Question about fake meats?

Question

Here's a real question I have for vegetarians/vegans:
Why bother with fake meats? I mean really, tofurkey and stuff is expensive and (I think) not very good. There are MUCH tastier things you can eat that are vegetarian - why go through the expense and effort of eating something designed to mimic something that you feel you shouldn't eat? If you think it's wrong to eat turkey, why do you want to eat fake turkey? I would personally rather eat a veggie stir fry or a nice salad or something.
I bet at least 50% of people misread the question and answer something like "because we believe eating meat is wrong..." etc.

Just to be clear I am not criticizing people's choice to be vegetarian. But my inlaws cook those "not-dogs" and they are nasty. I would rather eat a peanut butter sandwich, or even a bowl of spaghetti or a salad or cucumbers or just about anything! If they think meat is so nasty why do they want to try and fool themselves into thinking they're eating it?
As for protein there are other ways to get that.

Hey if you like it all power to you. But a tofurkey roast costs what, $5-$10 a pound? So a thanksgiving tofurkey will run you $30 to $100 depending on how big. For $100 you can eat much better vegetarian food than that, I think.

As an FYI, I am very much NOT vegetarian. I imagine that what some people are saying is true - it is for people who used to eat meat and really miss it, and this is to satisfy their cravings for it. For someone who has never eaten meat I can barely see the point.

Answer 1

A simple answer is that we don't object to the form but we *do* object to the content! Consider non-alcohol beer or wines as being in a similar vein; you get the flavor without the deleterious effects of the alcohol. Non-meat meats give the flavor of meat without the risk of parasites, prions, saturated and trans-fats (you did know that trans-fat is naturally contained in all animal fats didn't you).

Additionally they are environmentally friendly since you can take the grains (including soybeans) used for cattle feed and get much more food by directly making them into meat analogs than feeding them to the animals! Example: 10 pounds of cattle feed equal 1 pound of usable meat (standard ratio from USDA), that same 10 pounds of feed will make 7 pounds of veggie meat (from personal experience).

If you remove the government subsidies of meat production the 'shelf price' of meat would become the same as current prices of analogs and with increased production of analogs they would be *much* cheaper!

Finally; Cyanide is supposed to taste like really good almonds; coumadin tastes like really good vanilla. Just because something tastes good (like meat) doesn't automatically mean it's good for you .

Edit:

Thanks for the insulting e-mail f.u.! I left this section for a while because of trolls like you and your missive reminded me that I used to research questioners Answers history to avoid trolls like you. BTW; Your assumption that I'm a vegan is wrong but after looking through your entire history of questions and answers there is NO doubt that you are a low-life troll!

Answer 2

Fake meats made it possible for me to become a vegetarian. Living on a meat-based diet for almost 30 years, I had no idea how to make a meal without meat. Now that I've been veggie for over a year, I'm beginning to eat less and less substitute. I will probably always use them to some extent though... I love my sweet n sour chik'n and brocolli "beef" and all that stuff. IMO, just because I no longer eat meat doesn't mean I can't enjoy the same meals I always have.

Aside from helping meat-eaters go veg, fake meats also allow veggies to "fit in" with meat eaters. If you go to a bbq, you can easily take along a veggie burger to flop on the grill.

Lastly, not all fake meats are created equal. While I would agree with you that Tofurkey sucks, some of the Morningstar Farms products actually taste BETTER than the "real" thing, IMO. Their chik'n nuggets and their sausage links are both, IMO, better than real ones. The taste is identical, the texture is identical, but there is never any gristle or any other "mystery meat" to crunch into on your first bite. You should try them! In fact, when I first went veggie.. I made the nuggets one night and my bf at the time actually argued with me that they WERE real chicken. He didn't believe me till I showed him the box! Their corndogs are really good too (I dont' think anyone could tell the difference) for those days you feel like a "convenience" food.

Answer 3

I agree that Tofurkey is NASTY. It has way too many spices in it and it tasted really salty. It doesn't taste like real turkey at all. I do however enjoy the Morningstar Farms fakey chicken nuggets. I am not a vegetarian but by best friend is. I've never been much of a meat eater anyway though. Just chicken sometimes and maybe the occasional slice of bacon. He had me try those and they were so yummy I will never eat real chicken nuggets again. They taste the same as the real thing to me and you don't find any uhm...surprises (fat, hard things, etc.) Also some of those Boca burgers are good too.

Answer 4

Good question. "For $100 you can eat much better vegetarian food than that, I think." Oh, no doubt; you could have quite the feast, with some top-quality food.

I've never tasted meat, and never tasted those 'meat substitutes.' I find them every bit as unappealing as the real stuff.

I assume the main consumers are 'ethical' vegetarians, who would rather be eating meat, and do not not because it's 'gross' but because it's 'wrong.' The few vegetarians I've known who do buy the substitute what-not admit to missing the real thing.

There's a very small component of the market that's not vegetarian but who will sometimes eat the fake stuff for health reasons; I've known a couple of people like that.

