Fry's Vegetarian Foods

[monsterbeans]

Hey hey hey, has anyone tried any foods from this range:
Fry's Vegetarian (http://www.beanieshealthfoods.co.uk/frysrange.php)

I'm not sure how widespread they are, but I'm particularly interested in the 'chicken strips' as I am cutting out eggs in my diet, apart from ones from hens kept in my mate's back gardens, which rules out Quorn. Vegan mince is easy enough, as are sausages. I've tried the Real Eat 'chicken' but wasn't keen.

So does anyone recommend/diss the Fry's range? Thanks guys :D

[isowish]

I've tried the 'traditional' burgers, 'spiced' burgers, 'chicken style' burgers, schnitzel and 'traditional' sausage. I don't think I've had the chicken strips. I wasn't keen on the sausages, they had a playdoughy type texture, but I really liked the rest. The spicy burgers are my favourite 'meat' style veggieburgers ever! Unfortunately I seem to only be able to find the normal burgers now.

[Paradox]

I've tried nearly the entire range and I love every bit of it, I just wish it was a bit cheaper and easier to get hold of. The Polony, hot dogs and spiced burgers are especially good. The burgers are great for BBQ'ing. The traditional sausages are not quite as good as the hot dogs imho but still very nice.

[bluesand]

We have them , well some , downunder .

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=104969

[Earthling]

I thought this might be the company that makes these vegan chocolate bars (http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews55075.html) in the UK, which are delicious, but apparently not.

[Hekaterine]

I've been looking at Fry's products in Holland and Barrett so will prob give them a try now.

Worzel Gummidge, the Fry's chocolate cream is gorgeous isn't it? And on sale in most shops which is great if I have a sudden choc urge.

[Earthling]

I like the chocolate cream but find it a bit too sweet, the orange one is perfect for me :D

[Hekaterine]

I saw the orange one today and nearly got one!

[Paradox]

Those are made by Cadburys

[Hekaterine]

Those are made by Cadburys

I didn't know that! Do Cadbury's own Fry's then?

[Earthling]

They were initially made by J Fry and sons (or something similar) but are now made by Cadbury's. I don't think J Fry is the same company as the one mentioned above, but it could be.

[Hekaterine]

I've done a Google search and seen them described as Cadbury Fry so I'm assuming they're owned by Cadbury but still branded as Fry (bit like Green and Black).

[Paradox]

I don't think it's even really a seperate company anymore, just different branding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry's_Chocolate_Cream

[MrFalafel]

My omini teenage nephew who says all veggie food is 'disgusting' gladly wolfs down the Frys Schnitzels and even asks his mum to buy them for home. He says they are better than real chicken!

The hotdogs are top notch but the burgers and sausages are a bit different. All in all, I will try anything from Frys.

[derwenna]

I like Fry's products :hungry: I usually get the sausages but I like a lot of the other products too (sampled most of them on their stall at Bristol Vegan Fayre...).

[honeyfugle]

Fry's products are lovely. Everything I've tried in their range has been just awesome. The first time I came across them was a couple of years ago at a vegan convention (I dragged my dad along with me too to see if i could sway him), he tried some of their samples and declared them better than real meat, and for a while was actually considering ditching meat for Fry's....

[monsterbeans]

Thanks for all the good reviews and thought guys. Whilst I was at work, my Dad spoke to my local independant health-shop people and although I don't think they are fussed too much about veggie/vegan food (they all come across the road to where I work for cheap sausage rolls and chicken pasta salads :/) he said they had a catalogue that so long as you paid in advance, you could order stuff and it had Fry's...so yay! No more quorn for me.

I have a polony of theirs in the freezer I found in H&B...just need to defrost it, I've heard good things!

[monsterbeans]

OK, so I have tried 4 Fry's products so far:

Polony: 1 word...amazing. My meat eating dad (who only eats organic meat, so slicing sausage is hard to come by) puts it on his salads he takes to the factory. I have it in sandwhiches and on top of oven baked enchiladas (baking it for too long on something like a pizza makes it hideous though...its a fine line). Yum. Everyone who comes round to my house, I make them try some!

Chicken strips (the ones I asked about): These are very nice. I've had them in curry and a hot sandwhich so far. They are nothing like Quorn. They have a much softer texture and less distinctive taste. I don't know if Quorn or Fry's chicken is more like 'real' chicken, though my boyfriend (who has a much more recent meat memory, haha) says Quorn is more authentic.
Though based on the ingredients, I'm a Fry's chicken convert, and they are very tasty anyway.

Vienna hotdogs: I bought these to reduce my craving for Taifun tofu weiners (basically the best food ever invented, but unfortunately Waitrose, the only place that sells them is right on the other side of lincoln). these are cheaper than Taifun, though the smokey taste is a bit overpowering for other flavours. Taifun is milder, but the Fry's ones are nicer for very spicy dishes and when I've run out of Taifun.

Schnitzel: I think I would like these better if I cooked them properly. I bought them in a pinch to eat at a friends house and the only way available o cook tem quickly was to toast them, and eat in Kingsmill bread (BARF) with HP BBQ sauce and ketchup. Not good. But I bet they are nice cooked properly. Luckily I still have three left.

So yeah, big thumbs up for Fry's from me. But then again I have liked nearly every 'fake meat' product I have ever tried, possibly because before I became vegetarian when I was a kid I had only tried roast chicken, fish fingers and sausages. I have no idea what pork, beef, tuna or bacon taste like!

[Hekaterine]

I had the scnitzel for tea tonight and I must say I am totally hooked!

I have the polony happily defrosting now and looking forward to having it in a big white bread butty tomorrow with tomato sauce *slavers*

[IamJen]

FWIW, Fry's chocolates and Fry's vegetarian = 2 separate companies.

Chocolate people:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._S._Fry_&_Sons

Veg heads:
http://www.frys-special.com/about-us/

[Paradox]

FWIW, Fry's chocolates and Fry's vegetarian = 2 separate companies.


I already mentioned it earlier in the thread, Fry's chocolate = Cadburys

[IamJen]

I don't think it's even really a seperate company anymore, just different branding.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fry's_Chocolate_Cream
It was a bit unclear to me, whether you were referring just to the chocolatiers, or to the Fry's of fake-meat fame, but I see what you mean.

[BlackVelvet]

My fave are their traditional burgers.