Gardenburger and Boca burger patties (among others) have been available at certain establishments for some time and readily available at retail locations. I've had the Impossible Burger and Beyond...
Gardenburger and Boca burger patties (among others) have been available at certain establishments for some time and readily available at retail locations.
I've had the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat burgers a few times but, as someone who hasn't had a real burger in a few years, I find the texture a tad off-putting. Also, they're quite a bit more expensive than their forebearers. If they are truly more sustainable and able to get omnivores on board, more power to them, though.
like most starting technologies i doubt they'll end up the defining products of their fields, but they if nothing else have set a base with which other people can and will build off of, and if...
If they are truly more sustainable and able to get omnivores on board, more power to them, though.
like most starting technologies i doubt they'll end up the defining products of their fields, but they if nothing else have set a base with which other people can and will build off of, and if even if they're actually not sustainable, successor products based on their groundwork probably will be.
True, but as I was thinking, there are already established products that fill the same niche. But these are closer to actual meat in taste and texture, which is supposed to on-board omnivores into...
True, but as I was thinking, there are already established products that fill the same niche. But these are closer to actual meat in taste and texture, which is supposed to on-board omnivores into a vegetarian diet, right? Well, for that reason, it doesn't quite work for me and maybe other established vegans/vegetarians. BUT , still a good effort.
An aside: I never understood the subset of vegetarians/vegans that lamented the veggie burger (that emulated meat, at least). I think their view is that consuming food that emulates something out-of-bounds is turning your back on the ideology. But, sandwiches and hamburgers (and other initially-meat-based foods) are a damn convenient way to get in a meal in, so I never really saw the problem, even if meat is kind of emulated.
Also, soy chorizo is the shit. Just putting that out there. ... I think I'll make some chilaquiles with soy chorizo tomorrow morning..
Honestly, all I'm looking for in a meat replacement is a happy palette. If it tastes good and is sufficiently 'meaty' in texture that's all we really need, isn't it? I'd settle for the...
Honestly, all I'm looking for in a meat replacement is a happy palette. If it tastes good and is sufficiently 'meaty' in texture that's all we really need, isn't it? I'd settle for the meat-texture/flavor equivalent of a portabello burger, that's steak-like enough for me. I think the idea of introducing flavor while it's growing has possibilities. We might be able to 'top' the real thing.
If not, no worries, cultured meat is coming too. One way or another we'll be on the way to the elimination of animal husbandry.
Not necessarily. I think there's a decently sized market of people who enjoy the taste and texture of meat but want to be responsible, even if only occasionally. If they can manage to get the...
which is supposed to on-board omnivores into a vegetarian diet, right?
Not necessarily. I think there's a decently sized market of people who enjoy the taste and texture of meat but want to be responsible, even if only occasionally.
If they can manage to get the price below actual meat, on the other hand, they may be able to actually get people to buy it on price alone as a reasonable substitute for the price conscious.
Yeah, I was curious what the ingredients were after I tried one earlier today, so looked it up: And nothing in there strikes me as if it could potentially be more expensive than...
The Beyond Burger: pea protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, refined coconut oil, water, yeast extract, maltodextrin, natural flavors, gum arabic, sunflower oil, salt, succinic acid, acetic acid, non-GMO modified food starch, cellulose from bamboo, methylcellulose, potato starch, beet juice extract (for color), ascorbic acid (to maintain color), annatto extract (for color), citrus fruit extract (to maintain quality), vegetable glycerin. -Source
And nothing in there strikes me as if it could potentially be more expensive than raising/slaughtering cattle once the economy of scale kicks in on its production, and if anything, I imagine the price per patty of the Beyond Burger could eventually get to well below that of regular ground beef patties.
I wonder how, or even if, Impossible/Beyond plan to pivot to in vitro meat growth at some point. It seems there's little crossover from their current products to actual lab-grown beef. Is this a...
I wonder how, or even if, Impossible/Beyond plan to pivot to in vitro meat growth at some point. It seems there's little crossover from their current products to actual lab-grown beef. Is this a case of Uber/Lyft—first to pivot to self-driving wins?
I doubt they will or that they need to, since they've already got a formula that's competitive with the real deal, at production costs that I think will end up being far less than even a mature...
I doubt they will or that they need to, since they've already got a formula that's competitive with the real deal, at production costs that I think will end up being far less than even a mature clean meat growth process can achieve. I think in vitro meat is going to end up being a niche process for high end meat products, rather than being a source of cheap ground beef.
