IKEA to roll out vegetarian meatballs

[Amy SF]

IKEA To Roll Out Vegetarian Meatballs
The Huffington Post | by Kevin Short

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  Posted: 04/23/2014 8:43 am EDT Updated: 04/23/2014 8:59 am EDT
  
  

A new food item will soon be available at the end of your IKEA shopping gauntlet: veggie meatballs.

The Swedish furniture giant will roll out a vegetarian and a chicken version of its iconic meatballs in stores worldwide some time next year, a company spokesperson confirmed to The Huffington Post Wednesday. The vegetarian meatballs are part of IKEA's effort to reduce the environmental impact of its estimated 150 million meatballs sold per year.

"We are aware of the meat issue with greenhouse gases,” Joanna Yarrow, head of sustainability for Ikea in the UK, said at an environmental conference in London, according to a report last week in the Telegraph. “We are looking at all our food products from a sustainability perspective but specifically meatballs. They are very popular and they are also our most carbon-intensive food item on our menu.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/23/ikea-vegetarian-meatballs_n_5193646.html

Finally!

At least it's worldwide and not just in certain stores.

Also, they may be vegetarian and not vegan, but since they won't be coming to stores until next year, perhaps there is time to ask the company to make them vegan, so everyone can try them.

I haven't been in an IKEA in years, but I remember when my parents were shopping for a new sofa for their den, and I accompanied them on their trips to the nearest store. We visited the store about three times before they decided on the one they wanted, and during one such visit, they decided to stop in the cafeteria to try the gravlax and Swedish meatballs (they visited Scandinavia in 1974 and wanted to compare). I could only sit there and watch them eat because there wasn't anything vegetarian for me. Having veggie meatballs available back then would have been nice.

 

[Envy]

Now I can finally be a real Swede. :')

 

[RascalsMom]

The article that I read said they hadn't released if they'll be vegetarian or vegan, yet. Still trying recipes.. So maybe everyone should email them.

 

[PTree15]

I've never been a fan of their food anwyay, except maybe the berry jams they sell. I do have several Ikea pieces in my apartment, though. Great space-saving stuff, and it looks clean.

 

[AeryFairy]

Ooh, I love some of ikea's food! Especially the pots of crispy onion pieces

 

[Blobbenstein]

I have never been to Ikea......

 

[Danielle]

Hope they make it vegan even though I never went there

 

[Captain Caveman]

I heard that they chopped Paul McCartney's meatballs off, but they wouldn't roll too far because they were too old and saggy.

 

[Second Summer]

They're vegan!

The vegan twist on the Swedish meatball will be sold in IKEA stores starting in April. It'll join new vegan and vegetarian options from Chipotle and White Castle, among others.

Behold the power of the veggie and animal lover lobby! The movement can claim two big victories this week. First, a planned GoDaddy Super Bowl ad was pulled after the “humorous” commercial—about a puppy that’s lost, then sold online—was widely criticized for being offensive.
[...]

More: Vegan Meatballs on IKEA Menus Soon - TIME (28. Jan. 2015)

 

[Amy SF]

Hooray!

 

[Mischief]

Hooray!

I second that Hooray! There's an Ikea opening in this area this autumn, and now I have another reason to look forward to my first visit to an Ikea.

They're vegan!

More: Vegan Meatballs on IKEA Menus Soon - TIME (28. Jan. 2015)

Thanks for posting that article.

 

[AeryFairy]

Maybe I'll have to post the recipe I came up with for veganising the meatball sauce

 

[Danielle]

Almost makes me want to go to ikea

 

[shyvas]

I usually pop into my local Ikea store about once a year. I like their kitchen and dining ware items.

I'm almost certain that they won't have the vegan balls on their menu over here.

 

[Amy SF]

I usually pop into my local Ikea store about once a year. I like their kitchen and dining ware items.

I'm almost certain that they won't have the vegan balls on their menu over here.

You can't just assume they won't have them. I think they're supposed to be at all IKEA locations worldwide. Once you're sure they're available elsewhere, you should ask about them. If they say no, insist they get them. Contact the company if you must. There must be no negativity! That's not what veg*anism is all about!

 

[Blobbenstein]

There must be no negativity! That's not what veg*anism is all about!

well vegetarianism is about not eating meat, being negative or not isn't really the point.

 

[Second Summer]

Another article about this.

Its veggie balls will be rolled out this month, created from a secret recipe of chickpeas, peas, carrots, peppers, corn, kale and seasoning.

‘The veggie ball does not have any animal content in the ingredients. We will share more information about our new veggieballs nearer the time of the launch.’

However a spokesman said last night the veggieball will not be available in the UK until May.

More: IKEA's new vegetarian meatballs 'will save the planet', says furniture firm | Daily Mail Online (1. April 2015)

 

[Poppy]

I checked a northern Virginia location Tuesday and there were no vegetarian meatballs there.

 

[Envy]

I can give you a review of them afterwards.

 

[Second Summer]

Here's a review! Including a picture!

[...]Well, if hunger is the best seasoning, Ikea had in its store layout a great scheme to make their food taste fantastic, because by the time I got to ordering my meatballs I had indeed become seriously hungry.

Now, you must understand that Ikea didn't arrive in Philly until after I went vegetarian, and I had last had Swedish meatballs when I was maybe 9, when I relate to you that my first question upon seeing the hot tray of meatballs was "So... is there pasta to go with it?"[...]

More: How did I find Ikea's vegan meatballs, you ask? (Vance Lehmkuhl in his V for Vegan blog, May 14, 2015)