Inaugurated in October 2020, National Pescatarian Month is an officially designated, annual event that is held in conjunction with National Seafood Month, which also occurs in October. The National Fisheries Institute (NFI) sponsors National Pescatarian Month as a way to 1) raise awareness about the benefits of a pescatarian diet, 2) spread some fun tips on how to adopt a pescatarian lifestyle (for a few days, weeks, months, or even longer), and 3) highlight all of the amazing ways seafood can be an integral part of any diet or way of life.
Now, you may be wondering just what a pescatarian even is. Well, pescatarians – who make up roughly 5% of the U.S. population – follow a diet of seafood plus veggies, fruit, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds and, for some, dairy and/or eggs. Put another way, it’s the vegetarian diet plus seafood.
Experts say “going pescatarian” can augment your intake of vital nutrients (such as omega-3 fatty acids) and lead to numerous health benefits, including improved brain and heart health, protection against diabetes, decreased inflammation, and more. All of these benefits are among the many reasons this diet deserves to be celebrated for an entire month!
Throughout this first-ever National Pescatarian Month, the NFI will be posting pescatarian-related content on its Dish on Fish blog, as well as on our Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages. From posts with fun facts and useful advice to pescatarian-friendly dishes to illuminating graphics, there will be boatloads of information you won’t want to miss.
We also have formed partnerships with other seafood industry groups, registered dieticians, lifestyle bloggers, and the noted seafood expert Chef Barton Seaver, in order to further spread the word about the advantages of the pescatarian diet.
And to really make a big splash with the kickoff of this celebration, we are releasing our first-ever e-cookbook, which features a variety of seafood recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and more. So come one, come all and celebrate the first-ever National Pescatarian Month with us!
Ready to Dive In?
During National Pescatarian Month, we invite anyone and everyone to get involved! Whether you have been practicing pescatarianism for the past decade or are just learning about the diet today, there’s something for everyone when it comes to celebrating this holiday. Here are a few ways you can get started:
- Go Pescatarian
Not to overstate the obvious, but National Pescatarian Month was created to help people take the leap into a pescatarian diet. You can try the pescatarian lifestyle simply by enjoying a meal consisting of seafood plus veggies (and/or grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc.) at least two or three times a week. Try it for a week or two – or maybe even the whole month.
- Become a “Pesca-vangelist”
Already living that good pescatarian life? Why not use October as an opportunity to share that joy with the world? Invite your friends to enjoy a seafood meal with you at home or at your favorite seafood eatery. You never know who might be on the fence about giving it a try and needs only a bit of knowledge and support (and maybe a little nudge) to get started.
- Start with a Plan
As a rule, any attempted lifestyle changes are more successful when you start with a plan. In this case, make it a meal plan. Use resources (like Dish on Fish or any of the other sites we link to) that will show you how to easily include more seafood as the protein of choice in your diet. What’s really cool is that there is so much variety in seafood, you can change up your menu all the time and still stay on the righteous path to pescatarianism.
Maybe you love shrimp but haven’t tried salmon very often. Start with what you like and then try shifting to new seafood types, perhaps using some of your favorite cooking styles with these new flavors. Keep adding seafood to your meal plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner until you find a balance that suits you.
Ready to take the plunge and “Go Pescatarian”? Check out our newly released e-cookbook for some recipe inspiration.
As you progress along your pescatarian journey, you can stay up to date on all things related to National Pescatarian Month by using our hashtag “#gopescatarian” and following Dish on Fish’s social media channels!
Show your support on Facebook by swapping out your Profile Photo with our downloadable graphic in honor of the October celebration.
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