anna_shepulova - stock.adobe.com.
These four steps hit the key elements of a flexitarian diet.
Step 1. Start with plants. Vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, soy foods, and whole grains are your base.
Step 2. Add optional dairy. You can add one serving—1 cup of milk, 1 oz. of cheese, or 5 oz. of yogurt—per day.
Step 3. Add optional seafood, poultry, or eggs. You can add one small serving—3½ oz. raw (about 3 oz. cooked) or 1 egg—per day.
Step 4. Trade seafood, poultry, or eggs for red meat. You can swap a serving of seafood, poultry, or eggs for the same size serving of red meat, but only once a week.
What to eat? Here are some sample dishes. The Options suggest how to follow Step 2 (add optional dairy) and Step 3 (add optional seafood, poultry, or eggs).
Breakfast
Oatmeal with fruit & nuts
Option: Add dairy milk or yogurt.
Lunch
Lentil soup and salad with fruit & nuts
Dinner
Veggie bowl with chickpeas & avocado
Option: Add a small serving of fish or poultry.
Still hungry?
Fill up with fruits or veggies, nuts, or whole-grain crackers as snacks.
Photos: Vladislav Nosik/stock.adobe.com (breakfast), O.B./stock.adobe.com (soup), fahrwasser/stock.adobe.com (salad), anna_shepulova/stock.adobe.com (dinner).
