Is Zendaya vegetarian in real life? An inside look at her nutrition diet

October 6, 2025 •

2 min read

Since the age of 11, Zendaya has been a committed vegetarian, a dietary choice motivated by her deep affection for animals, not a love of vegetables. This revelation directly answers whether is Zendaya vegetarian in real life? while highlighting her practical and evolving approach to a plant-based lifestyle.

Quick Summary

Zendaya follows a vegetarian diet driven by animal welfare, not being a fan of vegetables. Her flexible approach balances nutritious dishes with comfort foods, contrasting with a stricter vegan diet.

Key Points

Vegetarian for Animals: Zendaya became a vegetarian at age 11 primarily due to her love for animals and discomfort with animal slaughter.
Not a Vegan: She is not vegan and consumes some dairy products, demonstrating a more flexible, lacto-ovo vegetarian approach.
Dislikes Some Vegetables: Despite being vegetarian, Zendaya has openly admitted that she doesn't love vegetables, making the diet a deliberate ethical choice rather than a taste preference.
Practical Meal Choices: Her diet includes a mix of healthy rice salads, upgraded instant ramen, and convenient takeout options like her In-N-Out grilled cheese.
Supported by Partner: Her fiancé, Tom Holland, often cooks vegetarian meals for her, relying on recipes from his brother.
Balanced Indulgences: Zendaya balances nutritious eating with comfort food cravings, like pancakes with Nutella, fitting them into her balanced lifestyle.

Zendaya's Path to Vegetarianism

Zendaya’s decision to become a vegetarian at a young age is rooted in a memorable experience. Seeing a slaughterhouse at age 11 solidified her choice to eliminate meat from her diet due to ethical concerns for animal welfare. She emphasizes this was an ethical decision, not because she loves vegetables.

The Vegetarian vs. Vegan Distinction

Zendaya is vegetarian, not vegan. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, while a vegetarian diet typically excludes meat, poultry, and fish. Zendaya consumes dairy, such as cheese and ice cream, demonstrating her flexible approach.

A Taste of Zendaya's Favorite Meals

Despite her busy schedule, Zendaya's diet blends healthy choices and comfort foods:

Summer Rice Salad: A nutrient-dense meal with brown rice, vegetables, lemon juice, and olive oil.
Ramen with a Twist: She enhances instant ramen with healthy additions like eggs or tofu.
In-N-Out Grilled Cheese: Her favorite comfort food from the chain, ordered with extra spread and grilled onions.
Pancakes with Nutella: A favorite breakfast indulgence.
Home-cooked meals by Tom Holland: Her fiancé cooks vegetarian dishes for her, like lentil chili.

Navigating a Plant-Based Diet on a Busy Schedule

Zendaya's choices show a vegetarian diet is manageable even with a demanding lifestyle. She balances takeout with nutritious options like her rice salad.

Practical Tips for Aspiring Vegetarians

Embrace Convenience: Find simple vegetarian options and enhance them with healthy additions.
Sneak in Veggies: Incorporate vegetables into sauces or other dishes if you're not a fan.
Prioritize Hydration: Stay hydrated, even if you dislike water, by infusing it with fruit.

The Health and Ethical Sides of Vegetarianism

Vegetarianism offers ethical and health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, and reduces the demand for industrial animal agriculture.

Vegetarian vs. Vegan Diet Comparison


Feature	Vegetarian Diet	Vegan Diet
Excludes	Meat, poultry, fish	All animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, honey, etc.)
Includes	Dairy, eggs (for lacto-ovo)	Plant-based foods only
Motivations	Ethical (animal welfare), health, religion	Ethical, environmental, health
Common Challenges	Ensuring balanced protein intake	Ensuring adequate Vitamin B12, Iron, Calcium, and Vitamin D intake
Example Meal	Egg omelet with vegetables and cheese	Tofu scramble with spinach and nutritional yeast

Conclusion: A Balanced Approach to Plant-Based Eating

Yes, Zendaya is vegetarian in real life. Her approach is a practical model of plant-based eating, emphasizing personal values, flexibility, and balancing nutritious meals with comfort foods and convenient options. Her example is insightful for anyone considering a plant-based diet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Zendaya is a vegetarian, not a vegan. She avoids meat, poultry, and fish but includes dairy products in her diet.

Zendaya's primary reason for becoming vegetarian is her deep love for animals. The decision was solidified after she drove past a slaughterhouse with her father when she was 11.

Zendaya has humorously confessed that she does not have a particular love for vegetables, which she admits can make her vegetarian diet challenging.

Her diet is varied, including things like pancakes with Nutella, rice salads for lunch, and sometimes instant ramen. She also enjoys comfort food like an In-N-Out grilled cheese.

Zendaya has admitted to not being an avid cook, and a past kitchen injury led her to say she'd never cook again. She often relies on takeout or has her fiancé, Tom Holland, cook for her.

Zendaya's favorite fast-food order from In-N-Out is a grilled cheese sandwich with extra spread and grilled onions, which is a vegetarian option.

She gets nutrients by incorporating them into her meals creatively, such as in rice salads or by adding them to soups. Her protein sources come from plant-based foods like lentils, beans, and tofu.