Her date called things off after learning she was vegetarian — his reason involving their hypothetical children left her spiraling
Dating apps have made it easier than ever to find people with similar interests. But they also have a way of revealing dealbreakers you never saw coming. A Reddit user who goes by u/rustywindpipe shared one such experience on r/mildlyinfuriating on Monday, July 20, 2026, after matching with someone who seemed almost too compatible. The duo worked in the same field, quickly hit it off, and even began planning their first date. Yet a casual mention of the woman's vegetarian lifestyle brought the promising conversation to an abrupt halt, leaving her stunned by the explanation that followed.
After the two settled on a day for their first date, she casually mentioned she was a vegetarian while discussing where to eat, making it clear she had no issue dating someone who ate meat. The conversation seemed normal until her match suddenly backed out. His explanation wasn't about incompatible diets or restaurant choices. Instead, he admitted he didn't want his future children to be "grown from a vegetarian mom." The comment caught the woman completely off guard. They hadn't even met in person yet, but he was already deciding they weren't compatible based on hypothetical children they might never have together.
The 23-year-old later explained that she became a vegetarian because she loves animals. She added that she has inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Even so, she was committed to finding a balance rather than sidelining her values. What made the interaction disappointing was that her match never paused to ask why she had chosen that lifestyle or whether there were personal reasons behind it. Instead, he jumped straight to conclusions about what kind of a mom she would become. Another red flag was that he ghosted her soon after she mentioned the fact, replying only after she double-texted.
According to a study published in PsychOpen, dietary choices can shape romantic first impressions more than many people realize. Researchers asked 404 heterosexual meat-eaters to evaluate dating profiles, some of which mentioned that the person was vegetarian for ethical, health, or environmental reasons. Across the board, accounts identifying as vegetarian were rated less favorably than identical profiles that made no mention of diet. The researchers concluded that people often view the lifestyle as more than just a food preference, treating it as a reflection of a person's broader values.
The viewers were equally appalled. u/Vodka-Knot said, "Never explain or rationalize your personal life choices for the benefit of someone else." u/procrastolotl commented, "'From a vegetarian mom' is an insanely weird way of phrasing things." u/Evenkaleidoscope44 also wrote, "He went from getting something to eat to her being a mom and raising his children, slow down."
For more such stories, follow u/rustywindpipe on Reddit.