animal, some vegetarians avoid it due to concerns about the dairy industry's treatment of cows and calves.
Nutrient needs can be met with or without milk: Dairy provides essential nutrients like calcium and B12, but plant-based alternatives, especially fortified ones, can also meet these nutritional requirements.

Do Vegetarians Include Milk? Understanding the Varied Dietary Lifestyles

Understanding whether vegetarians consume milk requires looking at the nuances of what vegetarianism encompasses. Unlike veganism, which strictly forbids all animal products, vegetarianism is an umbrella term with several subcategories, each with its own set of rules regarding dairy consumption. The most common types clarify the role of milk and other animal products in the diet.

The Core Differences: Lacto, Ovo, and Lacto-Ovo Vegetarians

To answer the question of whether vegetarians consume milk, it is crucial to understand the most popular dietary distinctions. The primary factor differentiating these groups is their stance on consuming eggs and dairy products.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarians: This is the most common form of vegetarianism in many Western countries. People who follow this diet exclude all meat, poultry, and fish, but they do consume milk, dairy products like cheese and yogurt, and eggs. The term 'lacto' refers to milk and 'ovo' to eggs.
Lacto-vegetarians: These vegetarians consume dairy products but abstain from eggs, meat, poultry, and fish. This diet is traditional in many parts of the world, including India, where dairy is a significant part of the vegetarian cuisine.
Ovo-vegetarians: An ovo-vegetarian diet excludes all meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products but includes eggs. This is a less common but still recognized form of vegetarianism.

The Role of Dairy in a Balanced Vegetarian Diet

For vegetarians who choose to include milk and dairy, these products can play an important role in nutrition. Dairy offers a rich source of calcium, protein, and vitamin B12, which can sometimes be difficult to obtain in a purely plant-based diet. However, careful planning is necessary, and not all dairy is considered vegetarian. For instance, some cheeses use animal-based rennet in their production, which is a key ingredient for many vegetarians to avoid. The inclusion of dairy also raises ethical considerations for some, even if no animal is directly killed.

The Rise of Plant-Based Milk Alternatives

With the growing awareness of environmental and ethical concerns surrounding animal agriculture, many vegetarians are choosing to limit or avoid dairy. This has led to a significant increase in the popularity and variety of plant-based milk alternatives. The market now offers options like almond, soy, oat, cashew, and coconut milk, each with a different nutritional profile, texture, and taste. Fortified versions of these milks can provide essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin B12, making them a viable alternative for those who don't consume dairy.

Comparison Table: Vegetarian Subcategories and Dairy Consumption


Dietary Type	Meat, Poultry, Fish	Dairy Products	Eggs	Milk
Lacto-ovo-vegetarian	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Lacto-vegetarian	No	Yes	No	Yes
Ovo-vegetarian	No	No	Yes	No
Vegan	No	No	No	No

Making an Informed Choice

Deciding whether to include milk in a vegetarian diet is a personal choice based on a combination of ethical beliefs, health considerations, and cultural traditions. For many, consuming milk is acceptable as it does not involve the killing of an animal. For others, the practices of the dairy industry, including the separation of calves from their mothers and the eventual slaughter of dairy cows, make dairy consumption unacceptable. This moral distinction is a key reason for the difference between vegetarian and vegan diets.

Ultimately, a person who identifies as vegetarian must define their own boundaries. Reading labels to check for animal-based rennet in cheese or gelatin in other products is a common practice. While traditional vegetarians have always included milk, the modern landscape of plant-based options provides more flexibility than ever. Many resources are available for those looking to transition to or maintain a more plant-focused lifestyle while ensuring proper nutrition is maintained, with or without dairy.

Conclusion

In summary, the question of whether vegetarians include milk has no single answer because of the varied definitions within vegetarianism itself. The most common form, lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, does include milk and dairy products. Conversely, a lacto-vegetarian consumes dairy but no eggs, and vegans exclude all animal products, including milk. The availability of nutritionally fortified plant-based milk alternatives means that vegetarians can easily choose a dairy-free path for ethical or health reasons, without compromising on taste or dietary needs. Ultimately, it is the individual's choice that determines the role of milk in their vegetarian diet.

Visit MedlinePlus for more detailed information on vegetarian diets and nutrient sources.

Frequently Asked Questions

A vegetarian is a person who does not eat meat, poultry, or fish. A vegan is more restrictive, avoiding all animal products and by-products, including milk, eggs, and honey.

Yes, lacto-vegetarians consume dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt, in addition to plant-based foods, but they do not eat eggs.

No, milk is not a meat product because it is not the flesh of an animal. For many vegetarians, the distinction lies in whether an animal was killed to obtain the food.

Some vegetarians avoid milk for ethical reasons related to the dairy industry, such as the treatment of dairy cows and the separation of mothers and their calves.

Yes, plant-based milks such as soy, almond, and oat are viable alternatives. Many are fortified with key nutrients like calcium and Vitamin B12 to mimic the nutritional profile of cow's milk.

Lacto-ovo vegetarianism is a diet that excludes meat, poultry, and fish but includes both dairy products and eggs.

Not necessarily, but if you do not consume dairy or fortified alternatives, it is important to ensure you get enough calcium and Vitamin B12 from other sources, possibly with the help of supplements.