Flexitarian Diet: Getting Started With A Meal Plan

The flexitarian diet is a mostly vegetarian diet that includes some animal proteins. It focuses on healthy plant proteins and other whole, minimally processed plant-based foods, but encourages eating meat and animal products in moderation. The flexibility of the diet means that you can structure it based on what works best for your lifestyle and routine. This makes it a more sensible and sustainable method of eating than diets that require strict dietary restrictions.

How to reduce meat intake

To reduce your meat intake, you can adopt a flexitarian lifestyle, which focuses on eating meat and animal products in moderation. This means prioritising plant-based foods for most of your nutrient intake, but still including some animal proteins.

The flexitarian diet is flexible and can be structured to fit your lifestyle and routine. You can start small by removing meat for two days a week and keeping portions to about 4 to 6 ounces for the rest of the week. Gradually reduce your meat intake by cutting out one serving a week.

You can make swaps of your favourite dishes, replacing meat with a plant-based protein and adding more vegetables. For example, you could start the day with a balanced breakfast of protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, and healthy fats, such as an omelette with eggs, cheese, and vegetables, or a sandwich on wholegrain bread with cottage cheese and vegetables.

Labelling days of the week, like Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday, can help you plan your meals quickly. It's important to plan your flexitarian food choices well to prevent nutritional deficiencies and get the most health benefits.

The benefits of a flexitarian diet

The flexitarian diet, or "flexible vegetarian" diet, is a mostly vegetarian diet that includes some animal proteins. It focuses on healthy plant proteins and other whole, minimally processed plant-based foods but encourages eating meat and animal products in moderation.

• It's flexible. You can structure it based on what works best for your lifestyle and routine. This makes it a more sensible and sustainable method of eating than diets that require strict dietary restriction.
• It's good for your health. Eating flexitarian may aid weight loss and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. It also recognises that nutrients found in animal-based products can help people meet their vitamin and mineral needs with less risk of deficiency than strict vegetarian diets.
• It's good for the planet.
• It's easy to follow. You can take your tried and true recipes and swap out the meat for a different plant-based protein and add more vegetables to the meal.

How to plan your meals

The flexitarian diet is a mostly vegetarian one, but it can include some animal proteins. It focuses on healthy plant proteins and other whole, minimally processed plant-based foods, but encourages eating meat and animal products in moderation.

To start a flexitarian diet, it is recommended that you start small and gradually reduce your meat intake. You could try removing meat for two days a week and keeping portions to about 4 to 6 ounces for the rest of the week. You could also cut out one serving of meat a week.

When planning your meals, it is important to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need. The flexitarian diet allows you to prioritise plant-based foods for most of your nutrient intake, but animal-based products can help you meet your vitamin and mineral needs with less risk of deficiency than with strict vegetarian diets.

To make the transition easier, you can take your favourite recipes and swap out the meat for a different plant-based protein, adding more vegetables to the meal. You can also label days of the week, like Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday, to help you plan your meals quickly.

Flexibility and tailoring to your lifestyle

The flexitarian diet is all about flexibility and tailoring to your lifestyle and routine. The diet is mostly vegetarian but allows for some animal proteins, so you can structure it based on what works best for you.

The diet allows you to prioritise plant-based foods for most of your nutrient intake, but recognises that nutrients found in animal-based products can help people meet their vitamin and mineral needs with less risk of deficiency than with strict vegetarian diets. This means you have more freedom with your weekly meal and social schedule.

You can start small and work in flexitarian eating tiers, removing meat for a couple of days a week and keeping portions to about 4-6 ounces for the rest of the week. You can also gradually reduce your meat intake by cutting out one serving a week.

You can make swaps of your favourite dishes, taking tried and true recipes and swapping out the meat for a different plant-based protein and adding more vegetables to the meal. Labelling days of the week, like Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday, can help you to plan your meals quickly.

Healthy plant-based proteins

A flexitarian diet is a mostly vegetarian diet that sometimes includes some animal proteins. It focuses on healthy plant proteins and other whole, minimally processed plant-based foods but encourages eating meat and animal products in moderation.

Soy products are among the richest sources of protein in a plant-based diet. Tofu and edamame beans are good examples of soy products that are high in protein. Pulses, nuts, and spirulina are also tasty, high-protein options.

Plant-based proteins are full of fibre and nutrients that may help prevent cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. They also help maintain a healthy weight.

When starting a flexitarian diet, it's important to plan your food choices well to prevent nutritional deficiencies and reap the most health benefits. You can start small by removing meat for two days of the week and keeping portions to about 4 to 6 ounces for the rest of the week. You can also try swapping out the meat in your favourite dishes for a plant-based protein and adding more vegetables.

Frequently asked questions