American diets are in flux and if you’re throwing a dinner party, it can often be confusing trying to decide what to serve and to who. Being a vegetarian isn’t nearly as unusual as it once was: according to a study from Vegetarian Times, 3.2 percent of Americans are vegetarian, 0.5 percent is vegan, and 10 percent say they follow a largely vegetarian-inclined diet. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Where did those vegetables come from? Are they organic? Were they fair traded? Did the farm employ migrant workers? Did their transport create a large carbon footprint? Were they processed in an environmentally friendly way? Now people have such a long list of concerns and dietary restrictions that feeding more than 8 people can seem like hosting a United Nations picnic. Here’s a partial list of what you may confront at your next holiday dinner. Good luck!
- Vegetarian: This term describes someone who does not consume poultry, meat, seafood or fish.
- Semi-Vegetarian: A person who consumes dairy products, poultry (including eggs) and fish, but does not eat any other animal flesh or products.
- Ovo-Vegetarian: A person who consumes eggs but no other animal products or flesh.
- Lacto-Vegetarian: Someone who consumes milk but no other animal products or flesh.
- Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarian: Someone who eats eggs and milk, but does not consume any other animal products.
- Octo-Vegetarian: Someone who consumes octopods but not other animal products or flesh.
- Frio-Vegetarian: Those who eat only frozen vegetables and fruit.
- Vegan: Those who do not consume any animal flesh, products or by-products.
- Penta-vegans: Vegans who also do not consume yeast or honey, and often opt not to wear clothing and accessories made from animals (get rid of the leather Chesterfield sofa).
- Orga-Vegans: A person who consumes organ meats, but no other animal flesh or animal products. Often nocturnal.
- Faux-Vegans: Those who profess to be vegans but can’t resist bacon or barbequed ribs.
- Locavore: Those who only eat foods grown in or sourced from their immediate locale.
- LocoVore: Crazy people who will try to eat anything (fried ants, habaneros, Italian loafers, 8-day old meatloaf, monkey stew, Korean burritos, movie theater hot dogs, etc.)
- Cafetarians: Someone who eats only in cafeterias or restaurants that serve on trays.
- Texaterians: A person who consumes only foods commonly found in Texas.
- Omnivore: Eats everything from plants to animals to mollusks.
- Carnivore: Eats only meat, preferrably things with two eyes and 4 legs, plus heavily battered & fried poultry and fish.
- Koshervore: Eats only Kosher meats, no pork, no bottom feeders, no shellfish, no cloven hooves.
- Ortho-Koshervore: Eats only Kosher foods prepared in Kosher kitchens.