I'm fine with fake meat for other people, but not for myself. I hunt and fish to put the real thing on my plate. I eat as much as I want of it (which is a LOT) and have labs that make my doctor's eyes pops when she sees them. In other words, I'm in insanely good health by any standards, not just for a 56-year-old American woman (cholesterol, weight, blood pressure, etc).
My biggest concern about many fake meat products is that from what I've seen, they are just one more ultra-processed food, and research is telling us ultra-processed foods are the enemy. I've eaten an Impossible Burger and it was tasty, but it lacked that je sais quoi (meat), and I know it required a lot of engineering to make it appeal to the taste buds that crave meat and burgers.
I do see where you're coming from and have no moral objection to your aims, your rationale, your passion for innovation, or your relationship with Tindle. But what I really wish is that if people wanted to eat less meat, that they could learn to love the incredible non-meat food items available to them. I often have meat-free days by accident, because I love a ginormous salad from time to time, and there are a lot of mushroom-based dishes that kick ass and leave me craving nothing.
But I'm also proud to say that my meat consumption supports a healthy environment, funds the lion's share of wildlife habitat we have saved and are trying to restore, and keeps me healthy because I work hard when I hunt, especially.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue!
Thank you for giving this topic some of the attention that it deserves. As for myself, one of the major turn-offs of this entire push for plant-based foods is the branding. It is NOT "meat". If we could find better descriptors to use for these new products it would improve transparency for the consumer, and help to inform us about what we were really eating. We know what it is not, so please tell us what it IS when planning marketing and branding. Intelligent consumers usually like to be informed.
Read the nutritional labels for plant based meats - sodium is really high. 1 MorningStar burger has 400mg of sodium!!! JUST the plant burger - now add in the bun (another high sodium product) and toppings and you’ve got a sodium bomb.
As one who is in the field offering samples of various plant based foods to sample, (think, that person offering samples in your big box market), I have tried almost all of the plant based items I offer my customers. Some smell great when cooking, some look great when on the plate, but I have found ALL to have an "off" texture, or taste, or appearance. Yes, some more than others. I also have "discovered" that most are priced higher, so while it may be better for the environment, if a person cannot afford the newer product, it doesn't do any good to now force people to buy what they cannot afford. Yes, I am a confirmed "meat eater, BUT, I am also a "nose to tail" proponent, whereas I've learned many people will only eat that filet, or ribeye, and totally avoid the lesser parts.
I’ve read through the topic and comments. Tasty food discourse, thank you everybody. My idea of a meatless dish is probably something with black beans. Or gazpacho. Or a donut.
Working at food pantry/market, I am amazed at the pallets upon pallets of fresh produce we received with a "QA Rejected" label. It's tragic and borderline obscene. While I am grateful to distribute this our neighbors in need (over 1.1 million pounds in 2021), the overproduction of food not even making it to tables is ridiculous.
There's a big difference between eating organic plant-based food and eating processed food made from gmo non-organic wheat gluten and soy. The clearing of fields to grow these products kills thousands upon thousands of animals. The ground is then tilled and destroyed while using pesticides to grow the product. That final product is most certainly not healthier nor tastier than meat. Nor is it better for the enivronment than pastured ruminants.
I believe your statistics are correct. My wife and I have been making 'chili' using Lightlife 'meat' for the last 3 years. I have also used it in my special egg dish that I call 'Rick's Special' rather than the 'Joe's Special' I found and loved in the San Francisco area. Over the next year I plan on using more of their products as well as trying out other suppliers.
Although I live in Florida today, I spent decades in Texas and am also a real 'meat' afficionado.
Good day Sir. I get you believe me I do. As someone who has IBS and for non "normal" reasons among them cow milk products but not sheep or goat. I'm not gluten sensitive but members of my family are. I get it. But and its a big but plant based meats rings hypocritical to me. We need to change our view point not gloss it over. The western view that a meal without "meat" isn't a true meal has to go away. I could go on but I hope you got my drift as I got yours.
