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

I was vegetarian for 11 years-never once did I explain my diet to anyone. If they asked, I said, "Yes, I am vegetarian." and went back to my meal. Flexetarian isn't a thing. You eat food. If you consume meat, you aren't vegetarian. There is no label for it. That's like saying im flexetarian because 80% of my food is plant based. that's the dumbest thing I have ever heard.

I am not sure my diet is of concern to others, so I don't explain it to them.

Since you asked, I eat meat as often as I can. I love animals. They're delicious.

My husband could possibly be the most carnivorous human on the planet and even he occasionally orders the vegetarian options when we eat out, especially if there is a starter of cheese stuffed mushrooms! I don't think anyone has ever asked him if he's a vegetarian!

People just love to give advice, tell you where you're going wrong, how to improve etc. Even if they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about either in credentials or experience. Not just in diets and food choices but all aspects of life. Everyone always has an opinion!

So I usually go into detail about how I eat vegetarian most of the time, but eat meat sometimes, they usually have a lot of questions, and I end up getting annoyed, and then some people can get rude or are just dumbfounded. People seem to be comfortable with people fitting into the categories of vegetarians or meat-eaters, but have trouble with the ambiguity of someone who orders vegetarian meals but who is not technically a vegetarian. It's like they don't know what to do with me..

I don't identify as a flexitarian, myself, but I have had to explain myself on a couple of occasions.

It especially happened back in college, where I'd frequently grab a veggie-burger at the cafeteria despite regular burgers being available. For me, the solution was to say "I grabbed a vegetarian dish because it still tastes good". And that was the truth. Yes, as a replacement for a hamburger, it was a disappointment. It tasted nothing like a regular burger. But I liked it on its own merits. I never expected it to taste like a hamburger, but like a veggie burger, and I would use different toppings that went with its flavor profile..

And I think that's part of the challenge. Especially if something is labeled specifically or is highlighted as vegetarian, people tend to view it as something that exists just to be an alternative to meat. They don't realize that it can be a tasty dish on its own without having to always be defined within the vegetarian / non-vegetarian dichotomy. If you ordered a salad, something that is frequently vegetarian in nature but not usually labeled or highlighted as such, they probably wouldn't notice.

So perhaps you can try simply saying "No. I'm not vegetarian. I just try to keep the meat in my diet down and / or I like how this dish tastes."

Nope. No to this. You answer "No, I'm not a vegetarian" because you still eat meat. It doesn't matter how little meat you consume, you consume it. To call yourself a vegetarian would be an insult. You aren't a "flexitarian" either, you eat meat. You're a normal person that isn't that into meat. You don't call yourself anything.

This.

I don't even know why the term flexitarian exists to begin with. The term "pescetarian" I can understand slightly more since it does describe a person's dietary limitations. However, If you eat meat, whether it's seven days a week or only once in a while, you're not vegetarian. There isn't any dietary restriction. You're just a person who doesn't eat meat daily. If people ask if you're vegetarian, it's a simple no.

When I order something vegetarian or suggest a vegetarian restaurant, and am asked if I am vegetarian, I say "No, but I'm not an obligate carnivore either."

I'm not flexitarian either. I just eat food.

Clearly, the solution is that people should be able to eat whatever they want and not have to defend it, but that's not the reality. So my question for other flexitarians out there.. how do you identify yourself to others? How do you answer that question "are you a vegetarian?"

IMO, you defend it because (probably sub-conciously) you think you need to defend it. If you say you believe people should be able to eat whatever they want and not have to defend it, then don't. If you are asked, "Are you a vegetarian?" simply say... no.

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?

“I just don’t eat a lot of meat.”
That sums it up for me.

Are you a vegetarian?
No, I just don’t eat a lot of meat.

So you do eat meat?
Yes, but not a lot.

So why did you request a vegetarian meal?
Because I don’t eat a lot of meat.

But you’re not vegetarian?
No. I just don’t eat a lot of meat.

Haha very much ^this^

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?

Because if you really do have celiac disease, gluten will put you in the hospital and it's in EVERYTHING.

In the rare instances when people ask, I just say "no."

Me: <gets vegetarian option>
Friend: "Oh, are you a vegetarian?"
Me: "No, it just looked good."

I used to get the vegetarian option on planes (when they actually served meals) because it was generally tastier. I still do sometimes on International flights.

ETA: Sometimes people I've recently met will ask so they won't give me meat, other times I suspect it is idle curiosity. I've never had anyone badger me about it or ask for more of an explanation.

Flexitarian, "part time vegetarian", just as silly as "a little bit pregnant".

I eat meat, but not all the time. I don't eat all the time, either, when I think about it...

flexi-omnivorian?

I'm pescatarian (only fish) now, but I used to be flex.To keep it simple I pretty much just tell everyone that I don't eat meat. Once you get into the flex part it becomes a big to-do haha

Interesting responses so far. Thanks for your input all! Ultimately it's my choice how I label myself, but you can see from the varied responses why I want to be careful about how I answer this question.. I want to try to offend as few people as possible on all sides!

Actually, I don't see why you want to be careful. There's not that much variation. 90% of the answers are saying that you should just say "No, I ordered this because I wanted to."

It doesn't look like anybody's offended. Just annoyed at a new term that appears to be meaningless.