Answer 5

I think people buy those when they are starting out being vegetarian/vegan, or just want to try to cut down on their meat consumption for whatever reason. There is the convience of eating "vegetarian" without having to research or try new types of food. Basically I think that it is because they are lazy vegetarians (which is better than lazy ominivores).
I am with you, that I would eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before eating Tofurky. Tofurky is still a processed food product, and natural whole foods are what the body was meant to get its supply of nutrients for its maximum capacity for life. But eating this way (I am an organic healthy vegan that also tries to do Fair Trade products and sustainable products) is very time consuming and not easy at all. I do fall prey to the Boca vegan burgers (made with organic soy, not GMO soy protein isolate) once inawhile (I call it the lazy Mom dinner) because I am tired of cooking that day, and not because I am looking for a burger in a vegetarian/vegan style.

Answer 6

I think those products (mock-turkey , mock chicken) are geared towards the transition into becoming a full on vegetarian. I totally see your point, whats the logic in being a vegetarian/vegan (for ethical reasons) and eating a product meant to mimic it. Very weird because they are popular. Like I always say- people eat with their eyes, so if eating a Boca burger or tufurky will subconsciously satisfy meat cravings as a human being- than go for it- at least your not eating meat.

Answer 7

I've asked a question alone the same lines yesterday.

Most people either missed the point or went off on it's not a dead animal, or something similar.

If you not eating vegetarian or going vegan for heath reasons, why would you want to appear to support the meat industry at all?

Yes, you can eat better food, better tasting, better looking, cheaper, ETC and not appear to be a hypocrite. If you eat meat looking produces it appears that you are a hypocrite. Now I know a lot of people are going to take that wrong and think I'm call them a hypocrite when in fact they are not. They are just giving that appearance.

So I agree with you way pay big bucks for a produce that makes it appear you're eating meat? Just fix a nice vegetarian dish and enjoy.

But this is just my opinion.

Answer 8

They don't all taste terrible (especially not to people who haven't eaten meat in a while) and it's also nice to be able to seem like you're eating the same thing as everyone else occasionally. Especially at Thanksgiving and the like when everyone else is eating turkey, vegetarians can eat tofurkey and not feel too different.

Answer 9

Well. I eat at a restaurant called "Veggie Heaven" here in Bergen County, NJ. They make all the traditional Chinese food, with tofu or with seitan instead of meat. Actually, it is really really delicious. Of course, there are tons of veggies in the food as well, as with most chinese food. This is much healthier, AND what my kids really like about it, is that you don't get any little 'nasties' like fat or gristle, or chewy yuckiness that you get from meat.

The dishes they serve, like Mango Chicken, 5 Pepper Chicken, or Ginger Chicken with Green Beans and Basil, are mouthwatering and fantastic! The 'fake' chicken is cut into pieces, and then used like regular chicken in the recipe. Doesn't clog the arteries either!!!

Now, as far as why not just eat veggies all the time.....because its boring! But hey, there are some people who do NOT care for the veggie meats.

When I was a cook at a Vegan Cafe, my specialty was Veggie burgers that I made from scratch. They are made by cooking Broccoli, Carrots, Zucchini, green beans, potato, sweet potato, ginger root, lentils, in a pot, with vegetable broth. When they are cooked, i run them through a food processor, and then add cooked brown rice, and oats, and finely diced firm sauteed tofu. I then form into patties, and bake on a cookie sheet, with a little olive oil. Served with canola Mayonnaise and ketchup mixed (russian dressing) and lettuce and tomato on a bun.

There was NO veggie meat in this recipe, and it was NOT meant to imitate a "Real" hamburger, it was just a great sandwich basically. With a lot of protein thanks to the tofu and lentils. A lot of fiber too.

I think that another reason people like to eat the veggie meat is because of the protein. Unless you really work hard to supplement your protein, or you eat tofu.

Anyway, real meat is good, i mean I love a great filet mignon, but chicken turns me off, and so does turkey, any kind of bird. Thats just personal. I suppose everyone has their own reasons.

Good luck, and give the inlaws a break. But by the way, I tried Tofurky once, and it made me barf. So i agree on some levels!

Answer 10

I've been a veg for the better part of my life (figuratively, as well as in actual years!) and I agree that 'real' food is better than the manufactured to 'resemble meat' kinds.
On the other hand, people like variety in their diets--"fun food". Why would anyone want to eat much of the junk food that is so popular-- like Cheetos or (dear god!) pork rinds! (Can you peel pigs like an orange?)
If you are not a vegetarian, and don't plan to become one, why are you asking this? Seems to me its just one more way (not too subtle) to criticize vegetarians-- why do you care?
I have to say, I wonder how people can eat haggis, or raw oysters and clams, bull testicles, and so many other (to me) disgusting things--- but I don't ask a whole "question" about it...
Different tastes appeal to different people--- as simple as that.
Maybe your relatives give you 'fake meat' because they are unaware that you'd enjoy a regular vegetarian meal. Tell them how much you like the real food, and they'll stop trying to please you with the fake kind.