Mar 22, 2022·edited Mar 22, 2022Liked by Andrew Zimmern
Andrew, the sentiment is good but there are some elephants in the room we aren't talking about. #1 I have tried a few meat substitutes (not the chicken one) and while they are a work in progress the ones I have tried that most simulate the taste/feel are crammed full of other things i.e. sugar etc that make them just as "unhealthy" as meat. Full admit to not being widely educated and I am willing to learn. #2 is the background issue with many related issues - people, the amount of us. If our population keeps growing it won't matter how our food is sourced.
Also, assuming you need to replace the protein derived from meat/fish you are going to have to dedicate much more arable land to plant production and figure out how to make crops available year-round. You can't just replace meat with crops in most locations as much of the land used to grow meat doesn't readily lend itself to crops.
All this and I haven't gotten to fish farming and overfishing our oceans which is a more immediate problem than our land based issues.
I'm a food demonstrator..... a "sample lady" in Chicago. I have a lot of information to read and transfer into knowledge for the store shopper and I have cooked many, many varieties of plant based meat. I really appreciate your article, Andrew. I have heard every argument you have included here a hundred times. I think the thoughtful consumer is starting to feel like the grocery store is a gauntlet to be run... every week a new kind of meat, milk, or "dupe" food and it's dizzying. I encourage people to just start to try to lessen their meat consumption with the idea to start with their usual roster of recipes and start to sub with wherever your comfort zone can take you. (Start with nixing ground beef first....it's the easiest. Use plant based meat or beans...or both) )
We met you in Austin at the Future of Food panel event. Your interview was the best thing we saw all week for SXSW. We are Austinites, foodies, and true fans. We also tried the Tindle hot "chicken " sandwich and was blown away. So flavorful! We sampled cricket and mealworm dishes. The banana cricket bread was to-die for! Thank you for opening our eyes to the non-meat possibilities. And a huge thank you for the 2 selfies photos. You made our week!
I'm fine with fake meat for other people, but not for myself. I hunt and fish to put the real thing on my plate. I eat as much as I want of it (which is a LOT) and have labs that make my doctor's eyes pops when she sees them. In other words, I'm in insanely good health by any standards, not just for a 56-year-old American woman (cholesterol, weight, blood pressure, etc).
My biggest concern about many fake meat products is that from what I've seen, they are just one more ultra-processed food, and research is telling us ultra-processed foods are the enemy. I've eaten an Impossible Burger and it was tasty, but it lacked that je sais quoi (meat), and I know it required a lot of engineering to make it appeal to the taste buds that crave meat and burgers.
I do see where you're coming from and have no moral objection to your aims, your rationale, your passion for innovation, or your relationship with Tindle. But what I really wish is that if people wanted to eat less meat, that they could learn to love the incredible non-meat food items available to them. I often have meat-free days by accident, because I love a ginormous salad from time to time, and there are a lot of mushroom-based dishes that kick ass and leave me craving nothing.
But I'm also proud to say that my meat consumption supports a healthy environment, funds the lion's share of wildlife habitat we have saved and are trying to restore, and keeps me healthy because I work hard when I hunt, especially.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue!
BTW - the plant based chicken you represent is not too high in sodium. Good news!
Thank you for giving this topic some of the attention that it deserves. As for myself, one of the major turn-offs of this entire push for plant-based foods is the branding. It is NOT "meat". If we could find better descriptors to use for these new products it would improve transparency for the consumer, and help to inform us about what we were really eating. We know what it is not, so please tell us what it IS when planning marketing and branding. Intelligent consumers usually like to be informed.
Read the nutritional labels for plant based meats - sodium is really high. 1 MorningStar burger has 400mg of sodium!!! JUST the plant burger - now add in the bun (another high sodium product) and toppings and you’ve got a sodium bomb.
