. >> it would be a piece of steak, a hamburger, meatloaf, meat lasagne, sausage speak get tirks everythingeporter: for 44-year-old ray, a meal wasn't a meal unless it included a piece of meat. >> growing up in my family, we had meat and potatoes, meat and potatoes, that's just what he had. >> reporter: after his doctor diagnosed him with high cholesterol and prescribed a daily medication, he realized his diet was probably sabotaging his health, sew met with registered dietitian judy kaplan who encouraged him to cut out the meat. i think especially motivated after he had seen the doctor and really upset his cholesterol was elevated and did he not want to go on medicine. >> reporter: he tried something new, what kaplan called a flex diet, woe eat vegetarian on most days but could allow himself some meat occasionally. kaplan says more and more americans are adopting this flexitarian way of life. >> today, people are broadening their idea of what's healthy and what they can eat, so it is not just the old meat and potatoes. >> reporter: the evidence is all over the grocery store, take a look at