Thoughts on fake meat products?
 

I am a lacto-ovo veggie. I love tofu and seitan, and I do have a weakness for Morningstar Breakfast Sausage...However, I worry that eating something that processed isn't the best option, so I did some internet searching and found a recipe to make/freeze some myself using oats, bulgur, etc...What do you guys think of fake meat products? I mean, the idea of fake bacon kind of grosses me out, but......yeah. Opinions?

hey :) im veggie, i don't really like tofu the texture freaks me out and reminds me of jelly! But i eat Quorn, i don't think you can get that in America but it tastes like meat and is made from mushrooms or something weird, it tastes horrible on its own but if you add some flavuor is tastes sort like real meat! I only have the fake chicken though....fake bacon sounds horrible though!

I don't like the taste of meat, so I would never even think about buying fake meat.
My hostfamily used to put fake chicken in some of their recipes. I always ate it, but I didn't like the taste.

I think the whole fake meat thing is kinda dumb, fake bacon if it tastes and looks like the real thing then, save some money and eat the real thing (I'm assuming the fake stuff costs more) what's next fake bbq ribs?

Using a meat substitute as a replacement for meat's fine, a recipe calls for meat so you add something of a similar texture that will take on the flavourings of whatever your cooking, I don't see a problem there, vegi sausages and burgers are fine by me too can't just fill your bun with salad can you

but as a meat eater, I can't understand why anyone that's decided they don't like eating meat would choose to eat something that pretends to be the meat they've stopped eating.

Perhaps they like the taste and texture but dislike the fact that animals have to die to satisfy their taste buds thus choose to eat the alternative products instead.

Quorn is passable; it doesn't taste quite right, but it's good enough. I recently started eating meat again though. I'd forgotten how good it tastes.

Just eat the real stuff, You can't replace animal protein, which your body needs, with anything else except animal protein. Whey protein helps but it isn't processed the same way in your body as animal protein. Sorry what your conscience says, your body NEEDS fruits, veggies, and animal protein to function at 100% of its capacity.

If people hate the thought of animals dying so people can eat then they shouldn't eat anything they don't grow themselves. Virtually every product you see on store shelves, regardless if they have meat in them or not, cost the lives of animals. How many rabbits, squirrels, birds, ect. do you think get killed or maimed and left to rot by combine harvesters in corn and wheat fields.

At least the animal that died to put a steak on the table for me is getting used and not left to suffer and die in some field after getting chewed up by a tractor.

I agree, it's fine for those who don't wish to eat meat. The production of Quorn (the general substitute I know of here in the UK) is actually a lot cheaper and environmentally friendlier than the rearing and slaughtering of animals anyway, so I don't see why it's a huge problem, especially for those who want to eat it.

I'd rather just have a meal without meat in it than have to eat the fake stuff. It's just not nice.

I like a lot of Quorn etc. products. Their sausages and burgers fail but their Southern Style fillets and scotch eggs are great. I also like Quorn pieces and mince. I prefer them to actual meat, which has inconsistent gristly (so wanted to put 'grizzly') bits in... bleurgh.

I do use Quorn products but I wouldn't say that they make up the majority of my diet. For me, Quorn has a less greasy texture and feels lighter and has lower calories which is important for me. I feel less guilty eating Quorn than I would eating meat so that's always helpful.
I wouldn't buy fake bacon as I don't like the real thing and so there would be no point...
Linda McCartney sausages are also, to die for :)

I'd also rather have a meal without meat in it than use fake meat, just cos I don't like the taste. There are lots of things you can do to "bulk up" meals like soups & salads & sandwiches that wouldn't involve a meat substitute. I used to go to a vegetarian (lots of vegan options too, though) cafe thing a lot & the food was great :)

I have nothing positive to add to this, but i do love Cauldron Sausages! Im a meaty but my ex was veggie and i actually ended up prefering to eat the veggie Cauldrons to normal meaty Sausages!


Anyone tried em? Quorn sausage is vile btw.

fake meat should never be the main part of a meal. They work as part of a bigger meal, but my dad used to just give me veggie sausages and peas and that was just a whole load of poop.

They're ok. They're protein-rich and serve a purpose. I don't often eat them because I tend to cook proper meals, but there's definitely a time and place for them. I do love love love veggie burgers (with vegetables and nuts and things in) - so good!

I know quite a few people who prefer the veggie sausages and Quorn chicken chunks to real sausages and chicken, because a. It's healthier and b. It's tastier (to them). It's good to have the option and variety, anyway.

Only real meat for me.

I prefer to eat real meat

I'm not a massive fan of meat substitutes. I do eat quorn occasionally, but I find that things taste nicer if you replace meat with say lentils. Even my meat loving friends say that the lentil chili I make is better than some chili con carne that they've had!

I tend to eat felafel and more kind of "continental" foods so I have never really had the sausage or burger problems, although I agree with Dreaming that proper veggie burgers (especially ones with kidney beans) are really lovely!

I think that if you like the meat substitute version then there's no problem with having it, I don't think anything is truly unhealthy if it's part of a balanced meal. It's just that for me I think they taste a bit weird.

I'd rather have a meal with no meat than fake meat. It just doesn't taste or feel right. But i'm pretty much a carnivore, real meat for me everytime

real meat.

Always amazes me how that is still viewed as truth by many people.

Some meat substitutes are quite okay, but I wouldn't purposely buy them. But then, I never liked meat much to begin with :P
Sadly, I've yet to find anything tofu-related that I like. The texture feels just nasty to me.