They say you are what you eat, which might be why a lot of people treat food like a religion.

We all have that one friend who gave up everything except leaves and now evangelises about it at every opportunity.

So I’m sure you’ll be happy to learn that there’s a new fad which will be ruining your lunch in the near future. Move aside vegans, paleos and fruitarians, the new contender for the worst guest at a dinner party is…

The flexitarian. Here’s the Telegraph:

Flexitarianism [is] the means du jour with a now cult-like following, which sees worshippers spend a few days every now and again (i.e. when they remember/it suits them to do so) as a vegan.

Instagrammers like Fat Gay Vegan (a Hackney-based, plant-espousing foodie) and Deliciously Ella have made veganism cool, steering it away from images of eccentric academics with shoes made from lentils.

As tribes go, flexitarians surely have the best of both worlds – they are able to speak about environmental issues with a certain degree of smugness, but with the added benefit of being allowed to sink a bacon sarnie or wedge of brie whenever they please.

Because there’s nothing like a smug salad with a side of hypocrisy. At least vegans commit.

For those of you rolling your eyes at yet another irritating food trend, there may be hope.

According to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, plant-based diets are merely a passing fad. Despite the militant presence of vegans and other people who hate food on social media, veganism remains a minority interest:

“By claiming their credentials as a vegan, young people believe this shows they are ethical, healthy and environmentally aware… the growth of veganism has partially been fuelled by the growth in Instagram,” their report reads.

Only one in 10 vegans have followed the diet for more than a decade, they add, while British meat consumption has risen from 62kg per person per year to 73kg since the mid-80s.

The Vegan Society, unsurprisingly, have lambasted the “obvious bias” in the report, and continue to advocate the pulling power of plants.

Want to up the ranks in the vegan or flexitarian militia? Here’s how you can join:

First, do your research. Work out which crowd suits you best – assess what they wear, what their children are called, what their kitchens look like, what sort of “merch” they’re selling (the plant-based gang are very big on yoga pants and tote bags, while the hardcore foodies are obsessed with niche shades of Le Creuset and vintage enamelware), start following a few key figures on social media, and before long you will be a fully paid up member of your culinary clan.

Look, you can do what you want with your dinner, just don’t tell me about it.

[source:telegraph]