I've been doing some reading in nursing texts and came across the term semi-vegetarian. When I looked it up, flexitarian was also mentioned. Never heard of either of them. "Flexitarian/Semi-vegetarian" Definition: You don’t have to be vegetarian to love vegetarian food! “Flexitarian” is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but occasionally eat meat. Many people have given up red meat for health reasons while others, for environmental reasons, only eat free-range or organic animals and animal products. Beware, however, that many full-time vegetarians resent the use of this term as such headlines as “Meat-eating vegetarian” confuse and dilute the definition of a “true” vegetarian diet. However, as PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich says, “If people influenced by health consequently cut back on fish and meat consumption that helps animals. If two people cut their meat in half it helps as much as one person going completely vegetarian.” Remember, whatever your choice, you’re taking a huge positive step forward for your health, the environment and the animals.
But they are still an omnivore. Why confuse the matter? Do people just like to feel special with fancy titles? It is great if people cut back on meat, most people eat way too much anyway. But what is the point?
when these terms started poppping up, my omni mom called and asked about them. Her comment after the definition was: "oh, you mean a balanced diet, not meat every meal?" (she knows my veg diet is mostly balanced- and where it isn't is all my call.) I thought about it and said, yes, but more than that. It would be like when I first went veg and Grandma HAD to take me for fish (former fave ) and I didn't have the heart to explain, so I had some? That'd be a flex diet as well." A co -worker is veg in most meals, 98 percent I'd say, but since his is all about cholesterol and he prefers organic ag products, the occasional fish doesn't bother him. I am bothered by these in a sense, that it increases the number of restaurants that don't check every ingredient because the last identified veg knowingly had chicken stock. Or fish sauce. But it does show a cachet to vegetarianism, and veg cuisine. This is potentially good. I'm well aware that soy ice cream's larget single market is Orthodox Jews, not granola heads. We had tofutti out our ears on Shauvot, a dairy holiday, but some parents had lunch with meat and six hours hadn't passed (estimeted time by rabinical standards for the digestion of meat as in out of stomach). So rather than sweat the labels too much in public (here is another matter), I focus on the fact that it shows a desire to be veg, for whatever reason. I say we help them transition as far as they can.
I used to be really anti-it, for the reasons already stated. Now though I'm pretty open minded about it. Seven people passing on meat for a day has the same impact as someone being vegetarian for a week; but in the former case that's seven people demanding veg food, which suggests vegetarian is becoming more 'accepted and 'mainstream' resulting in more supply/demand of veg food. So in a way they're doing us a favour. Still don't quite understand the compulsion to label it though.
flexitarian, pescitarian, whatever. you either eat meat or you don't. that's pretty simple. I mean if someone wants to eat less meat I'm totally cool with that, but don't pass yourself off as someone who doesn't so other people will "respect" you more. which to me, seems to be the goal if this whole bullshit labeling system. The minute someone walks up to me and says, "oh, I'm a flexitarian, I only eat meat some of the time," I'm going to look at them funny right before I punch them in the face for buying into something so pointless. ^ that was a joke by the way. But seriously, where do these people get off. I don't care if you're vegitarian, I don't care if you're vegan, I don't care if you eat meat at every meal. all that shit is personal. do you.
My sister in law is a flexitarian. When we were living in the same house as her she would eat all the vegitarian food and then eat the meat stuff. This really pissed me off seeing that three of us living with her at the time were vegitarians and would have to go out to do groceries all the time.
i dunno i feel like this..i know some people whove ive concidered and who concidered themselves mostly vegatarian.. as in might have 1 fish or something every few months..like very rare..and the term mostly vegatarian just seemed to fit right for em but flexatarian just seems too vague and seems like peta is just using it to help promote cutting meat out of 1 or 2 meals a week and then ya get a nice lil label to slap on yourself so u can feel all proud i guess i have mixed feelings on it
i'm with those that consider Flexitarian a completely pointless label. it has zero to do with the vegetarian issue, really; the type of food not eaten on a regular basis could be anything. example: many people don't eat legumes on a regular basis (or fruit for that matter), but there's no special name for that... because it's just a personal preference in a standard omnivorous diet. personally, for about 20 years i rarely ate cheese as i could only stand it in the form of mozzarella on pizza. no label needed, i just wasn't big on eating cheese; it was still a part of my diet.
