Healthy, Easy, and Inexpensive Flexitarian Meals to Make This Week

Look no further if you're looking for some healthy and delicious meal options for this week. These options are flexitarian, meaning they are suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters. These meals are packed with vitamins and nutrients and easy to make for an easy grab-and-go option ahead of time. 

What is a Flexitarian Diet?

A flexitarian diet combines vegetarianism with flexibility. People who follow this diet will derive most nutrients from plant-based options and occasionally partake in animal-based products. Flexitarianism has become very popular in recent years because it is a simple and easy way of eating that is adaptable and does not require any restriction, cutting out of food groups, or calorie counting. 

Because flexitarian diets are so easy to follow, people can often stay on them for the long term, and many people will see several health benefits to this eating pattern, including:

• Decreased risk of heart disease, the number 1 killer of US adults
• Weight loss
• Reduced risk of type II diabetes

Eating fewer animal products is also beneficial for the environment since decreased meat consumption can lower your carbon footprint.

Switching to this type of diet may take some getting used to. According to Shena Jaramillo, a registered dietitian, people making the switch should take things slowly. "The primary goal of a flexitarian diet is to be more plant-forward, not completely get rid of meat in the diet. Try starting with a simple meatless Monday, and then working up to additional days per week where you may choose not to consume any animal products." 

Jaramillo suggests researching vegan or vegetarian recipes and adding animal-based products in small quantities or experimenting with meat substitutes such as beans, tofu, lentils, or mushrooms. Shena's final recommendation is to "get used to snacking on produce" by buying a veggie tray and challenging yourself to eat it over a few days.