Vegetarian Paranoia Rant:

[mucifer]

Does anyone else feel kinda weird about the fake meats? I've been a vegetarian for over 30 years and I never liked the fake chicken or fake beef. I'd rather have a tofu burger or black bean burger.
The other stuff kinda makes me feel like I could be eating soylent green.

Anyone else feel like that?

[Kalidurga]

1. Oh thank you so much I was just thinking about this...

I am a new vegetarian. I just had a vegetarian burger, not the black bean kind and it really felt like eating real meat. Kind of makes me a bit paranoid. I am ok with that though, I don't think it's wrong. But, that feeling. I thought I might be the only one. It's kind of like those diet drinks, some are so close I get paranoid about real sugar being in them, that's when I get a fountain diet soda. Any way I like the fake stuff, I think it will keep me from falling off the wagon.

[Lint Head]

2. I'm not vegetarian but I don't understand why someone would stop eating meat then feel a need to

eat something that is fake meat. It would be like someone who stopped eating vegetables and then had to have fake vegetables made out of meat. ??

[mucifer]

3. Most vegetarians do it for either health or animal rights reasons not because we don't like the

taste of meat.

[LiberalElite]

5. I was raised eating meat at least 5 times a week and...

I eat "fake" meat like Morningstar Farms Grillers and breakfast sausage links because having been raised eating meat practically every day, it's simply familiar. Fake meat doesn't harm the environment like raising cattle for the real thing does. Also, there's no yucky blood, gristle or bones to deal with. There's no requirement that vegetarians HAVE to eat fake meat. If someone wants to eat it fine; if you don't, that's fine too. Whatever.
P.S.; Fake meat isn't just for vegetarians. It's for anyone who wants to cut down on meat consumption for whatever reason.

[Lint Head]

7. I understand. Enjoy the conversation . I also think it's fun to say the words 'fake meat'.

[ginnyinWI]

8. once in a while, for variety's sake

Just like a regular meat eater would have a vegetarian meal now and then.

Most of us like the taste, just not the health/environment/animal suffering effects of eating meat. So we have a veggie hot dog or burger or something.

And you never have to wonder what part of the animal it got made out of!

[LeftyMom]

17. My motivation is an aversion to suffering, not to the taste or texture of meat.

If I can have delicious food (and I soooooo can, because I'm an awesome cook, if I do say so myself) in tastes and textures that work well with recipes I grew up with, and I don't have to reinvent the culinary wheel, why would I not?

[JackN415]

4. Nonthing wrong with it. But I don't even like real meat, much less fake.

[NV Whino]

6. The main problem with fake meats is the sodium content.

Read the label.

[freshwest]

9. Agreed. I've been focusing on what's clearly recognizable and not processed.

[WillParkinson]

10. It's not the meat that's the issue (for me)...

It's where the meat comes from. No creature should be made to suffer for my enjoyment. I like some meat analogs. They taste good, they have a nice texture. They work out well in pot pies. I like my BLT, knowing that no animal was harmed for me to have it.

[RebelOne]

11. I do not care for the fake meats.

The only fake meats I like are Morningstar sausages and BBQ ribs.

[flvegan]

12. Sorry, can't take the rant

of someone hating on "fake meat" but posting about what "burger" they'd rather have.

[mucifer]

13. That's why I called it a rant. It's my thoughts. When the food tastes too gristly with meat texture

it creeps me out. I know the texture of tofu and black beans. I've been a vegetarian for over thirty years. I was just wondering if others feel the same way I do. I guess you don't.

[flvegan]

15. Indeed. *censors self*

Indeed.

[Codeine]

14. Fake meat is awesome! Loves me some Hickory Tofurky deli slices.

Black bean patties and tofu are fantastic as well.

I just like to eat, really.

[CrispyQ]

20. Tofurky smoked deli slices! Yum!

I make one of my favorite past comfort foods with those wonderful slices - an open face tofurky-mashed potato-gravy sandwich! My second favorite past comfort food is biscuits & sausage gravy with Gimme Lean sausage.

On a daily basis I eat a lot of tofu, beans & rice, & baked sweet potatoes. But once every quarter or so I crave some comfort food from my past. These fill the bill.

[LeftyMom]

16. Nah. I get a little nervous about eating at strange places, but it's because of food allergies.

I haven't eaten animal products in a long time, but I would definitely know the difference, both because of texture and smell. I have an unusually acute sense of smell. It's handy though, I've set things aside because they smelled like cheese to me, and sure enough they were recalled for trace dairy contaminants a few days later. Considering my dairy allergy, being able to smell a tiny trace of dairy from badly cleaned equipment is a pretty handy low grade superpower.

[AmandaMae]

18. I do;

ever since once time my grandmother assured me I was eating vegan chicken nuggets, which I only found out later were real meat, I only eat fake meat if I've prepared it myself and have had a chance to double check the ingredients. That was a while ago and I would probably be able to tell the difference now, but it still freaks me out how realistic fake meat is now.

[Codeine]

19. That's extremely fucked-up.

I've had friends jokingly threaten to do that, but everyone knew they were playing. If somebody actually did something that cruel I'd have serious difficulty ever speaking to them again.

[CrispyQ]

21. I'm so sorry that happened to you & at the hands of a family member!

She would have had to been a very dear grandmother for me to continue much of a relationship with her & even then I think I would have raise some hell.

I often wonder if I would order a veggie hot dog at a ball park. What if they ran out? What if they got the hot dogs mixed up? Would I be able to tell? I don't know. I haven't eaten meat in decades. The fake stuff seems so real. Like you, I would always have nagging doubts.

Restaurants are problematic regardless. I feel like I'm playing 20 questions with the wait staff when I ask about the menu. Sometimes I can feel my dining companions getting antsy & uncomfortable. We hardly ever eat out. The local pizza shop makes a great vegan white sauce & we order pizza from there, but that's about it. Also, after watching shows like "Bar Rescue" I worry about the cleanliness of the kitchens. At the pizza shop we can see right into the kitchen.