Enter the Flexitarian

Another diet trend is upon us; enter the "Flexitarian" who has adopted a diet that is arguably more healthy over the long term when compared to the last Atkins diet trend.  So what is a Flexitarian and how does that compare to different stripes of vegetarians?  Here are some definitions for you and your students.

Flexitarian - A flexitarian is a "part-time" or "semi-vegetarian" with a greater dependence on eating vegetables while occasionally eating meat. About 30-40% of the population describes themselves as interested in reducing their dependence on meat. With flexitarianism, there is no strict definition about how much meat should be eaten, just less -- it's flexible!

Vegetarian - A vegetarian is someone who does not eat animal meat. For most vegetarians, this includes eliminating fowl, fish, and red meats. For other vegetarians, they may eat fish, but not fowl or meat. Vegetarians usually eat dairy foods, eggs, or honey, as long as the animal is not killed in the process of producing the food. Strict vegetarians comprise about 6% of the population.

Vegan - A vegan is a vegetarian that does not eat any animal product including dairy, eggs, honey, or any foods derived from animals.

There are many reasons that people, like myself, are becomingg flexitarians or vegetarians including some of the following:

Health reasons - Reduced heart disease and weight control are two prominent health benefits of a vegetarian diet. A more plant-based diet has less saturated fat than meat-based diets. Generally, plant-based diets are naturally lower in calories and can create a greater sense of fullness based on more fiber and volume.

Ecological efficiency - Greater amounts of resource go into making meat compared to plant foods. About 70% of the domestic grain crop goes to feeding livestock. Per calorie, meat takes approximately ten times the amount of land and water resource than grain and plants used directly for food.

Religious traditions - Different religious traditions prescribe food choices based on a variety of reasons - some on safety concerns, others as a sense of asceticism and discipline.

Reduced carbon footprint - Some choose less meat based on the notion that livestock feeding operations are associated with increased methane emissions, a powerful greenhouse gas.

Animal-friendly - Others choose a vegetarian regimen to avoid the inhumane treatment of animals.

There are no doubt other reasons people choose various forms of vegetarianism and there will be other forms of vegetarians to emerge.  The question for today is whether or not we are preparing students to anticipate and capitalize on trends regardless of what they are in the future.  I know we teach vegetable cookery but do we teach trend management?  I seriously doubt it and wonder why such is not the case.  I know it is a question I will ask of myself and my faculty so that we truly prepare students to meet the trends that will emerge over the course of their career(s).