The faux meat thread

And one of these days I want to try out KFC's chicken free nuggets - Does anyone know if they have reached California.

California ends its indoor mask mandate today or tomorrow. I feel like I should celebrate with a trip to a restaurant with indoor dining.
I don't know if they reached California or not as I'm in Ontario, Canada. But I tried them a couple of weeks ago and they're pretty good. Though the best I've tasted so far has been A&W if you have one there. I thought they'd made a mistake and gave me real chicken. But I got that slight aftertaste that's plant-based and knew I had the real faux ones! LOL
 
Within the past year I'd say.They now have the 'now meatier' on the label. So far I've only seen it on the burgers-not sure about the ground.
I haven't seen anyone else comment on the change, but I tried them twice and really dislike the new. My sons didn't think they were as good, but definitely meatier. Exactly what I dislike about Impossible

Hasn't hit their sausage, and it better not! I love the hot Italian and the breakfast links and patties
I was just watching a tv show about whatever, don't remember what, but they were talking about "heme" that they add to faux beef products to taste and smell more like real beef.
I haven't seen that meatier label on Beyond Beef, not their crumbles or their burgers and I really like the smell and taste of them. I had Impossible the other day and though I liked the fact it browned better than Beyond I didn't like the fresh raw meat smell at all and I found the crumbles too soft in my spaghetti sauce. I'll stick with Beyond.
 
  • Friendly
Reactions: Lou and Emma JC
I was just watching a tv show about whatever, don't remember what, but they were talking about "heme" that they add to faux beef products to taste and smell more like real beef.
I haven't seen that meatier label on Beyond Beef, not their crumbles or their burgers and I really like the smell and taste of them. I had Impossible the other day and though I liked the fact it browned better than Beyond I didn't like the fresh raw meat smell at all and I found the crumbles too soft in my spaghetti sauce. I'll stick with Beyond.
It's more than a little complicated and I'm not sure I have all the facts straight.
to the best of my understanding, only impossible adds heme to their burgers. The heme comes from a genetically modified yeast. Its a patented process or at least they applied for the patent. As far as I know no one else uses this process. Impossible also uses soy and soy protein that come from GMO plants.

Also in order to get FDA approval for their products they did do some animal testing. Not much but they did exceed the minimum amount (which might have been 0). The company was probably concerned about people claiming that their product was unsafe and not tested.

I don't eat much faux meat but I do like to do my own little taste tests. I've had the Impossible Whopper a number of times. On Whopper Wednesdays I sometime can get if for 2 - 3 dollars. And they taste pretty much like a whopper (which is IMHO NOT an endorsement). I've also had the Impossible Burger at two different real restaurants. I thought they were pretty good but a little over done and too salty. A the second place I actually requested Medium rare and no salt. but I don't think the cook followed the directions.

I bought a package of Beyond Burgers at the grocery store which I brought to a BBQ. I had one and I thought it was delicious. Also I cooked up the other one and split it into quarters and asked people to try it. they all liked it too. and they are Carnists. Except for the McPlant I've only had one Beyond product at a restaurant - that was the Beyond Bratwurst. I thought it was terrific.

At home I mostly buy Field Roast sausages for my pizzas and sometimes a lunch. I bought their burgers once and I thought they were great.

Lately I've been trying out the chick'n nuggets at the supermarkets. However I've not been comparing any - yet.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: Emma JC and EllieW
This just in.

The power of the Kansas cattle industry means grocery shoppers in the state won't be buying anything called sausage or burger unless it's made of animal parts.​
Gov. Laura Kelly recently signed a bill into law requiring meat substitutes to be sold with labeling that makes clear they come from plants, not livestock.​
Similar to other states, Kansas law now prohibits the substitute products from using terms associated with animal meat unless they also provide a this-is-not meat disclaimer — like “meat-free,” “vegan,” or “plant-based.”​
Many meat alternatives sold in Kansas already used disclaimer language on packaging, including the big brand names of the meat alternative market — Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.​
In fact, the Impossible Foods mission is one of the reasons the KLA pursued the legislation. Popelka pointed to the Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown, who said in 2020 that the company wants to replace all animal-based meat products by 2035, according to CNBC.​


(Yawn) Whatever. Like seriously, lots of good laws to be passed but they think there is danger to the general public because they may accidentally buy a plant based meat.
Actually this law might actually be an aide to people wanting to reduce their meat consumption by insuring that non-meat items are clearly marked as such. Although I'm pretty sure that they already are. the fact that they don't contain meat is considered a plus.

Has anyone here ever bought a product containing meat by accident?

Unlike some laws, I don't see this one as prohibition plant based companies from using meaty words, like sausage. Just that vegan sausage says "vegan" or "plant based" on the label. Which they already do because they want to attract buyers.
 
This just in.