When I was younger I worked at a food establishment called Neato Burrito. (very good food if you ever come to central pa, I love the vegetarian chili) All of the food preperation was very strict because some of the customers were vegetarian or vegan. They had buffalo meat and chicken but it was all prepped seperatly to occomodate every customer. Either way, when I worked there I was not a vegetarian, but this girl said that she was. We had to prepare all the food daily which included slicing the buffalo meat. BLEH! (it was gross then, I can't imagine doing it now) The only time I had to do this was on a day where I came to work after my first trip. So to begin with no one wants to be looking at meat after a night of that anyway. The "vegetarian" says to me "Can you slice the buffalo? I am a vegetarian and don't want to do it" ... I said if she could not do it because of her beliefs or whatever that I would do it, but if she could do it I'd prefer not to and I explained what I had done the night before. (yeah shouldn't have been at work after that night, oh well) She said she couldn't stand the thought of touching meat, so I did it, with the aid of a chain link glove, I sliced the buffalo meat, it was gross, but I got through it. Later that day... maybe 3 hours after the "vegetarian" said she "couldn't touch the meat" I see her eating a burrito.... with CHICKEN in it! I was soooo pissed off. I didn't say anything to her, I just looked at her, she saw me see her eating the chicken burrito and said stutteringly "Ssssometimes I eat chicken". That still pisses me off! How can you not even stand touching meat and then eat meat in the same day!?!?! Point is, I was never big on meat, I would often go a long time without eating it, but I never called myself a vegetarian untill I actually STOPPED EATING MEAT!
mlo, that's exactly why I dislike the flex label. and whiny bitches, but that's another topic. I don't like tomatoes, but I'd slice them (by the freaking crate every morning for a sandwich shop) getting a rash to my armpit. I think she was looking to get out of using the slicer.
I think she was trying to get out of it too! I get a rash when I cut tomatoes too! That's weird you said that.
To me, this is stupid. So you're an omnivore who likes some vegetarian/vegan food? An omnivore DOES typically eat some, or lots of vegetarian food, regardless of what else they eat, because omnivore means you eat both plants and meat. It doesn't make any sense to me. In reality, an omnivore is SUPPOSED to eat a diet consisting MAINLY of plants, with small amounts of meat/protein. The problem is, in the US especially, most people who aren't veggie, eat much more meat than anything else. Which is why I think, it tends to be so minority these days to come across someone who does only eat a little fish or chicken...hence why people think "Oh they must be vegetarian" Big difference though. I wish I could explain how I feel better, and I can't. The words aren't coming out how I want them to. All in all, just because society has become stupid about not eating right, doesn't mean that eating healthier deserves it's own term...
"healthy eating" whole food diet" "low fat" Although I point out that it is not deprevation, a veg diet does mean you forsake flesh. Black and white here: you either eat meat or you do not, and using a term incorrectly, especially at a restaurant, makes it harder for veggies and vegans who do truly adhere to a fleshless diet. Flextarian reeks of marketing/PR. It sounds like a "ohhh sweetie, you can't hack giving up your dead animals on a plate but you want people to think youare a caring being concerned with health and other creatures, so use THIS word and you'll feel better." If you up your veggie percentage of your diet, this is a good thing all around. But it does NOT make one vegetarian. Labels belong on wine bottles. --Christo
I don't get it myself! Maybe that's just because I'm starting to learn more about veg. and I'm starting to cut meat out of my diet! I'm seriously a noob at this but, in the same place, I guess if I had to I would call myself a "flex", at least until I was completely able to cut out all meat! Maybe that means I'm down grading myself, but it definitely does not mean (in my opinion) that I'm trying to jump on the band wagon! I personally am just not all vegetarian yet and I don't want to label myself as such!
