Looking to eat less meat but can't quite commit to vegetarianism? Look no further
What exactly is a flexitarian? It’s a vegetarian who occasionally incorporates meat into their diet. There are no hard and fast rules to the flexitarian diet; instead it allows you to get the health benefits associated with vegetarianism while giving some wiggle room to have the odd steak, making it an ideal entryway to a plant-based diet.
Dietician Dawn Jackson Blatner first introduced the concept in 2008 when she published The Flexitarian Diet, sparking interest in this new, more balanced way of living that allows you to enjoy the health benefits—and do your part to tackle climate change—while not feeling like you're "missing out".
Looking to eat less meat? Here are five steps to follow to help with the transition.
Educate Yourself
The first step is to get informed to ensure you make the transition in a healthy way. Technically, margherita pizzas, french fries and sodas are all vegetarian, but that doesn't mean they are giving you the macro and micro nutrients you need. Making the move to a primarily plant-based diet requires preparation to ensure you’re getting the nutrition you used to get from meat. Check out sources such as The Vegetarian Society to plan your meals properly.