The power of the Kansas cattle industry means grocery shoppers in the state won't be buying anything called sausage or burger unless it's made of animal parts.​
Gov. Laura Kelly recently signed a bill into law requiring meat substitutes to be sold with labeling that makes clear they come from plants, not livestock.​
Similar to other states, Kansas law now prohibits the substitute products from using terms associated with animal meat unless they also provide a this-is-not meat disclaimer — like “meat-free,” “vegan,” or “plant-based.”​
Many meat alternatives sold in Kansas already used disclaimer language on packaging, including the big brand names of the meat alternative market — Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat.​
In fact, the Impossible Foods mission is one of the reasons the KLA pursued the legislation. Popelka pointed to the Impossible Foods CEO Patrick Brown, who said in 2020 that the company wants to replace all animal-based meat products by 2035, according to CNBC.​


(Yawn) Whatever. Like seriously, lots of good laws to be passed but they think there is danger to the general public because they may accidentally buy a plant based meat.
Actually this law might actually be an aide to people wanting to reduce their meat consumption by insuring that non-meat items are clearly marked as such. Although I'm pretty sure that they already are. the fact that they don't contain meat is considered a plus.

Has anyone here ever bought a product containing meat by accident?

Unlike some laws, I don't see this one as prohibition plant based companies from using meaty words, like sausage. Just that vegan sausage says "vegan" or "plant based" on the label. Which they already do because they want to attract buyers.
I want them to do that with all animal products in foods! We want to be sure those who want animal products get them 😉
That would be so great! Turn the tables on the omnivores and regulate all vegan foods so they don't get confused

I do see faux meats mixed in with organic or gluten free meat, and plant based things that have egg or dairy, and now just avoid that altogether.
Can't stand to see the meat section
 
I want them to do that with all animal products in foods! We want to be sure those who want animal products get them 😉
That would be so great! Turn the tables on the omnivores and regulate all vegan foods so they don't get confused

I do see faux meats mixed in with organic or gluten free meat, and plant based things that have egg or dairy, and now just avoid that altogether.
Can't stand to see the meat section
Yeah.
There has been some vegans or plant based companies lobbying for plant based products to be in the meat and diary sections of the supermarket. Not that long ago I posted an article where they even found that plant based cheese sales went up when the P-B cheeses were displayed next to the cheese. (maybe people did buy those by mistake. )
Personally, I would rather not see that happen.
 
I wonder if they have been any lawsuits going after the use of animals to promote animal products? All the animated cows saying how good their milk is and how happy they are you drink it....
Can't we turn that around to say you can't use promotions from unconsenting sources?
Or better yet, use animals to tell the truth about why eat vegan products?
I've seen a commercial with cows driving car to advertize nonj dairy milk, but it was very very tame.
How about push the fact that people don't need milk from other mammals? Show the calves with those horrid nose sheilds that keep them from their milk made for them
 
I wonder if they have been any lawsuits going after the use of animals to promote animal products? All the animated cows saying how good their milk is and how happy they are you drink it....

I don't know if you remember me saying this but I credit PETA for starting my on my vegan path. I read this article in the paper where PETA was suing the California Dairy Board. they claimed their Happy Cow Campaign was false advertising. Oh, BTW, PETA lost.
Can't we turn that around to say you can't use promotions from unconsenting sources?
Or better yet, use animals to tell the truth about why eat vegan products?
I've seen a commercial with cows driving car to advertize nonj dairy milk, but it was very very tame.
How about push the fact that people don't need milk from other mammals? Show the calves with those horrid nose sheilds that keep them from their milk made for them
I suppose (assume) that the non-dairy industry thought about it. Maybe it did not work well with test audiences..... oh wait. Almost all the non-dairy companies are owned by Big Food. No way they are going to pay for ads that disparage their other products.

PETA sometimes run ad campaigns on TV, billboards, and magazines. I've seen a few but most of the TV ones get banned. Being PETA they don't do "Tame". You can see all of them, even the banned ones on YouTube. Their one on milk is pretty much what you are describing.
 
  • Informative
  • Sad
Reactions: silva and Emma JC
Ha! Talk about good timing. @silva, you wanted an ad - you got an ad.

A world-first advert highlighting the environmental impact of animal agriculture was seen by hundreds of thousands of people over the weekend.​
The “Hell of a Steak” commercial – which comes from non-profit organization Vegan Friendly UK – aired during the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel on Saturday night. It’s set to appear on UK screens this week, and it will likely be shown in the US in the coming months.​



 
That's good, but I'm thinking of regular tv ads for products using animals like the dairy and chicken ads do-but real.
Like Breyers has kids eating ice cream amongst cows, telling them how good their milk is, and the cow moos and the girl says "you're welcome"
Instead have a vegan ice show the dairy calves trying to nurse from the mother with that shield through the nose. ANother kid comes up and says to the first kid "that was her babies milk--not yours." and hands them a bowl of oat milk ice cream

Remember those missing kid pics on milk cartons? I always wanted to put ones with missing calves on the cartons. That would be a good ad
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tom L.
That's good, but I'm thinking of regular tv ads for products using animals like the dairy and chicken ads do-but real.
There would have to be a company that has no ties to the animal livestock industry.
Silk is a subsidiary f Danone which owns a lot of dairy.

