Any flexitarians? How do you explain your diet to others?

Sharon_C

You eat meat more than I do. I've never heard the term flexitarian before. To me it was just how I preferred to eat.

If you're out and someone asks if you're vegan because you ordered a vegan meal just say, "No. The meal just sounded good."

sheepotato

I agree with ontheground. I am Gluten free and get really tired of people asking if I do it as a "fad". It really is no ones business why or how you choose your foods.

I have to wonder how people know you are gluten free unless you bring it up?

If you are really tired of people asking you if you do it as a fad why tell them you are gluten free in the first place?

For those of us who are allergic or those with celiac disease there are serious consequences to consuming gluten, it's nearly impossible to go out to a restaurant without researching it's allergen menu beforehand and still needing to make a special request when ordering like 'no seasoning' or no bun or whatnot. Any properly trained waiter will ask you if you have 'an allergy or preference' so they can tell the kitchen staff if they need to take precautions not to cross-contaminate or not. It gets brought up anytime you are eating in a new environment or if you choose not to eat at an event or party to er on the side of caution. There is little way for it to not get mentioned unless you want to risk your health, or you are very sure you can safely consume a dish because you've been to the restaurant and ordered it before without a reaction. (Even then you have to count on having the same kitchen staff and not getting a cross-contamination.)

The 'trend' is a double edged sword, on one hand it's nice to have so many more options due to the increase in awareness. The downside is the baffling question 'is this a preference?' I can't imagine anyone preferring to eat like this, it's such a hassle but the alternative is pretty grim.



As far as which addendum of vegan to say you are when you still consume meat when you prefer to or when it's convenient? No you are not a vegetarian, you just prefer vegetarian food. I eat 98% vegan food because I can't consume dairy and rarely eat meat. Since I do have the occasional serving of meat, maybe one or two servings a month. I don't claim to be a vegan or vegetarian, and when asked I casually say no. I just order the vegan option or the vegetarian option without the dairy eat my meal and live my life. There are better topics of conversation than my food choices.

mygnsac

If someone orders a steak for dinner I don't go and ask them why they ordered that, and I would expect the same courtesy on the flip side of the coin. It just seems kind of passive agressive to ask someone to explain their food choices. Kind of like saying wow, you are weird because you didn't order a meat dish.

I'm definitely a meat eater, but I always felt so bad for a lady in my office who is vegan and is forever feeling like she is obligated to explain her food choices to others. I don't understand that obligation, but I could just be getting cantankerous in my old age. :grumble:

Lesa_Sass

Seriously? Instead of explaining your diet, demand they explain theirs.

I typically find that people do not give a rats behind what other people eat, unless they make a huge deal of it.

tehmurphygrace

I agree with ontheground. I am Gluten free and get really tired of people asking if I do it as a "fad". It really is no ones business why or how you choose your foods.

Word.

dbmata

Oh I thought this was a yogasex thing.

I tend to eat vegetables from time to time, it gives me good perspective. I need to understand the food that my food eats. If someone saw me eating a salad, and asked me if I was a vegetarian... I'd say yes. At that exact moment in time I am.

PRMinx

Oh I thought this was a yogasex thing.

I tend to eat vegetables from time to time, it gives me good perspective. I need to understand the food that my food eats. If someone saw me eating a salad, and asked me if I was a vegetarian... I'd say yes. At that exact moment in time I am.

This, right here, is why we are friends. :flowerforyou: :drinker:

Can we stop beating this horse and start a yogasex thread? That's way more interesting.

tehmurphygrace

I don't eat mammals. Is there a name for that?

Ovo-vegetarian is the technical term. It refers to a diet of anything that produces eggs or eggs themselves.

jamielynnmobile

Wow, the timing of this post--I just had this very problem at lunch with coworkers. I am NOT a vegetarian, but the only meat I eat is fish & some seafood (very occasionally). I do not consider myself a vegetarian because I feel like vegetarians would not consider me a vegetarian.

HOWEVER, my coworkers are very fond of doing lunches together and often one person makes a large amount of food and everyone gets invited down to eat together, and meat is always the focus or main ingredient of the meal. I bring my own lunches every day and I hate essentially being "put on the spot" by everyone asking why I don't want to come down to eat or remarking in some OTT way "Oh I forgot, you are a strict vegetarian!" I have NEVER defined myself as a vegetarian, and I get tired of talking about my diet. I don't judge them for eating meat. I always keep my answers to their queries short, simple, and nonjudgmental in the hopes that they just let it lie and quit giving me the 3rd degree about why I prefer to eat Kale & Black Bean soup from home instead of meatballs. But the questioning, comments, and (it feels like) judgement continues...

