Flexitarianism

 

With meat prices apparently setting new highs on every trip to the grocery store, many people are looking for ways to eat less of it. Yet they are not excited about the idea of going without meat, or figuring out the complexities of a healthy vegetarian diet. But lower grocery bills are just one reason to consider making a switch. A 2019 report published in Lancet concluded that even a partial shift away from meat consumption toward plant-based foods could prevent over 11 million deaths annually worldwide.

If you are thinking about dipping your toe into the plant-based eating pool, then a flexitarian diet may be for you. In its simplest definition, the flexitarian diet is a combination of the words “flexible” and “vegetarian.” It’s a cross between vegetarian and continuing to enjoy animal products every so often. Different people will define flexitarian  in different ways, but most simply a flexitarian will choose a plant-based or vegetarian meal sometimes will also include sustainable, humanely-raised meat and fish at others. 

This can be as simple as having Meatless Mondays or as committed as restricting meat to a day or two each week. There really is no rule to break or wrong way to do it, other than eating less meat and more plant-based foods.

If you are worried about finding healthy, tasty, plant-based meals don't. Most meal planing apps will allow you to select flexitarian as an option and present you with many great alternatives to choose from. (I am partial to mealime.com, but there are many.) And preparing meatless meals is no more complicated or challenging than cooking with meat. Here are some beginner flexitarian meals to get you started.