As one who is in the field offering samples of various plant based foods to sample, (think, that person offering samples in your big box market), I have tried almost all of the plant based items I offer my customers. Some smell great when cooking, some look great when on the plate, but I have found ALL to have an "off" texture, or taste, or appearance. Yes, some more than others. I also have "discovered" that most are priced higher, so while it may be better for the environment, if a person cannot afford the newer product, it doesn't do any good to now force people to buy what they cannot afford. Yes, I am a confirmed "meat eater, BUT, I am also a "nose to tail" proponent, whereas I've learned many people will only eat that filet, or ribeye, and totally avoid the lesser parts.
I’ve read through the topic and comments. Tasty food discourse, thank you everybody. My idea of a meatless dish is probably something with black beans. Or gazpacho. Or a donut.
Working at food pantry/market, I am amazed at the pallets upon pallets of fresh produce we received with a "QA Rejected" label. It's tragic and borderline obscene. While I am grateful to distribute this our neighbors in need (over 1.1 million pounds in 2021), the overproduction of food not even making it to tables is ridiculous.
There's a big difference between eating organic plant-based food and eating processed food made from gmo non-organic wheat gluten and soy. The clearing of fields to grow these products kills thousands upon thousands of animals. The ground is then tilled and destroyed while using pesticides to grow the product. That final product is most certainly not healthier nor tastier than meat. Nor is it better for the enivronment than pastured ruminants.
I believe your statistics are correct. My wife and I have been making 'chili' using Lightlife 'meat' for the last 3 years. I have also used it in my special egg dish that I call 'Rick's Special' rather than the 'Joe's Special' I found and loved in the San Francisco area. Over the next year I plan on using more of their products as well as trying out other suppliers.
Although I live in Florida today, I spent decades in Texas and am also a real 'meat' afficionado.
I changed my diet to try to follow Bittman’s VB6 diet.
Good day Sir. I get you believe me I do. As someone who has IBS and for non "normal" reasons among them cow milk products but not sheep or goat. I'm not gluten sensitive but members of my family are. I get it. But and its a big but plant based meats rings hypocritical to me. We need to change our view point not gloss it over. The western view that a meal without "meat" isn't a true meal has to go away. I could go on but I hope you got my drift as I got yours.
Andrew, the sentiment is good but there are some elephants in the room we aren't talking about. #1 I have tried a few meat substitutes (not the chicken one) and while they are a work in progress the ones I have tried that most simulate the taste/feel are crammed full of other things i.e. sugar etc that make them just as "unhealthy" as meat. Full admit to not being widely educated and I am willing to learn. #2 is the background issue with many related issues - people, the amount of us. If our population keeps growing it won't matter how our food is sourced.
Also, assuming you need to replace the protein derived from meat/fish you are going to have to dedicate much more arable land to plant production and figure out how to make crops available year-round. You can't just replace meat with crops in most locations as much of the land used to grow meat doesn't readily lend itself to crops.
All this and I haven't gotten to fish farming and overfishing our oceans which is a more immediate problem than our land based issues.
Truly a global crisis. We can all do better to help this glorious universe we call home.
I'm a food demonstrator..... a "sample lady" in Chicago. I have a lot of information to read and transfer into knowledge for the store shopper and I have cooked many, many varieties of plant based meat. I really appreciate your article, Andrew. I have heard every argument you have included here a hundred times. I think the thoughtful consumer is starting to feel like the grocery store is a gauntlet to be run... every week a new kind of meat, milk, or "dupe" food and it's dizzying. I encourage people to just start to try to lessen their meat consumption with the idea to start with their usual roster of recipes and start to sub with wherever your comfort zone can take you. (Start with nixing ground beef first....it's the easiest. Use plant based meat or beans...or both) )
If I could replace meat with chocolate, I'd do it. But, I'm diabetic, so that is not an option. The meat (real meat, not plant stuff) stays.
We met you in Austin at the Future of Food panel event. Your interview was the best thing we saw all week for SXSW. We are Austinites, foodies, and true fans. We also tried the Tindle hot "chicken " sandwich and was blown away. So flavorful! We sampled cricket and mealworm dishes. The banana cricket bread was to-die for! Thank you for opening our eyes to the non-meat possibilities. And a huge thank you for the 2 selfies photos. You made our week!