How about trying the latest diet craze. The flexitarian diet. Apparently we are becoming a nation of flexitarians without even realising it. It’s quite simply having a few meat free days in the week, and having meat as a treat at the weekends.

According to new research about a third of evening meals contain no meat at all. On average we eat meat 5.4 times per week, which means that almost half of us are ditching meat at least twice a week in favour of a vegetarian option. It seems easier than being completely vegetarian which accounts for just 4.6% of the population.

The way we eat meat has changed. It’s no longer about cutting calories, but opting for a healthier lifestyle instead. Supermarkets are now joining in with encouraging  healthier vegetarian options too. Shops are also selling lean and bean mince, containing 40% haricot beans to encourage people to cut down on their meat intake. Also sausages are being marketed with more vegetable content.

So there we have the flexitarian diet. A term used for those who eat less meat than the average person. Last year a survey found that 40% of people agreed with the statement “I eat less meat than I used to”.  In a survey of 18-24 year olds they agreed with the statement “By 2025 my diet will be mostly vegetarian”.

This news comes after high consumption of red meat has been linked to bowel cancer.

The NHS Choices website is advising people to swap sausages in their breakfast for extra mushrooms and tomatoes or swap to a veggie sausage or veggie burger when you can. They advise to eat no more than 70 grams of red meat per day.

There are many veggie options available, try checking them out.