How do you view veggie meats? Do you view it as a long term staple in your diet or do you view it as transition food that has a temporary place in your diet?

i can't really vote either - i definetly don't think it's only a transition thing, but i don't eat as much of them anymore as i did for the first months of vegetarianism. i've been vegetarian for two years and i'm on and off with fake meats - i won't eat them at all for weeks but then i'll get back to them and will have a few kinds in the fridge at the same time. so i can't call it a staple either.

I was a veggie for 5 years and have been vegan for the last 2 years and I still take advantage of the fake meat products on the market. It's not a matter of missing meat, it's about varied foods and eating things that I think taste good that still fall into a compassionate diet.

I think it's a bummer that some individuals look down on people that eat these products. What does it matter what shape the tofu, wheat gluten or TVP is in? It's still cruelty-free and that's what matters.

I don't think of them as a transition food but I also don't think of them as a staple either. I'm not a huge fan of the luncheon "meats" but I do like the strips in stirfrys. That being said, I could easily do without them. I consider them just another ingredient to add if I choose to do so.

I hate the word "meat" for vegetarian food.

Meat is murder. So why use a word that is tainted with such a disgusting habit as eating dead corpses.

Vegetarian food is vegetarian food. Nothing to do with meat.

If it was CALLED what it was, the question would not even arise as to whether it's transitional or not. It would be recognised for what it is: good vegetarian food. Punkt. And good vegetarian food has nothing to do with dead corpses which is what meat is.

Or, if one REALLY wants to call it meat, then why not call it "fake dead corpse"?

"Hey Billy!! There's a great new fake-dead-corpse product come out today. You've got to try it. It tastes JUST like a dead baby lamb. It is just AWESOME, man!!!!"

I hate the word "meat" for vegetarian food.

Meat is murder. So why use a word that is tainted with such a disgusting habit as eating dead corpses.

Vegetarian food is vegetarian food. Nothing to do with meat.

If it was CALLED what it was, the question would not even arise as to whether it's transitional or not. It would be recognised for what it is: good vegetarian food. Punkt. And good vegetarian food has nothing to do with dead corpses which is what meat is.

Or, if one REALLY wants to call it meat, then why not call it "fake dead corpse"?

"Hey Billy!! There's a great new fake-dead-corpse product come out today. You've got to try it. It tastes JUST like a dead baby lamb. It is just AWESOME, man!!!!"

if it's made to immitate the dead corpse the else would you want them to call it ?
and this is exactly the kind of attitude that gives us a bad name. please be reasonable. you can't escape the fact that we're omnivores by nature and enjoy the taste of nicely cooked flesh ... haha :)

and this is exactly the kind of attitude that gives us a bad name.

That is the least of my concerns.

I'm not concerned about humans (no, don't get me wrong, I'm no a human hater - I love human beings just as I love animals). What I mean is that humans are able to look after themselves. I'm more concerned about the exploitation of animals because they CANNOT look after themselves.

I really really really hate calling veggie food anything to do with dead corpses. It really really really pisses me off.

I think it's replacing too much of one thing (meat) with another thing (soy).

Anyway.

I rarely eat veggie products. I did the first few months I transitioned but then realized just how unhealthy most were anyway (ie- fake chicken nuggets, spicy "chicken" patties, etc).

But I am human...I still get a taste for things I used to eat. Just today at Whole Foods I picked up some Lightlife Smart Dogs and some whole wheat buns. During the summer I'll use them for cookouts. I also buy the meatless crumbles once in a while for tacos.

meat ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mt)
n.
The edible flesh of animals, especially that of mammals as opposed to that of fish or poultry.
The edible part, as of a piece of fruit or a nut.
The essence, substance, or gist: the meat of the editorial.
Slang. Something that one enjoys or excels in; a forte: Tennis is his meat.
Nourishment; food: “Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink” (Edna St. Vincent Millay).
Vulgar Slang.
The human body regarded as an object of sexual desire.
The genitals.

Meat doesn't necessarily mean animal flesh. I usually refer to Tofurky and the like, as veggie meat, not fake meat.

Staple.

I really love the taste of tofu (even raw!) But i cant imagine not having meat substitutes. Sure i can have a grilled portabello mushroom when my family has steak but i dont think i would 'fit in' with a block of tofu half the time. I know its funny but it just feels good to eat what everyone else is eating. Plus, substitutes are quick, easy, and starting to taste better (new morningstar meal starters for example)

[QUOTE=Diana]That is the least of my concerns.
QUOTE]

haha didn't seem like it was

and i'm sorry it pisses you off but all we're doing is calling things their real names.

meat ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mt)
n.
The edible flesh of animals, especially that of mammals as opposed to that of fish or poultry.
The edible part, as of a piece of fruit or a nut.
The essence, substance, or gist: the meat of the editorial.
Slang. Something that one enjoys or excels in; a forte: Tennis is his meat.
Nourishment; food: “Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink” (Edna St. Vincent Millay).
Vulgar Slang.
The human body regarded as an object of sexual desire.
The genitals.

Meat doesn't necessarily mean animal flesh. I usually refer to Tofurky and the like, as veggie meat, not fake meat.