Oatly is part owned by Blackstone - not sure what they are tied into beside China.

There are positive things about our manufactures of vegan foods being owned by others. and negative ones. Not being bale to run a negative ad campaign is one of the cons. We will just have to satisfy ourselves with ads like No Moo.

 
I have this fantasy/nightmare that someday in the future all my friends will feel really guilty or stupid about having not gone vegan with me. And will lambast me for not talking them into being vegan.
I would tell them I tried.
and they would say, you should have tried harder. You knew this stuff and didn't tell us.
I would say, I told you, you wouldn't listen
and they would say you should have made us

and so on. 😨

This reminds me of an early scene in one of the "Star Trek" films (I think it's "Generations":
Worf (feeling the effects of drinking too much Romulan ale at a party): "This stuff should be illegal."
Geordi Lafarge: "It is."
Worf: "Then it should be MORE illegal."

ETA: Nope- this scene is from "Nemesis".
 
Last edited:
There would have to be a company that has no ties to the animal livestock industry.
Silk is a subsidiary f Danone which owns a lot of dairy.

Oatly is part owned by Blackstone - not sure what they are tied into beside China.

There are positive things about our manufactures of vegan foods being owned by others. and negative ones. Not being bale to run a negative ad campaign is one of the cons. We will just have to satisfy ourselves with ads like No Moo.

oh. yeah.
This is a company I've bought soy curls and whole grains, and other things from,that is all plant based--
 
One of the things I've been thinking about for a while is that plant based meat companies and plant based dairy companies should break away from making things that taste like beef, or chicken, milk or eggs and just make things that taste better than those things. or just taste good.

also I tend to flash back to that scene in the second Matrix movie where the guys get into an Aesthetics based discussion on what chicken tastes like.
Why does everything taste like chicken?
How would you know what chicken tastes like?

But I never expected this.

 
I am of the opinion that flesh itself, no matter the animal, has little to no taste. Very few people, other than those lost in the woods with a lighter and bow and arrow, cook anything without dousing it in butter, spices, etc. That's why I love our way of eating as we still get all the amazing taste and none of the hurt. Fish/some seafood may be the exception but even lobster without butter is tasteless, crab is sweeter.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
 
What was the name of the movie where there is a scene of a banquet where all the dishes are made from endangered species?

Endangered species meats or even extinct species meats - I think this company maybe onto something.

 
  • Wow
Reactions: HappyRoxy
What was the name of the movie where there is a scene of a banquet where all the dishes are made from endangered species?

Endangered species meats or even extinct species meats - I think this company maybe onto something.



There is a scene from The Freshman, with Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick, where wealthy diners pay huge sums to eat a meal of an almost extinct animal or fish. They bring it out to show them, and supposedly take it back to butcher it. They then ship the animal to breeding facility, and give all the wealthy people people some tilapia, because nobody would know what the animal tasted like.
 
There is a scene from The Freshman,
That sounds about right but I don't think I've seen it. I am going to put it on my list. I'm thinking maybe this happened in an Ace Ventura movie.

But... yeah... As far as most people know, California Condor tastes like chicken.

Hmm. maybe I can work this into idea into the 4th of July bbq. I could grill up the PB sausage I was planning to bring but tell everyone its PB dinosaur sausage.

I remember that Colleen Patrick Goudreaux would read a story about goat's milk but substitute the word hyena for goat. People would react with disgust and then she would admit to what she did and then ask why is hyena milk more disgusting that goat's milk. Then extrapolate to cows.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Emma JC

There is a lot of data and analysis is this article. And mostly fuzzy conclusions. I think they Must be over-analyzing this.
I mean isn't it just obvious or just common sense that for every plant based burger sold that is one less beef patty sold?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Emma JC
I am of the opinion that flesh itself, no matter the animal, has little to no taste. Very few people, other than those lost in the woods with a lighter and bow and arrow, cook anything without dousing it in butter, spices, etc. That's why I love our way of eating as we still get all the amazing taste and none of the hurt. Fish/some seafood may be the exception but even lobster without butter is tasteless, crab is sweeter.

Emma JC
Find your vegan soulmate or just a friend. www.spiritualmatchmaking.com
Well... I have often wondered why people use things like barbecue seasoning on meat, because when I ate meat, I actually liked the taste of it by itself. This might strike some of you as gross:...
I actually liked the taste of uncooked hamburger (or ground beef) in my pre-vegetarian days, although I didn't eat it very often. I wasn't thinking about the risk of things like salmonella- I never got it, but I could have.

But then, I never was a fussy eater. about the only things I didn't like were: baked ham (sliced boiled ham from a deli in a sandwich was OK); cube steak (too tough and not very juicy); cream-style canned corn; and canned beets. Still, I ate them when Mom made them- I just didn't ask for seconds.

It's been so long since I had meat, I'm not 100% sure my memory of it is accurate- but the veggie burgers I've had have been quite satisfying, and close enough to the "real thing" for me.