Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It Works7-Day Meal PlanBenefitsConsiderations and RestrictionsComparing It to Other Diets
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
7-Day Meal Plan
Benefits
Considerations and Restrictions
Comparing It to Other Diets
Aflexitarianis a person who follows a semi-vegetarian diet. Flexitarians make a conscious effort to eat less meat. There are no hard-set rules about specific ways to be a flexitarian. For example, flexitarians might eat meat six days a week and have a “meatless Monday,” while heavy meat restrictors might have meat just once a week. As its name implies, flexitarianism is flexible.
Read on to learn how a flexitarian diet works, the benefits of a meat and vegetable diet that’s plant-based, meal prep ideas that include lots ofhigh-protein foodsfor meatless vegetarian days, and more.
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How a Flexitarian Diet Works
A flexitarian diet is flexible. There aren’t any hard-and-fast rules about how much meat flexitarians can or cannot eat in a typical week. Unlike strict diets with rigid guidelines, such as a ketogenic eating plan (keto diet),dairy-freediet,gluten-freediet, orvegandiet, a flexitarian diet doesn’t forbid any animal-derived foods ormacronutrients.
You can eat eggs, dairy, chicken, or anything else you like to eat on a flexitarian diet as long as reducing meat intake to some degree is part of your weekly meal plan.
About half of all flexitarians eat meat four or more days per week, according to a 2021 study.Among self-described flexitarians, there are three levels of meat restriction, with a different percentage of flexitarians in each category:
Light meat restrictors might eat meat daily except for certain days, such as a meatless Monday. In contrast, flexitarians who are heavy meat restrictors tend to eat like vegetarians most of the time and might only have meat once or twice weekly.
Avoiding Protein and Amino Acid DeficienciesProtein and amino acid deficiencies are possible among flexitarians who eat very little meat, especially in older adults.Using aprotein powdernutrition supplement with essential amino acids on vegetarian days is an easy and practical way for flexitarians to offset deficiency risks.
Avoiding Protein and Amino Acid Deficiencies
Protein and amino acid deficiencies are possible among flexitarians who eat very little meat, especially in older adults.Using aprotein powdernutrition supplement with essential amino acids on vegetarian days is an easy and practical way for flexitarians to offset deficiency risks.
What to Eat
Because a flexitarian diet plan is so flexible, you don’t have to follow a one-size-fits-all seven-day meal plan. You canpersonalize your plateto avoid nutrition gaps and make individualized choices about how many days you want to eat meat.
What Is Considered Meat?Meat is any form of animal tissue consumed as food.On meat-eating days, a flexitarian could eatpoultry(chicken, turkey, duck),red meat(beef, pork, lamb), orseafood(fish or shellfish). “Pescatarian” is the term for a person who eats seafood but doesn’t eat other forms of animal flesh.
What Is Considered Meat?
Meat is any form of animal tissue consumed as food.On meat-eating days, a flexitarian could eatpoultry(chicken, turkey, duck),red meat(beef, pork, lamb), orseafood(fish or shellfish). “Pescatarian” is the term for a person who eats seafood but doesn’t eat other forms of animal flesh.
On meatless vegetarian days, it’s important to eat plant-based foods high in protein and other vital nutrients found in meat to avoid micronutrient deficiencies such asiron deficiency anemia.
Whenever you’re eating like a vegan or vegetarian, make sure your personalized meal plans include plant-based foods high incalcium,iron,omega-3 fatty acids,vitamin B12,vitamin D, andzinc.
Below are someiron-rich foodsthat are high in protein and other key nutrients that can be used as building blocks for your personalized plates on vegetarian days:
Plant-Based and Mock Meat Products: How Healthy Are They?
A 7-Day Meal Plan
The following is a sample seven-day meal plan for someone considering the flexitarian diet. This will not apply to everyone, and individual needs may require different diets. This was designed with protein in mind, so even on meatless days you can get enough protein to feel full.
Meatless Monday (vegetarian day)
Meat-eating day Tuesday (seafood)
Meatless Wednesday (vegan day)
Meat-eating day Thursday (poultry)
Meatless Friday (vegetarian day)
Meat-eating day Saturday (red meat)
Meatless Sunday (vegetarian day)
Duration
Modifications
Among flexitarians and semi-vegetarians, people can modify how much meat they eat from week to week. Those who only reduce meat intake once or twice a week are considered light flexitarians.
Benefits of Flexitarian Eating
Flexitarian eating often includes lots ofhealthy, plant-based foodsand fewer processed meats than the average omnivore diet. Being a flexitarian aligns with theprinciples of healthy eating. Flexitarianism puts the focus on eating more vegetables and fruits while reducing meat intake. Eating less meat, which is oftenhigh in saturated fat, has numerous health benefits.
For example, a 2015 study found that eating a semi-vegetarian diet was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of dying fromcardiovascular disease(a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels) when compared to those who didn’t adopt pro-vegetarian dietary habits that involved eating fewer animal-derived foods.
Beyond the individual health benefits of flexitarian eating, cutting back on meat consumption is good for the planet and benefits our collective global community. Flexitarians and other “meat reducers” who cut back on weekly meat consumption help to slow environmental degradation.