Possibly. But there's nice markups on restaurant-grade cuts of meat that probably represent quite a viable business model for these companies—if they can produce a similarly convincing product. It...
Possibly. But there's nice markups on restaurant-grade cuts of meat that probably represent quite a viable business model for these companies—if they can produce a similarly convincing product. It may not be a case of picking either one or the other, but I don't think the market will stay unfulfilled for long.
Oh for sure, I just don't think that's what beyond or impossible are going for, and I don't think there's going to be too much direct competition between the two approaches.
Oh for sure, I just don't think that's what beyond or impossible are going for, and I don't think there's going to be too much direct competition between the two approaches.
Right now lab grown meat is still insanely expensive ($50 for <ounce, is the cheapest I have seen recently) and IMO that's unlikely drop to comparable levels any time soon just because of the time...
Right now lab grown meat is still insanely expensive ($50 for <ounce, is the cheapest I have seen recently) and IMO that's unlikely drop to comparable levels any time soon just because of the time and effort involved in growing it. And TBH I don't know if the two are even really going to be competing products anyways. If a plant based product tasted comparable, I could see that winning out in the end (overall market wise), even if the price was the same as lab grown meat.
Yeah, most of that stuff is pretty common food additives, I wonder just how low the price can go. I can make a pretty tasty if obviously plant based black bean burger patty for about ten cents,...
Yeah, most of that stuff is pretty common food additives, I wonder just how low the price can go. I can make a pretty tasty if obviously plant based black bean burger patty for about ten cents, with no economies of scale or anything. I could definitely see plant burgers filling out the dollar menu a few years down the road.
Kind of offtopic, but I love me a good black bean burger too. My sister used to eat vegan/gluten-free and I cooked a lot for her so found a recipe for one using rice flour as the binder with...
Kind of offtopic, but I love me a good black bean burger too. My sister used to eat vegan/gluten-free and I cooked a lot for her so found a recipe for one using rice flour as the binder with walnuts and sauteed mushrooms in it... They are super delicious. :)
They are, kinda blows my mind that no big fast food chain's put them on the menu yet. You could probably have a $0.50 burger with solid margins. Wouldn't fool most people, but bean burgers taste...
They are, kinda blows my mind that no big fast food chain's put them on the menu yet. You could probably have a $0.50 burger with solid margins. Wouldn't fool most people, but bean burgers taste good enough in a different way to be a dish of their own.
Yeah, now that you mention it, that is really odd. And it's not like black bean burgers are totally unknown, uncommon or can't be cooked on a flat top or grilled either. You would think one of the...
Yeah, now that you mention it, that is really odd. And it's not like black bean burgers are totally unknown, uncommon or can't be cooked on a flat top or grilled either. You would think one of the bigger franchises/chains would have tested the waters with one by now at the very least.
I'm thinking more in the long-term. Maybe people will want to only be occasionally responsible in their food consumption...but, eventually will want to be totally responsible, and their in to that...
I'm thinking more in the long-term. Maybe people will want to only be occasionally responsible in their food consumption...but, eventually will want to be totally responsible, and their in to that would be something that tastes close-enough to meat to make the transtion seamless. Maybe it'll take longer than a couple of generations for that to happen, maybe not.
Of course, tackling meat consumption isn't the only way to make the human diet more sustainable, but it seems like a good start.
I would imagine there will be economically poor people for more than a couple of generations. The reality is for some people the cost is more important than anything else.
I would imagine there will be economically poor people for more than a couple of generations. The reality is for some people the cost is more important than anything else.
Sounds like it's going to get cheaper sooner rather than later. If anything, all of these fast-food companies jumping on board will boost their production capacity by quite a bit.
I can only speak for myself, but as a somewhat guilty feeling omnivore (on/off again pescatarian): I have had Boca Burgers and they are pretty good, as are a bunch of other veggie burgers (I even...
and able to get omnivores on board, more power to them, though.
I can only speak for myself, but as a somewhat guilty feeling omnivore (on/off again pescatarian): I have had Boca Burgers and they are pretty good, as are a bunch of other veggie burgers (I even make my own black bean burgers)... but make no mistake, they are still distinctly veggie burgers in my eyes and none of them that I have tried so far have ever come close to satisfying the craving for red meat that I still get occasionally.
