Meat substitutes that emulate meat too closely

[hugoagogo]

I am vegetarian rather than vegan.
When I eat out I sometimes choose the vegan option ( frequently there aren't many choices), but often find they too are to meaty tasting.
Is this what most vegans are looking for, do you think? Is it just a moral choice?

For me, I just prefer not to eat meat ethically, but also don't enjoy the flavour/texture.

Horses for courses. Me and DP are both vegan. I like meaty textures, he doesn't. As long as it's not animal it's fine by me.

What does worry me when eating out though is when something is so meat-like I worry the kitchen have made an error if there is a similar meat dish on the menu so I sometimes avoid ordering 'meaty' if that's a possibility.

I'm veggie and hate fake meat, its gross.

I stopped eating meat when I was 12 because it was too meaty and chewy. I prefer a really flavourful, filling meal that isn't pretending to be meat based.

I'm not even veggie let alone vegan, but the Beyond Meat burger appalled meby how realistically like a very greasy burger it was. I eat veggie burgers because they are lighter and nicer than meat and because I've given up red meat for the sake of the planet. The Beyond Meat was just too realistic. It even contained a bit of fake gristle, and I couldn't get through a whole one it was so rich.

They were grudgingly passed as acceptable by my carnivore children, which is a win for what they are attempting to do I suppose.

Hate restaurants using fake meat. It's lazy cooking - fine at home, when we're pushed for time, but I want a restaurant to put in the time and effort to make something lovely that's not got UPF fake meat as a base.

Boils my piss. Don’t eat meat because I so t like the texture or taste. Now all the veggie food is (UHP) vegan shit that tastes like meat. 😡

We're on the vegan section but it sounds like none of the posters are vegan and are just concerned with 'taste' of food. For vegans it's not just about the food. Anything that gets people eating plant based is okay with me. I think after you've done all the fake meat thing you naturally start to experiment with better quality vegan meals.

Have to say, most of the places I've eaten in recently have had a decent choice of vegan meals to fit everyone's taste, not just fake meat. It has it's place as a means to an end imo.

We're on the vegan section but it sounds like none of the posters are vegan

In fairness there isn't a vegetarian section.

I’m vegan and I don’t eat it, don’t like it.
I agree with PP being served a meat dish instead of a “isn’t meat” dish is a real worry!
Fucking muddy beetroot in everything too because it makes it “bleed”.

I eat tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, Linda McCartney original sausages, old school TVP chunks & mince. Junk food will try to get everywhere though because salt and fat is moreish and then… profit

I'm vegan. I don't mind sausage or burger shapes made of TVP or tofu or whatever. I hate stuff that's designed to look like a rare steak or burger. I love stuff like stir fry and I've learned how to do my own tofu finally.

I'm with you on this one. Hate it when everything is 'meaty' but I do have one exception and that's vegan fish cakes damn they can be very similar to a standard fish cake and that I really don't mine

Mind

@donquixotedelamancha fair enough, I didn't know that! I think it was mostly in response to the 'vegan shit' comment.

I'm a vegetarian who just happens to mostly eat vegan and I hate the replacement of "the" vegetarian option with the multipurpose vegan, nut free, gluten free, flavour free fake meat on menus.

It also bothers me that many of the fake meat options are very highly processed and lacking the protein and other nutritional content of more regular vegetarian and whole food.

I won't be able to word this well but I'll try.

The issue is that there are broadly two main and differing markets being catered for.

Those who don't like the texture/taste of meat and their preference has the benefit of being good for the planet and animal welfare. And those who want to do their bit towards saving the earth and/or for animal welfare reasons, but who would rather not forgo the taste and texture sensations.

I don't know the solution.

I'm with you @C8H10N4O2 on gluten free vegan cakes!

I am vegan. And it's not about the taste of the fake meat - it tastes good. It's about how unhealthy it is. Ultra processed vegan 'meat' is still UPF, full of additives and salt and fats that I try to avoid. If I am paying someone else to cook, I'd like healthy, natural, wholefood ingredients - there are creative, wholefood vegan menu options out there. I'd like to see more of it, rather than more Beyond/Impossible, etc.

I'm neither vegetarian or vegan but it always seemed weird to be vegetarian and then try and make your food look like it isn't. I suspect it's a play to those who've stopped eating meat, letting them think it's not such a change. There's no real reason for it there are lots of nice vegetarian meals without pretending it's meat.

I hate the replacement of "the" vegetarian option with the multipurpose vegan, nut free, gluten free, flavour free fake meat on menus

yes, i hate this

i love a good vegetable/bean burger and now they are virtually all ‘meat’ ones, its pure laziness

and yes to the poster who couldn’t finish the beyond meat burger, they were giving samples at tesco the other day and i had a quarter piece, first mouthful i thought was nice and by the time i got to the end i felt a bit sick…no idea why, whether it was taste of texture or what

It's my DD's pet peeve, she doesn't want to eat fake meat. She'll eat a bean burger for instance but not a beyond meat one. She's vegetarian rather than vegan and doesn't eat ultra processed foods including vegan "cheese"

I am vegetarian. I never order fake meat on the menu in case they accidentally give me real meat. How do you even tell the difference?!

Some vegans miss meat so really like the meat alternatives. Some don’t.

I don’t eat many of the meat substitutes but I do sometimes eat the Linda McCartney sausages and I have tried the McPlant burger from McDonald’s and liked it.

I don’t miss meat at all but miss cheese. I’ve just tried the new Catherdral City plant based block and it’s really good, the first vegan cheese that actually taste like cheddar. I’m very happy.

Another not vegan (sorry!) but the nicest alternative cheese which isn't ultra-processed has to be cashew nut cheese! So expensive though. I hope things like that will come down in price as they become more commonplace. (I feel the same about organic meat but probably not the right place for that discussion!)

I'm afraid @FleecyMcFleeceFace I would argue that being a vegan isn't about healthy food either for me. Yes it's a bonus if you want to but not a defining factor. I'd still be a vegan even if it could only be detrimental to my health. The differential for me between being vegan or eating plant based is the emphasis of avoiding exploitation of animals.

You can eat healthy, unprocessed, plant based food but still not be a vegan.
You can eat junk food and fake meats and be a vegan.

That's why I can't get worked up about fake meat. If it leads more people towards eating plant based and then looking deeper into veganism then its winner, winner, no chicken dinner. And there's definitely loads of vegetarian and vegan choice in most high street restaurants. Most people I eat out with see it as a 'treat' and don't want healthy salads but something 'naughty'.

The problem for me is ordering something that tastes so much like meat that I then can't eat it.