Considerations and Dietary Restrictions
Flexitarianism is rooted in dietary flexibility. Aside from making an effort to lower meat consumption at least once a week, flexitarian eating involves very little dogma or inflexible dietary restrictions.The only real consideration when deciding to eat like a flexitarian is whether you want to be a light, moderate, or heavy meat restrictor.
Flexitarian vs. Vegetarian vs. Vegan Diets
While vegetarians never eat meat and vegans never eat any foods derived from animal sources, flexitarians can choose to eat like a vegetarian or vegan some days of the week but not others.
Summary
Flexitarians are flexible vegetarians. Unlike strict vegetarians, flexitarians eat meat sometimes. There aren’t any rigid guidelines about how often a flexitarian can eat meat. Some light flexitarians may eat meat every day of the week except one, while heavy flexitarians might have red meat, poultry, or seafood just once or twice a week.
A middle-of-the-road flexitarian might follow a seven-day meal plan that includes chicken, beef, or fish three days a week and go meatless four days a week. Eating protein-rich plant-based foods and using a protein powder supplement on meatless days offsets the risk of experiencing deficiencies when eating less meat.
12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gillies NA, Worthington A, Li L, et al.Adherence and eating experiences differ between participants following a flexitarian diet including red meat or a vegetarian diet including plant-based meat alternatives: Findings from a 10-week randomised dietary intervention trial.Front Nutr. 2023;10:1174726 doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1174726Malek L, Umberger WJ.How flexible are flexitarians? Examining diversity in dietary patterns, motivations and future intentions.Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. 2021;3:100038. doi:10.1016/j.clrc.2021.100038Mariotti, Gardner.Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets—a review.Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661. doi:10.3390/nu11112661de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Boler DD, Woerner DR.What is meat? A perspective from the american meat science association.Animal Frontiers. 2017;7(4):8-11. doi:10.2527/af.2017.0436Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I.Iron status of vegetarian adults: A review of literature.American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2018;12(6):486-498. doi:10.1177/1559827616682933Hoffman SR, Stallings SF, Bessinger RC, Brooks GT.Differences between health and ethical vegetarians. Strength of conviction, nutrition knowledge, dietary restriction, and duration of adherence.Appetite. 2013;65:139-144. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.009De Backer CJS, Hudders L.From meatless mondays to meatless sundays: motivations for meat reduction among vegetarians and semi-vegetarians who mildly or significantly reduce their meat intake.Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2014;53(6):639-657. doi:10.1080/03670244.2014.896797de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Lassale C, Beulens J, Van der Schouw Y, et al.Abstract 16: a pro-vegetarian food pattern and cardiovascular mortality in the epic study.Circulation. 2015;131(suppl_1). doi:10.1161/circ.131.suppl_1.16Green A, Blattmann C, Chen C, MathysA. The role of alternative proteins and future foods in sustainable and contextually-adapted flexitarian diets.Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2022;124:250-258. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.026Rosenfeld DL, Rothgerber H, Tomiyama AJ.Mostly vegetarian, but flexible about it: investigating how meat-reducers express social identity around their diets.Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2020;11(3):406-415. doi:10.1177/1948550619869619Additional ReadingDakin BC, Ching AE, Teperman E, Klebl C, Moshel M, Bastian B.Prescribing vegetarian or flexitarian diets leads to sustained reduction in meat intake.Appetite. 2021;164:105285. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105285
12 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Gillies NA, Worthington A, Li L, et al.Adherence and eating experiences differ between participants following a flexitarian diet including red meat or a vegetarian diet including plant-based meat alternatives: Findings from a 10-week randomised dietary intervention trial.Front Nutr. 2023;10:1174726 doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1174726Malek L, Umberger WJ.How flexible are flexitarians? Examining diversity in dietary patterns, motivations and future intentions.Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. 2021;3:100038. doi:10.1016/j.clrc.2021.100038Mariotti, Gardner.Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets—a review.Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661. doi:10.3390/nu11112661de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Boler DD, Woerner DR.What is meat? A perspective from the american meat science association.Animal Frontiers. 2017;7(4):8-11. doi:10.2527/af.2017.0436Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I.Iron status of vegetarian adults: A review of literature.American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2018;12(6):486-498. doi:10.1177/1559827616682933Hoffman SR, Stallings SF, Bessinger RC, Brooks GT.Differences between health and ethical vegetarians. Strength of conviction, nutrition knowledge, dietary restriction, and duration of adherence.Appetite. 2013;65:139-144. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.009De Backer CJS, Hudders L.From meatless mondays to meatless sundays: motivations for meat reduction among vegetarians and semi-vegetarians who mildly or significantly reduce their meat intake.Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2014;53(6):639-657. doi:10.1080/03670244.2014.896797de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Lassale C, Beulens J, Van der Schouw Y, et al.Abstract 16: a pro-vegetarian food pattern and cardiovascular mortality in the epic study.Circulation. 2015;131(suppl_1). doi:10.1161/circ.131.suppl_1.16Green A, Blattmann C, Chen C, MathysA. The role of alternative proteins and future foods in sustainable and contextually-adapted flexitarian diets.Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2022;124:250-258. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.026Rosenfeld DL, Rothgerber H, Tomiyama AJ.Mostly vegetarian, but flexible about it: investigating how meat-reducers express social identity around their diets.Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2020;11(3):406-415. doi:10.1177/1948550619869619Additional ReadingDakin BC, Ching AE, Teperman E, Klebl C, Moshel M, Bastian B.Prescribing vegetarian or flexitarian diets leads to sustained reduction in meat intake.Appetite. 2021;164:105285. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105285
