"Flexitarian" is so 2003

by Sarah J. Gim, Posted Apr 29th 2006 @ 5:59PM

It was a term that was coined several years ago, but I haven't heard it being used recently. "Flexitarian" refers to a person who wants to eat vegetarian, but will occasionally eat meat. In 2003, the term was voted most useful by the American Dialect Society.

A flexitarian is a person who eats about an 80% vegetarian diet, but for whatever reason, whether health or taste or other reason, will "allow" meat. However, most flexitarians are less motivated by animal rights or other socio-econo-political reasons, and moreso by the health aspect.

With the heightened interest in veganism and vegetarianism, I found an article about flexitarianism to be sort of funny. People in the article refer to themselves as "bad vegetarians," so they have become "flexitarians." It's great to see a trend in people's diets changing to more plant-based, but I didn't know that it had to be validated with it's own special term.

Eat as you see fit. Vegan. Vegetarian. Sometimes vegan. Vegetarian when it's possible. Carnivore. You don't have to have a name for it.

Filed Under: Vegetarian, Vegan, Ingredients
Tags: diet, dieting, diets, flexitarian, flexitarianism, vegan, veganism, vegetables, vegetarian, vegetarianism

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Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)

4-29-2006 @8:03PM Misty said... Like it or not, labels are a major part of our society. Serving their purpose of allowing us to quickly answer questions in a social setting verses rambeling on. Speaking of which....

I guess you could say me and my husband are "flexitarins". The article was kinda silly, but there was a good point made... what's wrong with getting a little protien in your diet from good sources such as free range chickens and grass fed cows? Besides, how could a true foodie ever go strictly vegitarian?

All in all, I kinda like the term. But then again, I'm kinda dorky.
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4-30-2006 @7:20AM posullivan said... Thanks , I have an official name now,
"a Flexitarian". I have been one for 45 years. And so was my mother who lived to be a healthy 95. And you are correct when you added that I have no ax to grind with the meat eaters. It just something that tastes good to me. I bet there are a few of you who don't like the taste of broccoli rabe either. It's all in the taste and the texture.
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4-30-2006 @2:19PM Aeolus said... "what's wrong with getting a little protien in your diet from good sources such as free range chickens and grass fed cows? Besides, how could a true foodie ever go strictly vegitarian?"
Indeed, why not get some protein by eating a free-range human being now and then? Cannibals seem to enjoy the taste of human flesh, and how could a true foodie say there's anything wrong with that? Oh, right: ethics. Darn.
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5-02-2006 @9:35PM Maureen said... I think the name for this diet is "omnivore". (Of course, this label only refers to the majority of people in the world, rather than those at its centre).
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