Meat industry, especially the commercial one, is without a doubt a great contributor to carbon dioxide emission. And if you’re an animal lover, you can’t stand how animals are treated just to feed people. A good solution for both problems is either going vegetarian or full vegan.
Moreover, there are also people who are not actually vegetarian or vegan, but their body can’t take some conventional food like dairy, for instance. And they can’t help but include a lot of plant-based diet in their daily lives.
Now, if you’re not everything mentioned above and you’re simply curious about how meat alternatives taste like, here are some brands that you should give a try.
1. Tofurky Deli Slices
When you’re used to eating real meat, there are times when you miss the real thing like hot deli sandwiches or cold cuts of turkey. If you’re only starting to go meatless (or if you just want to try things out), get Tofurky Deli Slices.
This product is made from smoked wheat gluten and it has several varieties like Philly cheesesteak and cranberry flavor. It goes very well in gravy and mashed potatoes like real turkey slices. Meat eaters love this so you know it’ll taste great.
2. Annie’s Homegrown
If you’re an avid fan of mac and cheese (or any dairy-based cheese), you’ll find that this tastes very close to the real one. The shells are made from organic wheat and the cheese sauce is deliciously creamy thanks to the combo ingredients of pumpkin and sweet potatoes.
Of course, it’s less rich and gooey in texture as well as flavor, but a lot of Amazon reviewers said that the vegan mac and cheese have restored their faith in vegan brands. Additionally, it has no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, so this is not only a great alternative, but also beneficial for your health.
Read also: Lunch Time is Great, but Eco-Friendly Lunch Habits Will Make It Greater
3. Abbot’s Butcher Chorizo
Undoubtedly, there are countless of vegan chorizo that you can find on the market. However, the one that can satisfy the bellies of both vegans and meat eaters is The Abbot’s Butcher. The texture is very similar to the pork-based counterpart and the spicy grounds are enough to give a bang without being overpowering.
Also, the taste is savory but not greasy or oily like meat-based chorizos. What’s unfortunate about this brand is that the products are only available in southern California. However, the brand is working to expand its distribution in the future. If you really can’t wait to try, though, there’s always shopping sites on the internet.
4. Morningstar Farms Patties
When you look at the packaging you must be wondering if the patties are actually good. Well, they are. The original flavor is already good, but if you want to spice things up, you can always get the other varieties like the maple-flavored ones. These patties are great as a side tofu scramble or plain for a quick, high-protein breakfast.
It’s not hard to find Morningstar Farms’ products. You can find the frozen, chewy, vegetarian sausage patties in most supermarkets like Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods (if you live somewhere else, you’ll find similar supermarkets that sell these).
Read also: Maybe There Is Not Enough Fresh Food For All Of Us
5. Vegan Seastar
https://www.instagram.com/p/Br9eRSrgIuR/
Now, vegans or vegetarians can rarely find a great alternative for sushi. Most have to settle on lackluster, plant-based rolls that doesn’t contain fish, so they can’t experience other ingredients, textures, and how it feels to eat fish-free sashimi that looks and feels/taste like real tuna or salmon.
A new brand called Vegan Seastar saw this problem and they’ve created a product that solves it. Together with Amsterdam’s Vegan Junk Food Bar and food marketer Vegan XL, Vegan Seastar made an entirely plant-based sashimi alternative that has highly realistic look, taste, and texture comparable to real, raw fish.
Similar to fake crab meat, the fish-less sashimi is made from a base of tapioca starch and seaweed glucose to help create a fishy flavor. At Vegan Junk Food Bar, this fake but realistic sashimi is served with wasabi and pickled ginger. Very nice.
6. Beyond Sausage
People who live in the UK and Europe may find it hard to get Beyond Sausage in the stores. But don’t fret, because there are lots of vegetarian sausages available like VBites. The brand distributes a wide range of vegan, delicious, and juicy meats to stores across Europe and the UK, so even though you can’t taste Beyond Sausage yet, you can still get the delish stuff!
Read also: 12 Healthy or Eco-Friendly Recipes You Should Try for This Holiday
7. Just Egg
Even though when you first look at it, the product looks more like a mayonnaise, this one is actually a vegan egg. The way you cook it is just like how you cook beaten (real) egg; pour onto a pan and make an omelet or simply scramble it. If you like, you can also make French toast, fried rice, whatever egg version that you prefer.
The moment you take a bite, you won’t even notice that this “egg” is made from mung beans and turmeric (which gives it the golden yellow color). Aside of being vegan, Just Egg is also cholesterol and saturated fat free, which is great for your health.
And not just that, Just Egg benefits the environment as well. The brand’s product development director said that this product “requires fewer carbon emissions and is anticipated to save at least 65 percent more water than conventional egg products.”
Moreover, Just Egg is also available on Jet.com. This means that you don’t have to search and find this product at every health-food store and you won’t need to go somewhere far just to get it. If you live near Veggie Grill, you can get this egg in the vegan chain’s newly-added breakfast burrito. But if you live somewhere else, this fake egg will impress you nonetheless.
8. Violife Just Like Smoked Provolone Vegan Cheese
Are you currently in need of vegan cheese with a rich and smoky taste for your homemade pizza or calzones? Smoked Provolone from Violife is the one you should be looking for. The cheese is made from a base of coconut oil, rice flour, as well as rice and potato starches but the texture is stretchy and melty like real, dairy-based cheese. It’s a great provolone alternative.
You can also add this vegan cheese to toasted sandwiches, vegan/vegetarian burger patty, and many more food. Whatever you choose, your tongue and other people’s tongues will be pleased by this product.
Which product that you most recommend as a vegetarian or vegan? Or if you’re a meat eater, have you ever tasted one of the products above? Tell us in the comments below. Don’t forget to read a related article here!
Source(s)
https://vegconomist.com/hot-off-the-vegan-press/vegan-seafood-makes-big-waves/
https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegan-seastar
https://www.bestproducts.com/eats/food/g2842/best-vegan-dairy-free-cheese-brands/
https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/best-fake-meat-vegetarian-substitutes
There’s a new vegan egg on the scene—and it tastes *just* as real as it looks
https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-vegetarian-meats-and-substitutes-3377742
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