ToughHippieChick

I usually say I’m a flexitarian. If someone asks additional details about it, I’m happy to have the conversation, but most people don’t seem to care. I never feel defensive though when other human beings casually ask me about myself or my habits. That’s what humans do. They talk to each other about things. :flowerforyou:

On a side note, I am surprised by how many people online are offended by the word flexitarian or have never heard it or want to deny it exists. It’s a term that’s been around since the early 1990’s Green movement and now resides in most current dictionaries. I first heard it over 15 years ago in academic writing. Yet….. everyone online seems to know what “twerking” is….. :huh:

tabicatinthehat

I usually say I’m a flexitarian. If someone asks additional details about it, I’m happy to have the conversation, but most people don’t seem to care. I never feel defensive though when other human beings casually ask me about myself or my habits. That’s what humans do. They talk to each other about things. :flowerforyou:

On a side note, I am surprised by how many people online are offended by the word flexitarian or have never heard it or want to deny it exists. It’s a term that’s been around since the early 1990’s Green movement and now resides in most current dictionaries. I first heard it over 15 years ago in academic writing. Yet….. everyone online seems to know what “twerking” is….. :huh:

Twerking is FAR more entertaining than flexitarianism.

JoRocka

I want to try to offend as few people as possible on all sides!

Not for nothing- but that's a REALLY crappy way to go through life- and you'll always be offending somebody in your efforts to offend nobody.

Be true to yourself- and what you believe. Don't worry about offending people- you're the one who has to wake up and see your face in the morning. Offending no one usually means compromising who you are as a person- and I chose ME- over the "someone's" any day.

susanyounkin

I say I am flexitarian. I am a pretty specific flexitarian because I only eat meat that either I produce myself or that I know was raised humanely with grass and sunshine etc. I am very open about my diet and don't get annoyed when people ask me about it.

dbmata

I say I am flexitarian. I am a pretty specific flexitarian because I only eat meat that either I produce myself or that I know was raised humanely with grass and sunshine etc. I am very open about my diet and don't get annoyed when people ask me about it.

So you're an omnivore.

susanyounkin

I say I am flexitarian. I am a pretty specific flexitarian because I only eat meat that either I produce myself or that I know was raised humanely with grass and sunshine etc. I am very open about my diet and don't get annoyed when people ask me about it.

So you're an omnivore.

Everyone is an omnivore. Vegetarians still eat fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, grains. Some even eat dairy and eggs.

PRMinx

ythannah

Wow, the timing of this post--I just had this very problem at lunch with coworkers. I am NOT a vegetarian, but the only meat I eat is fish & some seafood (very occasionally). I do not consider myself a vegetarian because I feel like vegetarians would not consider me a vegetarian.

HOWEVER, my coworkers are very fond of doing lunches together and often one person makes a large amount of food and everyone gets invited down to eat together, and meat is always the focus or main ingredient of the meal. I bring my own lunches every day and I hate essentially being "put on the spot" by everyone asking why I don't want to come down to eat or remarking in some OTT way "Oh I forgot, you are a strict vegetarian!" I have NEVER defined myself as a vegetarian, and I get tired of talking about my diet. I don't judge them for eating meat. I always keep my answers to their queries short, simple, and nonjudgmental in the hopes that they just let it lie and quit giving me the 3rd degree about why I prefer to eat Kale & Black Bean soup from home instead of meatballs. But the questioning, comments, and (it feels like) judgement continues...

People without dietary restrictions, voluntary or otherwise, really have no idea how much comment is provoked by not eating meat in a group setting.

I am mainly pescetarian, although I cook almost entirely vegetarian for myself at home. But I'm not so meat-avoidant that I'll pick miniscule pieces of ham out of pea soup or tiny bits of chicken out of chicken fried rice. Somehow I always end up being labelled as "vegetarian", which seems to be the conceptual catch-all for anyone who doesn't eat everything. This mainly arises prior to planned gatherings where someone will be sure to say "Oh, I've never cooked for a vegetarian before" or something along those lines -- even though I always insist that the usual meal should be served and I will be perfectly happy just eating the side dishes (normally plentiful and varied at a large meal).

I feel your pain. I try to fly under the radar as much as possible but people do like to question and draw attention to anything out of the norm.

tycho_mx

my wife is a "sustainable food" eater and as a result mostly vegetarian. She does consume seafood (as long as it's responsibly sourced), and will in turn avoid environmentally-sensitive plants and so. She has influenced me so now I try to only get meat that's reasonably sustainably sourced, and fortunately I live in a region with reasonable bison, duck,fish, cow, pig and other farms with sustainable practices. Yes, the meat is more expensive, but I simply don't eat as much..

She mentioned that the easiest way to explain was using Michael Pollan's philosophy on food: "eat food, mostly plants, not too much". His arguments are a bit in favour of human health, but mostly on environmental well being.

I will eat a steak. I will eat tofu. I will eat grasshoppers. I basically will eat anything that tastes good to me with the unfortunate exception of dairy due to intolerance. My vegan friends ask me where to go for a nice meal - I just like good food irrespective of labels . Tempeh can taste very good. So can sweetbreads and ox tail.

icrushit

I go through phases where I eat more or less meat, and when not eating meat so much, I just tell anyone who asks that I'm simply taking a break from meat at the moment. Works for me (ie no protracted discussion), and the person that asks doesn't feel I am judging them personally (which I am not).

Add713

Vegetarian, Vegan who cares. Don't tell me about the evils of eating meat and I wont give u my opinion about ur choices. By the way.......If God didn't want us eating animals?? why did he make them out of meat?