So, What do you call a vegetarian who eats cheese? A Guide to Lacto-Vegetarianism

November 9, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2024 survey, vegetarian diets have become increasingly popular globally, adopted for health, environmental, and ethical reasons. This has led to a variety of dietary patterns, but one common question is, What do you call a vegetarian who eats cheese? The answer is a lacto-vegetarian, a type of vegetarian who consumes dairy products but abstains from eating meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.

Quick Summary

A lacto-vegetarian is someone who follows a plant-based diet while including dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. This dietary pattern excludes meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. The diet is defined by its inclusion of dairy for protein and nutrients.

Key Points

Definition: A lacto-vegetarian is a person who eats a plant-based diet but includes dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese, while abstaining from meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.
Cheese Sourcing: Not all cheese is vegetarian; conscientious lacto-vegetarians must check labels for "microbial rennet" or "vegetarian rennet" to ensure no animal enzymes are used in production.
Rennet Awareness: Traditional cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gorgonzola often use animal rennet, while many soft cheeses like paneer and ricotta are naturally vegetarian.
Nutrient Balancing: While dairy provides key protein and calcium, lacto-vegetarians should still be mindful of potential deficiencies in vitamins B12 and iron, which can be addressed with fortified foods or supplements.
Environmental Footprint: Choosing dairy still contributes to animal agriculture's environmental impact, with hard cheeses generally having a higher carbon footprint than soft ones due to longer production and aging processes.
Ethical Consideration: For those concerned with animal welfare, the dairy industry's practices—including the separation of calves and eventual slaughter of dairy cows—present ethical complexities that distinguish the diet from veganism.

Understanding the Lacto-Vegetarian Diet

The term "lacto-vegetarian" derives from the Latin prefix lacto, meaning milk. This makes the definition straightforward: a diet comprising plant-based foods in addition to milk and milk products. This approach is distinct from other forms of vegetarianism, such as ovo-vegetarianism (which includes eggs but no dairy) or veganism (which excludes all animal products). Many people follow a lacto-vegetarian diet for health benefits, ethical reasons related to animal welfare, or religious and cultural beliefs.

Historically, lacto-vegetarianism has been prevalent in certain cultures and religions, such as some followers of Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, where it's rooted in the principle of ahimsa, or non-violence. In some traditions, milk is not considered a byproduct requiring the death of an animal, unlike eggs which are seen differently.

The All-Important Question: Is All Cheese Vegetarian?

For a lacto-vegetarian, this is a crucial consideration. The answer is no, not all cheese is vegetarian. The key lies in a component called rennet, a set of enzymes used to curdle milk during cheese production.

Animal rennet: Traditionally, rennet is sourced from the stomach lining of young calves. Cheeses made with this type of rennet are not suitable for vegetarians.
Microbial rennet: Modern cheesemaking often uses microbial or vegetarian rennet, which is produced from fermented fungi or other non-animal sources.
Other coagulants: Some soft cheeses, like paneer and ricotta, are made using an acidic coagulant, such as lemon juice or vinegar, and are therefore vegetarian.

This means that vigilant label-checking is essential. Cheeses with official vegetarian certifications or labels confirming the use of 'microbial enzymes' or 'vegetarian rennet' are safe, while traditional cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gorgonzola are often off-limits unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Nutritional Aspects of a Lacto-Vegetarian Diet

By including dairy, lacto-vegetarians gain access to key nutrients that can be harder to obtain on a vegan diet. However, careful planning is still important to ensure a balanced nutritional intake. Dairy products provide high-quality protein, calcium, and vitamin D, but potential deficiencies in vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids should be considered.

To address these concerns, lacto-vegetarians can incorporate a diverse range of plant-based foods alongside their dairy intake, such as legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fortified foods. Regular blood tests and, in some cases, supplements may also be necessary to monitor and maintain optimal nutrient levels.

Comparison of Vegetarian Diets

To better understand the place of a lacto-vegetarian diet, here's a comparison with other common forms of vegetarianism.


Dietary Type	Meat, Poultry, Fish	Eggs	Dairy	Common Reason(s)
Lacto-Vegetarian	No	No	Yes	Ethical, health, religious
Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian	No	Yes	Yes	Health, ethical
Ovo-Vegetarian	No	Yes	No	Health, ethical (avoid dairy)
Vegan	No	No	No	Ethical, environmental, health
Pescatarian	No	Optional	Optional	Health, stepping stone

Environmental and Ethical Dimensions

While avoiding meat, a lacto-vegetarian diet still involves animal agriculture, which has environmental implications. Dairy production contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and requires significant resources, such as land and water. Hard cheeses, for instance, have a higher carbon footprint than soft cheeses due to the larger milk quantity required and energy-intensive aging process.

For those with strict animal welfare concerns, the dairy industry presents ethical complexities. The separation of calves from their mothers and the eventual slaughter of dairy cows when their milk production declines are significant issues for many. This is often the motivation behind the decision to transition from a lacto-vegetarian diet to a vegan one.

Creating a Balanced Lacto-Vegetarian Meal Plan

A well-planned lacto-vegetarian diet can be delicious and nutritionally complete. The key is to incorporate a wide variety of whole foods. Here are some simple meal ideas:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with milk, nuts, and berries; Greek yogurt with fruit and granola; avocado toast with feta cheese.
Lunch: Lentil soup with whole-grain bread; burrito bowl with black beans, rice, cheese, and salsa; grilled cheese sandwich with a side salad.
Dinner: Mushroom and spinach lasagna; bell peppers stuffed with quinoa, beans, and cheese; vegetable curry with rice and a side of yogurt.
Snacks: Hummus with carrot sticks, cheese and crackers, mixed fruit with cottage cheese.

Conclusion

In summary, a person who follows a vegetarian diet that includes cheese is known as a lacto-vegetarian. This eating pattern is a popular choice for many, offering a balance of plant-based foods with the nutritional benefits of dairy products. For those considering this path, it is important to be aware of the different types of vegetarianism, the nuances of cheese manufacturing (specifically rennet), and how to ensure a balanced nutritional profile. By focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods and making informed choices, a lacto-vegetarian can enjoy a healthy and sustainable diet.

Reference to a guide on vegetarian rennet options: The Vegetarian Society UK

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary difference is that a lacto-vegetarian consumes dairy products like cheese, milk, and yogurt, while a vegan avoids all animal-derived products, including dairy.

No, a strict lacto-vegetarian does not eat eggs. A person who eats both eggs and dairy is called a lacto-ovo-vegetarian.

To ensure a cheese is vegetarian-friendly, you must check the ingredient label for "microbial rennet" or "vegetarian enzymes." If only "enzymes" are listed, it may contain animal rennet, so it's best to confirm with the manufacturer.

Lacto-vegetarians can get protein from dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as plant-based sources like legumes (beans, lentils), nuts, seeds, and tofu.

While dairy products contain some B12, the amounts can vary. To be safe, many lacto-vegetarians, like vegans, choose to consume fortified foods (cereals, nutritional yeast) or take a B12 supplement to ensure adequate intake.

Yes, dairy production contributes to environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions (especially methane from cows) and resource consumption, although the footprint is generally lower than a diet including meat.

Common lacto-vegetarian meals include yogurt parfaits for breakfast, vegetable curries with rice and dairy, bean burritos with cheese and sour cream, or mushroom and spinach lasagna.