Move over vegans, there’s a new flexitarian in town

Whole Foods Market’s global buyers and experts announced the trends to watch in 2017. Among them, a trend toward “flexitarians” who embrace individualized forms of healthy eating.  “In 2017, consumers will embrace a new, personalized version of healthy eating that’s less rigid than typical vegan, paleo, gluten-free and other special diets that have gone mainstream,” the Whole Foods team explained in a news release. For example, some flexitarians may be eating vegan before 6 p.m., or eating paleo five days a week, or gluten-free whenever possible.  Instead of a strict identity aligned with one diet, these shoppers embrace the “flexitarian” approach to making conscious choices about what, when and how much to eat.