Will You Eat Fake Meat Products?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
July 25, 2008 9:13am CST
I don't eat a lot of fake meat products, mostly because I never really ate much meat to begin with and I wouldn't know what half the stuff is anyway. But occasionally, if I'm either at a vegetarian restaurant or I find something really good, I'll buy it. I've noticed that over the past 8 years, these types of products have really improved. In the past, most were very rubbery and nasty. Now, most still don't taste like meat, but I count that as a good thing because at least they just taste good. Although, some of the fake meats at restaurants are pretty close.
Here's some of the products I like:
- Tofurky Italian Sausages, barbequed
- Boca Burgers Original
- Health is Wealth Chicken Nuggets
- Nates Meatballs
- Most of the fake taquitos out there
So do you eat fake meat products? Which ones do you like?
3 people like this
10 responses
@revellanotvanella (4033)
• United States
26 Jul 08
OMG, I love Tempeh and its so good sauteed with some portabella mushrooms. I am not into the soy products like tofurky and hot dogs, why would I be when I do not find meat appealling in the first place, soy bacon I will occasionally use but I still think they have alot of salt and things that I dont need in my food, a good meal for me is of course the portabella mushrooms, firm tofu, smart balance butter, baby snap peas and bulghur--so so good. There is just so much range with veggies, like red potatoes home fries is my kids favorite. These foods do not take me more than 30 minutes to cook and I know it only takes like 4 minutes to cook microwave foods (I eat indian) but it will taste so good and its so worth it because of that, plus you will have left overs for later.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Jul 08
I didn't like meat, but to me these foods have a different enough quality to them that I like them (some at least). The only times I've tried things that really tasted like meat have been at restaurants, where I have been really shocked at the similarity.
I'm not a mushroom person though, unless it is very well disguised.
I do like Indian food though. I wish I could cook it myself.
@fluffnflowers (1594)
• United States
26 Jul 08
If you're not vegan, you should check out Quorn. Like all meat substitutes, there's a ton of info on how awful it is for you, but I haven't had any problems. It's about the only meat substitute I've found that actually had the taste and texture even remotely close to meat. I don't really like meat, but it's made eating more veggie friendly easier on my carniverous SO.
My second favorite is Soyrizo. I hate the Tofurky sausages, but the Soyrizo is zippy and really rather tasty.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Jul 08
You are the first person I've ever heard recommend Quorn. It came out after I was already vegan, and I was sad it wasn't vegan at first until I kept hearing from different people how awful it was.
I like Soyrizo too, but I find it harder to cook with than Tofurky. It falls apart too easily. I do use it though if I'm not using a barbecue. And I only like the Tofurkey stuff if it is barbecued. Otherwise, it's not as good.
@fluffnflowers (1594)
• United States
26 Jul 08
I think Quorn gets a bad rap, because a lot of vegans were really upset when it started winning vegetarian awards while it contains eggs. I think it gets a lot of bad press for the handful of people that have had bad reactions to it, meanwhile soy is so common that people just seem to bypass all of the bad reactions that people have had to it. I think it's a matter of something being new and scary. 
I think they Soyrizo is supposed to fall apart. We use it in omelets and soups and stuff. I may have to try the Tofurky grilled again. Last time I had it, I grilled it on a grill pan and it was absolutely horrible. I wonder if it just wasn't broken down enough.
I think they Soyrizo is supposed to fall apart. We use it in omelets and soups and stuff. I may have to try the Tofurky grilled again. Last time I had it, I grilled it on a grill pan and it was absolutely horrible. I wonder if it just wasn't broken down enough.
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
25 Jul 08
I have had one fake meat product and it was all right in a casserole, but not by itself. If it has plenty of spices and herbs then it tastes almost like meat and for a vegetarian who does not know meat, they could not taste any difference. Me, I eat both meat and vegetables, and there is a distinctive difference. I do not know the name of the product. We bought it on a "lets see what it tastes like," dare. And it was only enough for one meal and a small one at that.
1 person likes this
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Jul 08
I usually use fake meat in stuff like a taco salad or casserole type dish too if I'm making something with fake meat for vegetarians and non-vegetarians. More often though, I'll make something just with veggies if both groups must eat it.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
9 Aug 08
Thanks for the best response. I suppose with the fake meat, the vegetarians and vegans might mistake it for real meat even though you bring out the package and try to convince them it is made from soybean and toju. I guess that does seem like a problem. At our grocer stores, most of the veggie substitutes are designed for single servings anyway, the one member in the family who is a vegetarian.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Jul 08
Egg replacer is really probably what I use the most of, due to baking. I absolutely hate pretty much all of the fake cheeses out there. I would love to see a good fake cheese someday since I used to kind of like cheese. I was never a big meat eater so it's not really that I miss it, just that trying these fake meat things gives me extra meal options. I never ran out of meal options before, but being limited with having only a microwave at work has finally taken its toll on me and I've been making frozen foods.
@stellaray (83)
• United States
25 Jul 08
I just read an article yesterday that said SOY products; which basically is what fake meat and by products, are made of...are really bad for you except for Tempeh.
personally I live in Los Angeles, and Drive the Freeways...you need a little meat, once in a while to stand up to all the aggressive drivers!
I won't eat anything that says fake meat. I'd rather have serloin steak once in a while or some real fish.
I love all vegis's and while I know my choices are so limited...I eat seasonally, and what is the freshest for the month.
Nuts,Grains,fruit,vegis, are the foods i naturally crave and love.
so No.... I Never eat fake meat!!!!!!
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
26 Jul 08
I've heard about soy products being bad, but I've never heard of them being bad on anything specific or anything that would pertain to me. So I don't worry about that.
I don't eat much fake meat, but it is an occasional interesting treat. I can't find tempeh around here easily unfortunately. And my cooking skills are pretty limited (mostly by my time, my actual skills are okay if I just think of cooking as chemistry).
I drive the freeways of Los Angeles too and have been vegan for 8 years. It hasn't affected my abilities to use my middle finger on the road. ;)
@stellaray (83)
• United States
28 Jul 08
hahahahahahhaha no your middle finger usually has a mind of it's own! you are funny!
@movicont (495)
• United States
26 Jul 08
Well, I'd be slightly wary of fake meat products since I can't feasibly research their ingredients. If I have no idea what went into the meat, I'm not sure I'd want to eat it. Besides, I rarely eat much meat anyways, so there's no need for me to substitute something fake for something I dislike.
Surprisingly, I have ate nice fake meat at a few restaurants--in fact, I didn't even know it was fake meat until after the meal.
1 person likes this
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
26 Jul 08
I do not like fake meat because it is not like real meat. I love real meat.
@rogue13xmen13 (14403)
• United States
23 Nov 09
Really? Maybe it was what I bought that one time or the way I cooked it, who knows?
@xParanoiax (6987)
• United States
26 Jul 08
Not really. The closest I come to fake meat is processed meat..which usually has alot of additives in it.
I do eat a healthy amount of meat...but see...I have a pretty big dislike for synthetic food. If I were living on a space station, I wouldn't mind it...but since I'm on planet earth I want to eat something real, heh.
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
27 Jul 08
I don't eat fake meat products becuase I'm not a vegetarian to begin with but I guess if I was I would try them! x
@godpower1k1 (424)
• United States
26 Jul 08
yuckkkkkkk!!!!! i dont even eat the meat because its bad for my health because i had asthama problem when i eat meat ..... yuck and what about fake meat ... i am hearing this word first time .... lol @ fake meat