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Gillies NA, Worthington A, Li L, et al.Adherence and eating experiences differ between participants following a flexitarian diet including red meat or a vegetarian diet including plant-based meat alternatives: Findings from a 10-week randomised dietary intervention trial.Front Nutr. 2023;10:1174726 doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1174726Malek L, Umberger WJ.How flexible are flexitarians? Examining diversity in dietary patterns, motivations and future intentions.Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. 2021;3:100038. doi:10.1016/j.clrc.2021.100038Mariotti, Gardner.Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets—a review.Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661. doi:10.3390/nu11112661de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Boler DD, Woerner DR.What is meat? A perspective from the american meat science association.Animal Frontiers. 2017;7(4):8-11. doi:10.2527/af.2017.0436Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I.Iron status of vegetarian adults: A review of literature.American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2018;12(6):486-498. doi:10.1177/1559827616682933Hoffman SR, Stallings SF, Bessinger RC, Brooks GT.Differences between health and ethical vegetarians. Strength of conviction, nutrition knowledge, dietary restriction, and duration of adherence.Appetite. 2013;65:139-144. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.009De Backer CJS, Hudders L.From meatless mondays to meatless sundays: motivations for meat reduction among vegetarians and semi-vegetarians who mildly or significantly reduce their meat intake.Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2014;53(6):639-657. doi:10.1080/03670244.2014.896797de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007Lassale C, Beulens J, Van der Schouw Y, et al.Abstract 16: a pro-vegetarian food pattern and cardiovascular mortality in the epic study.Circulation. 2015;131(suppl_1). doi:10.1161/circ.131.suppl_1.16Green A, Blattmann C, Chen C, MathysA. The role of alternative proteins and future foods in sustainable and contextually-adapted flexitarian diets.Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2022;124:250-258. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.026Rosenfeld DL, Rothgerber H, Tomiyama AJ.Mostly vegetarian, but flexible about it: investigating how meat-reducers express social identity around their diets.Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2020;11(3):406-415. doi:10.1177/1948550619869619
Gillies NA, Worthington A, Li L, et al.Adherence and eating experiences differ between participants following a flexitarian diet including red meat or a vegetarian diet including plant-based meat alternatives: Findings from a 10-week randomised dietary intervention trial.Front Nutr. 2023;10:1174726 doi:10.3389/fnut.2023.1174726
Malek L, Umberger WJ.How flexible are flexitarians? Examining diversity in dietary patterns, motivations and future intentions.Cleaner and Responsible Consumption. 2021;3:100038. doi:10.1016/j.clrc.2021.100038
Mariotti, Gardner.Dietary protein and amino acids in vegetarian diets—a review.Nutrients. 2019;11(11):2661. doi:10.3390/nu11112661
de Boer J, Schösler H, Aiking H.Towards a reduced meat diet: Mindset and motivation of young vegetarians, low, medium and high meat-eaters.Appetite. 2017;113:387-397. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.03.007
Boler DD, Woerner DR.What is meat? A perspective from the american meat science association.Animal Frontiers. 2017;7(4):8-11. doi:10.2527/af.2017.0436
Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I.Iron status of vegetarian adults: A review of literature.American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2018;12(6):486-498. doi:10.1177/1559827616682933
Hoffman SR, Stallings SF, Bessinger RC, Brooks GT.Differences between health and ethical vegetarians. Strength of conviction, nutrition knowledge, dietary restriction, and duration of adherence.Appetite. 2013;65:139-144. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2013.02.009
De Backer CJS, Hudders L.From meatless mondays to meatless sundays: motivations for meat reduction among vegetarians and semi-vegetarians who mildly or significantly reduce their meat intake.Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2014;53(6):639-657. doi:10.1080/03670244.2014.896797
Lassale C, Beulens J, Van der Schouw Y, et al.Abstract 16: a pro-vegetarian food pattern and cardiovascular mortality in the epic study.Circulation. 2015;131(suppl_1). doi:10.1161/circ.131.suppl_1.16
Green A, Blattmann C, Chen C, MathysA. The role of alternative proteins and future foods in sustainable and contextually-adapted flexitarian diets.Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2022;124:250-258. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.026
Rosenfeld DL, Rothgerber H, Tomiyama AJ.Mostly vegetarian, but flexible about it: investigating how meat-reducers express social identity around their diets.Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2020;11(3):406-415. doi:10.1177/1948550619869619
Dakin BC, Ching AE, Teperman E, Klebl C, Moshel M, Bastian B.Prescribing vegetarian or flexitarian diets leads to sustained reduction in meat intake.Appetite. 2021;164:105285. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2021.105285
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