I had no idea the word “flexitarian” existed but it describes our family’s eating preferences fairly well. We have purposefully moved to incorporating more meatless days. I doubt I will ever be a vegetarian or vegan, but meatless days 3-5 times a week and meat only once on the days left is what we’ve been doing for a while.
We also try to limit beef, because of the high environmental cost. Which is easier because I don’t eat it. Any meal with beef needs an alternative for me.
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Same here, and mainly for that very same reason.
Oh, and also that it’s been so long since I’ve had it that I’ve lost my taste for it. I think very few people realize how much their food preferences are based in habitual dining practices, instead of what seems like some sort of natural or inherent preference.
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After 25~ years of not eating it I find even the smell distasteful and occasionally nauseating. I’ve heard many vegetarians and vegans say they experience something similar with all meat or animal products
A week ago I walked into the kitchen and asked my spouse what he was cooking. He said beef something or other. I exclaimed incredulously “what?! Why does it smell so good?!!” Complete with disgusted look. He burst out laughing before explaining that 10 minutes ago he’d been making a soy based sauce on the stovetop and I was smelling that. The beef has been cooking maybe 2 minutes. He was quite amused
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Plant-based eaters.
Everywhere.
Some of us hold the key to the climate future–the hothouse future–much of the planet will face. And yet, we may be on verge (again again again) of losing those keys, those priceless and time-tested coping tools:
And I feel compelled to add this one because of climate breakdown coming for us all:
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It bounces around our orbits here all the time. We have friends who are vegetarians at home but flexitarians while traveling because it is easier, kinder to their hosts, and in some cases no other food option is available. See also “pescetarian.”
I think my last bite of a four-legged critter was 1982.
I kinda don’t mind any more what people eat, and I have an unusually sensitive nose.
Thing is, I made a deal with myself. I need people around me, near me, who are happy friendly people. If meat-eating is what makes them happy, well… good for them. May they find their bliss. They are easier to live next to, deal with, etc. I am not saying all meat-eaters are happy. I am saying I hope their lives are somehow happier if that’s their happy place.
Of course, for the animal they are eating, in all likelihood, it is the animal’s unhappy place.
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I’ve never thought to wash avocados!
Apparently I should though. Eep!
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Update on some of the products I’ve been trying. The Purple Carrot meal kits are still great, we’ve been getting them almost every week. I especially like a lot of their sandwiches, the black bean burgers, the French patty melts, and the breakfast bean mash sandwiches are all good and really easy. Oh, and there’s a red burger with horseradish that is great. They use the Actual Veggies brand for burgers, also available at my local coop. I like them way better than any of the meat substitutes I’ve tried.
I also like the Treeline sour cream.
I don’t like Forager Project cashew milk yogurt as a yogurt, but it’s good as a sauce, as it’s used for a few of the PC recipes. Where you add in some garlic and oil and salt and pepper, for example, to use on lentils.
I’ve also been enjoying the Rebel Cheese a friend sent for my birthday. I already mentioned I didn’t care for the havarti dill, but the soft cheeses so far are really good. The Brie is quite good, and the Fromage coated with peppercorns is stellar.
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I have that rule for any produce that other people are going to touch. Avocados are among the top, as some people handle more than half of the bin to find the right level of ripeness. And I’m one of those people.
Ugh, that means I should be washing my hands mid-shop…
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I just washed one about an hour ago!
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I’m washing one right now!
Well I did 5 minutes ago. 
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Cross-posting from the food & drink thread:
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I’ve been watching this series free on Kanopy:
https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/the-everyday-gourmet-the-joy-of-mediterranean-cooking
Bill Briwa might be one of the best culinary educators I’ve seen, at least to my style. He goes throughout the Mediterranean cuisines and includes all kinds of interesting facts while whipping up delicious, mostly vegetarian foods.
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Lancaster has become the 12th university to pass a similar motion, joining institutions such as Cambridge, Newcastle and Warwick who have also committed to transitioning towards plant-based catering.
At other universities, including Bristol, East Anglia and Edinburgh, students fought back, voting against motions that banned meat and dairy at student union outlets.
Speaking in response to the new result, a spokeswoman for the group, Plant-Based Universities Lancaster, said it was “a massive step in the right direction”.
“We are really excited that the students’ union is endorsing a shift towards plant-based catering here at Lancaster,” she said.
The move has also been backed by professors at the university, with professor in Climate Governance Rebecca Willis saying: "Reducing consumption of meat and dairy products is a crucial step in meeting our climate and health targets.
“I’m really pleased that Lancaster’s students are asking our university to lead the way on this vital issue.”
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Ran across this article in Ars today. Not directly aimed at plant-based diets, but easily adapts to the topic:
My n=1 anecdata (I guess n=2, if you include my wife):
We tried to develop a healthier diet a few years ago using straight calorie counting, which worked for a bit then stalled out and we grew frustrated and gave up. Fast forward to November 2023, when I find her on the floor unable to catch her breath and having back and shoulder pain, low and behold turns out she has a 99% blockage of her LAD and is having a heart attack. Following this, we are instructed on a “low inflammation” diet, mostly vegan/Mediterranean type. Go back to a far more liberal form of calorie counting, but with a whole different suite of foods involved. My type 2 diabetes is gone, her lipids are normalized, we are both dropping weight (I won’t say effortlessly, but with minimal issues) To the point where I have had to ask at times, why is this so easy this time? This article may give some insight.
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Great to hear! But this confused me:
Following this, we are instructed on a “low inflammation” diet, mostly vegan/Mediterranean type. Go back to a far more liberal form of calorie counting, but with a whole different suite of foods involved.
Is that two stages for you, or one? If two, are you saying the mostly vegan/Mediterranean type didn’t work, so you dumped it for calorie counting?
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No, we were advised we needed to go on a low-inflammation diet, and the recommendation was that it be vegan or Mediterranean, as these tend to be low in inflammatory compounds and fairly easy to figure out. There are others, but there is a lot steeper learning curve on those. She did not really need to lose weight (one reason why it was so weird that it was her who had the MI.) I did, still need to lose a bit, but 50# down and about 35# still to go.
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