Flexitarianism

Flexitarianism is a term used in the United States to describe the practice of eating mainly vegetarian food, but making occasional exceptions for social, pragmatic, cultural, or nutritional reasons. They may eat meat and/or other animal products sometimes. For example, a flexitarian might make only vegetarian dishes at home, but eat dishes including meat or fish at the home of family or friends. There is a wide range in the circumstances and outer boundaries of their dietary practices, which resist easy classification. The term semi-vegetarianism is sometimes also used to convey roughly the same meaning as flexitarianism.

In 2003, the American Dialect Society voted flexitarian as the year's most useful word and defined it as "a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat". Use of the word “flexitarian” has become wide spread, showing up in newspaper articles and “almost vegetarian” blogs.

It should be noted that while the term itself is useful, it encompasses a very broad range of possibilities. Therefore, there is a basis for caution in terms of what type of flexibility is expected of any individual who identifies with it.

Origin of term
The earliest known use of the term "flexitarian" occurred in the October 17, 1992, issue of the Austin American-Statesman. In this issue, reporter Linda Anthony wrote an article titled, "Acorn serves up 'flexitarian fare'". The article discussed the recent opening of the new Acorn Café and stated that owner Helga Morath calls her fare "flexitarian".