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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Flexitarian...really?

254 replies

FrustratedTeddyLamp · 14/03/2022 18:48

Seen flexitarian a few times now and so off I went to Google which gave me this definition:

Flexitarianism or 'casual vegetarianism' is an increasingly popular, plant-based diet that claims to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your health with an eating regime that's mostly vegetarian yet still allows for the occasional meat dish

So a meat eater? An omnivore am I missing something? This seems stupid to me and just another unnecessary label

OP posts:
Summerfun54321 · 14/03/2022 21:16

A flexitarian is someone who self identifies as vegetarian and uses the pronoun “carrot”, but still eats meat.

autienotnaughty · 14/03/2022 21:17

We go vegan in week eat meat at weekend. We do this for environmental reasons. No need to have a stupid title though.

DespairingHomeowner · 14/03/2022 21:19

@kittensinthekitchen, @VoodooBadger: I’ve been a vegetarian for 35 years: NO FISH

What I’m saying is that as a vegetarian, if someone else tells me that they are a flexatarian then it signals to me ‘fine, I can cook what I normally would, ie vegetarian or vegan, & it will be fine’

Copin · 14/03/2022 21:21

We go vegan in week eat meat at weekend. We do this for environmental reasons. No need to have a stupid title though.
‘Flexitarian’ is less stupid than saying ‘we go vegan in week eat meat at weekend’.

TabithaTittlemouse · 14/03/2022 21:26

@Summerfun54321

A flexitarian is someone who self identifies as vegetarian and uses the pronoun “carrot”, but still eats meat.
Grin
Pedallleur · 14/03/2022 21:33

Obv a branding exercise that a celebrity will get involved in and talk about there flexitarian diet in Hello or Good Housekeeping.

ZoeQ90 · 14/03/2022 21:43

I consider myself flexitarian. Given a choice, I eat vegan. So at home, vegan. If I choose the restaurant, vegan. But, if I'm at someone else's house or someone else has chosen the restaurant and there's no veggie options, I'll eat anything really.
I don't want to be an inflexible, dogmatic vegan even though that's what i prefer to eat for many reasons.

Momicrone · 14/03/2022 21:59

What does it matter what others call themselves

brid90 · 14/03/2022 22:08

@willstarttomorrow I don’t think eating meat and fish can be cruelty free

seashellsunderthesand · 14/03/2022 22:14

For whose benefit are these labels though?In what situation would you feel the need to define your eating habits unless you had n allergy or by choice you didn't a kind of food. At a restaurant you would choose for yourself, at home you do as you please, and if eating at someone's house you could presumably use an actual sentence to explain your preferences rather than a one word label.

callingon · 14/03/2022 22:18

Flexitarian has been around for a few years and, certainly when I first started hearing it, was a slightly ironic term that I don’t think anyone was supposed to take seriously.

I will take flexitarian over the suddenly acceptable use of ‘veggies’ across the board instead of ‘vegetables’. I hate it so much.

Original poster
FrustratedTeddyLamp · 14/03/2022 22:19

I presume flexitarian isn't a well known term then if it's been around since the 70s and loads of people don't know about it? If so what use is it?

You go to a friends,a plane Ora restaurant and because you don't wanna explain you eat vegetarian but sometimes meat you say flexitarian, people don't know what it is so you have to explain anyway.

In such cases would it not just be easier to say vegetarian if at that time you don't want meat?

OP posts:
Stellaroses · 14/03/2022 22:23

It's just short for "I'm vegetarian but I'm flexible about it". Or "I prefer not to eat meat but I'm not going to kick up a fuss if you've cooked a meat dish already".

I'm not flexitarian but it seems useful term to me.

Just because it's a new word to you, doesn't make it wanky - it's just a description of how someone eats.

Somuddled · 14/03/2022 22:24

It just relates to a deliberate lean toward more vege less animal. So a style of omnivore. No need to get all worked up about it.

Original poster
FrustratedTeddyLamp · 14/03/2022 22:30

To be fair I never called it wanky just unnecessary ( although I think it is a bit)

Maybe I just don't talk about my diet in such detail

OP posts:
PierresPotato · 14/03/2022 22:32

So many people (that I know) are eating less meat. Only a small subset of those (and no one I know) are calling that being flexitarian.
(As some on here have described I would have assumed flexitarian was pretty much a vegetarian willing to be flexible over details in order to accommodate others. So even this term covers a fair spread as does omnivore..)
My mum's "traditional" diet has plenty of dishes with a sparing use of meat as well as fully vegetarian, I shall tell her her new label!

Ugzbugz · 14/03/2022 22:33

Its because everyone thing and everyone wants a label or to be on a 'journey'. I eat small amounts of meat but mainly veggie. I am not a vegetarian, pescatarian or flexitarian, I just eat what I want.

LemonViolet · 15/03/2022 08:08

In such cases would it not just be easier to say vegetarian if at that time you don't want meat?
“I’ll have the vegetarian option, please” yes that’s what I do. But I wouldn’t say “I am vegetarian”, because I’m not, and sometimes people quiz you about these things when you order vegetarian. Few people talk about their diet in such detail unless pressed to!

BiscuitLover3678 · 15/03/2022 08:10

I get it. You do have set rules that you can achieve so for example I know someone who would only eat vegetarian during the week but on weekends she could have meat. She was very consistent in order to make it work and make a difference to her carbon footprint. So if she was needing a friend for lunch in the week or food after work then they would need a veggie place. That’s different to being a general omnivore.

BiscuitLover3678 · 15/03/2022 08:12

But the point is you’re pretty strict about it so if you definitely need to always refuse meat in the week I guess you don’t want people thinking you’re just being annoying, so flexitarian covers it.

AllOfUsAreDead · 15/03/2022 08:12

@Ffsmakeitstop

You're not wrong. This shit is getting boring now. Together with all the other labelling nonsense. Just be and do what you want no need to give it a name.
It's for people who have no other meaning in their lives, and need something to talk about.
Looubylou · 15/03/2022 08:22

ThinWomansBrain
"Virtuous twatty omnivore I think." Couldn't have put it better myself. It's just eating. But then I don't feel the need to declare my vegetarianism either. I don't expect anyone to be interested unless feeding me.

withiceplease · 15/03/2022 08:32

Already been said but I agree it's a ridiculous need to label perfectly normal things.
However, I'm now thinking of using it to counter people who say 'you're not a vegetarian are you?' in restaurants when I order the veggie option. No I'm not - is the a rule that says I have to eat meat at every meal? 🙄

SilkenBunny · 15/03/2022 08:34

It's hilarious, what a load of pretentious shite. It's the way in which I eat - mainly vegetarian but the odd roast dinner or steak treat at the weekend. I would never dream of putting a label to it. I imagine my vegan dd would either laugh or be, quite rightly, angry at such an insincere and apologist label.

SilkenBunny · 15/03/2022 08:35

Some people just like to feel speshul, doncha know 😫