The flexitarian diet is exactly what it sounds like: flexible vegetarianism. You eat mostly plant-based foods while still including meat and fish occasionally. No strict rules, no forbidden foods, just a conscious shift toward more vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
The term was coined by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner in 2009, but the concept is as old as human eating patterns. Most traditional diets around the world - Mediterranean, Japanese, Indian - are naturally flexitarian, with meat as an accent rather than the centrepiece.
What Makes It Different
Unlike vegetarianism or veganism, flexitarianism doesn't require you to eliminate anything. The focus is on addition rather than restriction:
- Add more vegetables - Make them the star of most meals
- Add more legumes - Beans, lentils, chickpeas become protein staples
- Add more whole grains - Replace refined grains with whole versions
- Reduce meat frequency - Not eliminate, just reduce
- Choose quality when you do eat meat - Better meat, less often
This approach removes the guilt and all-or-nothing thinking that derails many dietary changes. Had chicken for dinner? You're still flexitarian. The goal is progress, not perfection.
Levels of Flexitarianism
Blatner's original framework suggests three levels, though you can find your own balance:
Beginner
Starting point. Two full days without meat, up to 700g meat on other days.
Advanced
More plant meals, meat on 3-4 days only, under 500g weekly total.
Expert
Primarily plant-based, meat only 2 days per week, under 250g total.
The Evidence Base
Flexitarian eating has solid research behind it, largely because it aligns with dietary patterns already proven beneficial:
Research-Backed Benefits
- Weight management - Plant-based eating is associated with lower BMI and reduced obesity risk
- Heart health - Lower saturated fat intake and higher fibre improves cardiovascular markers
- Diabetes risk - Higher fibre and lower red meat intake reduces type 2 diabetes risk
- Environmental impact - Significant reduction in carbon footprint compared to high-meat diets
- Gut health - More diverse plant foods support healthier gut microbiome
A 2017 systematic review found that flexible vegetarian diets were associated with better health outcomes than both strict vegetarianism and standard Western diets - possibly because the flexibility makes long-term adherence easier.
A Week of Flexitarian Eating
Here's what a typical flexitarian week might look like:
Example Week (Advanced Level)
Getting Enough Protein
The most common concern with reducing meat is protein. But getting adequate protein on a flexitarian diet is straightforward:
- Legumes - Lentils (18g per cup), chickpeas (15g), black beans (15g)
- Tofu and tempeh - 20g and 30g per cup respectively
- Eggs - 6g per egg, complete protein
- Greek yoghurt - 17g per cup
- Quinoa - 8g per cup, complete plant protein
- Nuts and seeds - 5-7g per handful
When you do eat meat, you're still getting high-quality protein. The flexitarian approach naturally varies your protein sources, which is nutritionally beneficial anyway.
Practical Tips for Going Flexitarian
- Start with Meatless Monday - One day a week is enough to begin
- Learn a few plant-based recipes - Curries, stir-fries, and pasta work well
- Make vegetables the main course - Meat becomes the side dish
- Batch cook legumes - Having cooked beans and lentils ready makes plant meals easier
- Don't overthink it - Some weeks will be more plant-based than others
- Focus on adding, not restricting - Think "more vegetables" not "less meat"
Who This Works For
Flexitarianism suits people who want the health benefits of plant-based eating without giving up meat entirely. It's particularly good for:
- Families where not everyone wants to go vegetarian
- People who've tried and failed at strict diets
- Those concerned about environmental impact but not ready to go fully plant-based
- Athletes worried about protein (meat on training days, plants on rest days)
- Anyone who finds "all or nothing" approaches unsustainable
The Bottom Line
The flexitarian diet is one of the most practical, sustainable approaches to healthier eating. By focusing on adding more plants rather than eliminating meat entirely, it sidesteps the psychological pitfalls of restrictive diets. The research supports its benefits for weight, heart health, and environmental impact. And its flexibility means you can adapt it to your life, preferences, and social situations. If you're looking for a sensible middle ground between a standard Western diet and full vegetarianism, this is it.
References
- Derbyshire, E.J. (2017). Flexitarian Diets and Health: A Review of the Evidence-Based Literature. Frontiers in Nutrition, 3, 55. doi:10.3389/fnut.2016.00055
- Satija, A., et al. (2017). Healthful and Unhealthful Plant-Based Diets and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in U.S. Adults. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 70(4), 411-422. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.05.047
- Willett, W., et al. (2019). Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet, 393(10170), 447-492. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4
- British Dietetic Association. (2023). Flexitarian diet. bda.uk.com