We don't have Impossible or Beyond Burgers widely available up here in Canada yet, but I am desperately waiting for them to be (Beyond Meat is coming May 1)... because everything I have seen/heard about them leads me to believe they actually do satisfy that craving for real red meat. And I suspect I am not alone in being an omnivore that is desperately hoping to find a more ethical (and environmentally friendly) replacement for eating red meat that still satisfies the craving for it.
Yeah, I knew about that, but I am not a huge A&W or fast food fan in general, so will probably just wait until they are available in stores (which is only a few days from now). But since you have...
Yeah, I knew about that, but I am not a huge A&W or fast food fan in general, so will probably just wait until they are available in stores (which is only a few days from now). But since you have tried them, how are they? Do they live up to the hype?
p.s. The CTV article I linked mentions A&W teaming up with Beyond Meat, not Impossible Foods.
Hey, I finally caved in today and went to A&W... ;) I got myself a Beyond Teen Burger (left) and Regular Teen Burger (right) since I wanted to compare them side-by-side. I have to say, I'm really...
I have to say, I'm really impressed. As you said, with all the toppings I could not really tell the difference between the two in terms of texture or even taste. But you were also right, eating the patty alone there was a noticeable difference in both. The Beyond Burger was less "meaty" tasting and less "crumbly"... although I think I honestly prefer the Beyond Burger.
Now I really can't wait to get my hands on some I can cook and top myself... since I prefer my burgers with different toppings (avocado, red onions > white, smoked cheddar, etc).
Hmm... that's a tiny bit disappointing to hear, but not totally unexpected and I'm sure these things will improve with time. And regardless of the deficiencies, I am still excited to try it myself...
Hmm... that's a tiny bit disappointing to hear, but not totally unexpected and I'm sure these things will improve with time. And regardless of the deficiencies, I am still excited to try it myself though. Thanks for the review.
And yeah, I would totally be down for using it as a ground beef replacement if they offered that product, even if the taste isn't quite there yet. I already sometimes substitute ground turkey (which is a bit healthier but still ethically iffy) and even soy, but soy texture is a bit too different to really work for every traditionally ground beef dish. I have also heard good things about Seitan as a ground beef replacement too and plan on trying that eventually as well.
Does anyone know how these fake-meat burgers match on a nutrient level? I am worried that these fake-meats companies are focusing on taste and texture and not nutrients so we are going to have a...
Does anyone know how these fake-meat burgers match on a nutrient level? I am worried that these fake-meats companies are focusing on taste and texture and not nutrients so we are going to have a repeat of the fat scares of the 20th century as they become more of a fixture of peoples diets.
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a21566428/beyond-meat-burger-ingredients/ The only thing that seems a bit higher is the sodium content (380mg) which is 16% of the daily recommended amount for...
Per four-ounce uncooked Beyond Burger patty, you’ll get:
Calories: 270
Fat: 20 g (5 g sat fat)
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbohydrates: 5 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Sugars: 0 grams
Protein: 20 grams
As for other highlights, the Beyond Burger packs in 30 percent of your daily iron quota and an impressive amount of phosphorus (which is found in your bones and teeth), along with some vitamin C.
Compare that to four ounces of raw beef (80 percent lean):
Calories: 287
Fat: 23 g (9 g sat fat)
Sodium: 75 mg
Carbohydrates: 0 g
Fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 19 g
The only thing that seems a bit higher is the sodium content (380mg) which is 16% of the daily recommended amount for adults (2.4g/day).
Gardenburger and Boca burger patties (among others) have been available at certain establishments for some time and readily available at retail locations.
I've had the Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat burgers a few times but, as someone who hasn't had a real burger in a few years, I find the texture a tad off-putting. Also, they're quite a bit more expensive than their forebearers. If they are truly more sustainable and able to get omnivores on board, more power to them, though.
like most starting technologies i doubt they'll end up the defining products of their fields, but they if nothing else have set a base with which other people can and will build off of, and if even if they're actually not sustainable, successor products based on their groundwork probably will be.
True, but as I was thinking, there are already established products that fill the same niche. But these are closer to actual meat in taste and texture, which is supposed to on-board omnivores into a vegetarian diet, right? Well, for that reason, it doesn't quite work for me and maybe other established vegans/vegetarians. BUT , still a good effort.
An aside: I never understood the subset of vegetarians/vegans that lamented the veggie burger (that emulated meat, at least). I think their view is that consuming food that emulates something out-of-bounds is turning your back on the ideology. But, sandwiches and hamburgers (and other initially-meat-based foods) are a damn convenient way to get in a meal in, so I never really saw the problem, even if meat is kind of emulated.
