I tend to look straight at them and ask them why my food choices make them feel so guilty. The general reply is that they are not to which I say then why do you feel the need to attack my choices when I am not making any comments on your food choices? They tend to shut up and go away.

I've learned a lot of patience since becoming vegan. My friends and family made their comments and jokes. Some were arrogant, some were mild, and some were downright inappropriate. Mostly I laughed it off and showed them that they couldn't get to me and they stopped pretty quickly. There were times I literally said "is that supposed to bother me? You're wasting your time." Or I'd make a joke back at their expense. Like sure, make those bacon jokes....while you still can.
What I loathe is when someone finds out you don't eat meat and suddenly they become an expert on nutrition. Cue the eyeroll. People like that need to be reminded that no one dies from not eating meat but look how many die from heart disease.

Ignoring the absurdity of the premise that animals have a purpose...frankly, what you put in your body is no one else’s business. Plant based diet isn’t a religion and you’re not evangelizing; you’re not forcing anyone to conform to your ideology, why should anyone care what restrictions you impose on your eating habits?

The same people are probably still living by the rules of some fairytale book that promises immortality.

It boils down to this: Your life, your body, your rules. End of discussion.

I know all about that, my favorite thing to say is how they obviously have no heart. People will eat what they want to eat without thinking. I never tell others what they need to do with their diet, just don't criticize my ethics.
When they say "go eat your grass" that translation means: I wish that I was like you in the way that you eat. I wish that I had that type of discipline.
I found that out because they don't so they criticize instead. I found out that others actually admire our diet.

Live by example. I don't preach because it doesn't work. If I cook and share my food it goes a long way to teach them about living a plant based lifestyle.

Welcome Alexa. You're new to me if the 'welcome' phrasing doesn't make other sense.

I guess my wife and I have been lucky. There has been enough vegetarians in our group that while almost never a majority, at least there's always been enough to implicitly take our side even if they weren't in the room. It so far has been the meat eaters having to be a little defensive whenever it rarely came up.
I hope that becomes a trend -- that our society moves towards meat eating being a rare exception rather than the rule.

Anyway. Good to see you.

Once I identify who they are, I avoid them and work at not being around them.

Hello Alexa, I've not faced this type of bigotry myself and am sorry you have. I've come to realize that many people only know one way of eating, past on to them from their parents and family for generations. Some people simply don't like change and won't try anything new. I recently began my vegetarian journey due to health issues but also because of my research into how animals are treated in the food chain. The best I can tell you is that sometimes it's not possible to reach everyone who is rude like you describe. I have shared my good lab results with my friends and family about how my health is changing for the better. I am now off my high blood pressure meds and have now lost 20 lbs since January from changing my diet. Sometimes just being positive about your own journey is better than trying to argue with people who are rude about your lifestyle choices. Pass them by and keep on your path.