LOL! Are you suggesting that they call fake-meat "fake genitals!" (That's the last definition).

I know that "meat" can mean the edible part of a nut or fruit. But quite frankly, how many people think of that when they hear the word "meat"? Nope, the word "meat" in veggie-food refers to dead corpses. There's not getting around that.

I really have nothing against these foods (although I have never tasted them myself as we do not get them where I live). It's just the word I find utterly distasteful and inelegant and it doesn't make SENSE.

I really really really hate calling veggie food anything to do with dead corpses. It really really really pisses me off.

Well if calling it veggie meat helps meat eaters stop eating animals then the program works. The goal is to get folks from eating animals and if semantics works then why knock it? What is important is that there is not dead animals in the product. Call it fake chicken, fake ribs, fake buffalo wings, fake turkey, fake ham, fake whatever (and the fake stuff is goood :sunny: ). The point is the help people get off feeding themselves animals, get them them on a non-animal based diet so they are healthier and realize that going to the hopsital with all kinds of ailments is NOT natural.

As for me since most veggie meats have eggs in them I only eat vegan burgers. But not a whole lot.

Does it work?

Or does it only attract vegetarians?

I would be really curious to know.

Here, we have some "fake meat" but not at ALL to the extent you guys do in the States. It's not called "meat" and it doesn't pretend to be "meat". And a lot of non-vegetarians buy it. They are just curious to see a new product on the market and want to try it.

In fact, I would think it would put them off to buy something that is "fake". Why buy fake stuff when you can have the real thing?

I don't want a fake apple. I want a REAL apple.

Does it work?

Or does it only attract vegetarians?



It works. Meat eaters like it because it is not as heavy as real meat. They like it as a way to add variety to their meals. So each time they eat a veggie burger that is one less meal made up of a dead cow. I have a friend whose husband is trying to become a vegetarian and the veggie meats helps him. He's not a vegetarian yet but he eats less and less animals because of the veggie meats. And that's the whole point.

Question what would you call a veggie chicken patti if you wanted to get rid of the word chicken yet still market it?

My grandparents use veggie ground round and soy cheeses out of concern for their health. They like the fact that it tastes like meat and cheese. THey are not vegetarians, but every time they make a non animal choice, they are reducing suffering and increasing their health!

Plus... I get to enjoy the cabbage rolls my grandma makes once again! :up:

My grandparents use veggie ground round and soy cheeses out of concern for their health. They like the fact that it tastes like meat and cheese. THey are not vegetarians, but every time they make a non animal choice, they are reducing suffering and increasing their health!

Plus... I get to enjoy the cabbage rolls my grandma makes once again! :up:


yes, both my parents and inlaws use veggie products sometimes for health reasons, too...they are far from vegetarian and you won't find them buying/preparing a block of tufu, but they always have some boca in the freezer....

If I liked them a bit better, they would be a bit more commonly used, I think. As it is, they were a great transitional tool for me and that's about it.

Still, I wouldn't look down on anyone who uses them. I get a bit jealous over the things some people can find (like fakin' steak strips :brood: ), but I don't look down on those people at all.

I don't really use them as a trasition food or a staple. I eat fake meats occasionally because they are quick and convenient to prepare, as well as being delicious.

neither. i eat them out of convenience, or when i want to add something to a sandwich or whatever, but not as a staple.

I don't think of meat analog products as a transitional food at all. I think of them as a way to expand and add variety to a vegetarian diet. When I went veg it was months before I even got around to trying any of the meat analog products. Not that my diet was monotonous, but more variety is always better in my book. Now I have certain products that are regulars, but I have by no means simply replaced the real meat with fake "meat."

I'm also of two minds about calling it meat-- in fact, I'm of two minds about the very existence of vegetarian products that mimic dead flesh. Yes, I know they are very helpful to people who, like me, grew up eating certain things and are accustomed to those tastes and textures, but that doesn't make me entirely comfortable with the concept of eating something that's designed to resemble the very thing we abhor. That's why I like foods like tofu, tempeh, and seitan. They aren't designed to actually mimic dead flesh-- they're just good foods in their own right, without reference to dead animals. Plus, they're less heavily processed than all those riblet and hot dog thingies.

i definitely don't eat them as much as i used to. when i was in college, eating at the dining hall, they were pretty much what kept me alive. now i use them more as a convenience food and i keep some in the freezer for an emergency meal when i've forgotten to go to the grocery. i also find them useful for the family gatherings around holidays and whatnot, because my family wants me to "feel included" in the meal that they are all enjoying. mostly, though, i like the challenge of discovering new and exciting foods, not trying to replicate the SAD with vegan substitutes. like a few of you, i don't enjoy the luncheon meats at all, but the burgers, sausages and chik n strips are all pretty good.

I've only been vegetarian for just over 4 months. I don't view veggie "meats" as staples but they are more than transitional for me. I am really enjoying my vegetarian way of eating. The analogs are just part of my varied diet. :-/

i only eat meat substitues every once in awhile, i dont necessarly consider them a staple item, or a transitional item. I didn't feel the need to use them when i was transitioning from omni to veggie, but i think they are good for variety.