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.

*I have been veggie since the early 90s and in those days you had to call and check if there was a veggie option and if there was it was one option only, usually a vegetarian lasagne.

Now there seems to be a lot more choice*

there used to be, prior to the rise in vegan popularity.

i went out to eat recently. The only options were mushroom burger, gluten free bun and vegan “cheeze” (optional), or fajitas. Gluten free tortillas and vegan sour cream and cheeze..

the “rules” now around veggies, vegans, pescatarians, gluten free, dairy intolerance, flexitarians are so confusing many restaurants/wait staff are too scared to start making subs if you want proper cream and cheese on your vegan, dairy free dish.

i went to a wedding recently having said I was veggie. They brought out vegetable tarts (so veggie) as a first course, but brought me a salmon first course. I’ve had the same argument in subway so many times- they insist tuna is vegetarian.

Has this thread always been in the vegan section?

i must have come here from active 😀

Yeah @RufustheFloralmissingreindeer always been in the vegan section.

I’m vegan and have never eaten meat or fish. I don’t want food to emulate meat as I don’t want to know what it tastes like! I am
also suspicious of mistakes by the kitchen so I like things to be clearly different. Fake blood is just grim.

I am however gluten free so grateful for things that aren’t seitan!

I'm vegan and really can't stand all the fake meat options. I can no longer eat in most of the big chain restaurants because they've replaced all their vegetable and bean options with mock meat. I don't know why they can't just add the meat alternatives in addition to the other vegan options.

I see this kind of comment all the time and I just don't think it's true. Where are you going? Me and my OH are completely different where I want the fake meat and they want the more wholefood type options and we literally never ever have trouble finding places to go. Even wetherspoons manage it.

Wetherspoons is always a safe option. I was staying in a hotel recently and was really stuck for food options because the only restaurants nearby were TGI Fridays and a Burger King. Both have replaced the veggie items on their menus with fake meat. I wouldn't even be able to force myself to eat that because it makes me feel sick with the taste and texture.

I wouldn’t put money in Tim Martin’s pocket if my life depended on it.

If I'm eating out i never choose a meat alternative dish unless it's the 2x a yr that i have a burger, but some meat alternatives are repulsive. Cluck's chicken is toooooo realistic!

I'm a pescatarian, eat fish maybe twice a week. Haven't eaten any other meat for 20 years.
But sometimes I crave a sausage and tomato sandwich (usually when I'm very tired) and that's when the Richmond's meat free sausages really hit the spot.
I don't like it when the vegetarian options in a restaurant are spiced or smothered in a bbq sauce, probably to hide how revolting they taste.

I'm fed up with all the meat subs!
Can't buy a sandwich anymore without it being fake duck or chicken. Yuck!
It's so lazy too!

Me too. Veggie meals used to use butter, cheese and eggs. Now there are generic vegan meals that use fake meat and are pretty much inedible.

Local pubs and restaurants, mainly.

I’m not sure where people are eating that the only meat-free option is gluten-free, vegan option made with fake meat and cheese. I live in a town with a population of around 3000. We have two cafes, four pubs which serve food, one British/European style restaurant, three Indian restaurants, a Chinese restaurant, a fish and chip shop, a kebab shop and a regular set of rotating pop ups. Of those the only place the serves fake meat is the cafes which serve veggie sausages (and bacon in one case) as part of their vegetarian/vegan breakfasts.

That’s just places I can get to without getting in my car. I posted a list above of things I’ve eaten out recently: none of it with fake meat and cheese, all of it vegan and all of it delicious and full of flavour (and shared with meat eating friends/family who agreed). If a restaurant has one vegan option which depends on fake meat, then it’s probably a shit restaurant anyway. But I really
don’t find it a struggle to find restaurants that serve tasty, thoughtful, whole food based meat free foods.

I’ve been vegetarian for 30 years and this rise in fake meat is awful. I loathe it. Restaurants who used to offer lovely vegetarian food now only offering vegan fake meat things. Ghastly.

I don't understand this trend at all. I'm veggie and don't eat any fake meat - why would I choose the veggie equivalent of something I don't like? I prefer vegetable dishes.

I don't understand this trend at all. I'm veggie and don't eat any fake meat - why would I choose the veggie equivalent of something I don't like? I prefer vegetable dishes.

It's not that difficult a concept. You may not like it but a lot of people do like the taste of meat including many vegans. They just don't like that an animal has to die to produce it so they look for substitutes. It's possible to enjoy meat alternatives and whole food plant based dishes.

It's not that difficult a concept. You may not like it but a lot of people do like the taste of meat including many vegans. They just don't like that an animal has to die to produce it so they look for substitutes. It's possible to enjoy meat alternatives and whole food plant based dishes

that’s not the point. The point is that restaurants are now replacing their veggie/vegan options with fake meat versions of their normal dishes.

while some vegans and veggies may still enjoy meat, and like the alternatives, I’d say a significant majority are veggie because they don’t like meat.

it’s basically insisting everyone likes meat. if you can’t stand fish and restaurants started only offering fish dishes, with the only non fish option being a fishy tasting alternative, you wouldn’t go there. But if all restaurants are the same, do you accept it’s ok because most people like fish, or do you start suggesting they offer some alternatives for those who don’t?

that’s not the point. The point is that restaurants are now replacing their veggie/vegan options with fake meat versions of their normal dishes.

I was responding to a specific post and poster, not the topic as a whole.

Also, meat alternatives are definitely more popular now but as others have mentioned it must vary by area because there's little trouble getting plant based foods here in restaurants. Both meat alternatives and the more traditional alternatives are available and I agree that should be the case generally.

Veggie meals used to use butter, cheese and eggs. Now there are generic vegan meals that use fake meat and are pretty much inedible.

veggie meals used to be cheaper, now the fake-meat meals are priced much the same as the meat options

I like it because the only reason I don't eat meat is the ethical /animal-loving aspect. If I can have something that smells and tastes and feels just like a steak or piece of salmon but without the cruelty, I'm all in favour of it!

Preach.

I agree @TootsAtOwls

But I just haven't found this an issue. Usually there are both options available. Maybe the posters who seem to think all the none fake meat options have disappeared could name a high street chain (not a small independent) who have done this?

Someone did name a few. Burger King and TGI Fridays.