Also, soy chorizo is the shit. Just putting that out there. ... I think I'll make some chilaquiles with soy chorizo tomorrow morning..
Honestly, all I'm looking for in a meat replacement is a happy palette. If it tastes good and is sufficiently 'meaty' in texture that's all we really need, isn't it? I'd settle for the meat-texture/flavor equivalent of a portabello burger, that's steak-like enough for me. I think the idea of introducing flavor while it's growing has possibilities. We might be able to 'top' the real thing.
If not, no worries, cultured meat is coming too. One way or another we'll be on the way to the elimination of animal husbandry.
Not necessarily. I think there's a decently sized market of people who enjoy the taste and texture of meat but want to be responsible, even if only occasionally.
If they can manage to get the price below actual meat, on the other hand, they may be able to actually get people to buy it on price alone as a reasonable substitute for the price conscious.
I imagine they will be cheaper than meat eventually, none of their inputs are very expensive, demand just far outstrips supply at the moment.
They need to recoup significant scientific costs as well. They had to find a way to synthesize heme from plants, and that was quite the journey.
Yeah, I was curious what the ingredients were after I tried one earlier today, so looked it up:
And nothing in there strikes me as if it could potentially be more expensive than raising/slaughtering cattle once the economy of scale kicks in on its production, and if anything, I imagine the price per patty of the Beyond Burger could eventually get to well below that of regular ground beef patties.
I wonder how, or even if, Impossible/Beyond plan to pivot to in vitro meat growth at some point. It seems there's little crossover from their current products to actual lab-grown beef. Is this a case of Uber/Lyft—first to pivot to self-driving wins?
I doubt they will or that they need to, since they've already got a formula that's competitive with the real deal, at production costs that I think will end up being far less than even a mature clean meat growth process can achieve. I think in vitro meat is going to end up being a niche process for high end meat products, rather than being a source of cheap ground beef.
Possibly. But there's nice markups on restaurant-grade cuts of meat that probably represent quite a viable business model for these companies—if they can produce a similarly convincing product. It may not be a case of picking either one or the other, but I don't think the market will stay unfulfilled for long.
Oh for sure, I just don't think that's what beyond or impossible are going for, and I don't think there's going to be too much direct competition between the two approaches.
Right now lab grown meat is still insanely expensive ($50 for <ounce, is the cheapest I have seen recently) and IMO that's unlikely drop to comparable levels any time soon just because of the time and effort involved in growing it. And TBH I don't know if the two are even really going to be competing products anyways. If a plant based product tasted comparable, I could see that winning out in the end (overall market wise), even if the price was the same as lab grown meat.
Yeah, most of that stuff is pretty common food additives, I wonder just how low the price can go. I can make a pretty tasty if obviously plant based black bean burger patty for about ten cents, with no economies of scale or anything. I could definitely see plant burgers filling out the dollar menu a few years down the road.
Kind of offtopic, but I love me a good black bean burger too. My sister used to eat vegan/gluten-free and I cooked a lot for her so found a recipe for one using rice flour as the binder with walnuts and sauteed mushrooms in it... They are super delicious. :)
They are, kinda blows my mind that no big fast food chain's put them on the menu yet. You could probably have a $0.50 burger with solid margins. Wouldn't fool most people, but bean burgers taste good enough in a different way to be a dish of their own.
Yeah, now that you mention it, that is really odd. And it's not like black bean burgers are totally unknown, uncommon or can't be cooked on a flat top or grilled either. You would think one of the bigger franchises/chains would have tested the waters with one by now at the very least.
I'm thinking more in the long-term. Maybe people will want to only be occasionally responsible in their food consumption...but, eventually will want to be totally responsible, and their in to that would be something that tastes close-enough to meat to make the transtion seamless. Maybe it'll take longer than a couple of generations for that to happen, maybe not.
Of course, tackling meat consumption isn't the only way to make the human diet more sustainable, but it seems like a good start.
I would imagine there will be economically poor people for more than a couple of generations. The reality is for some people the cost is more important than anything else.
Sounds like it's going to get cheaper sooner rather than later.
If anything, all of these fast-food companies jumping on board will boost their production capacity by quite a bit.
I can only speak for myself, but as a somewhat guilty feeling omnivore (on/off again pescatarian): I have had Boca Burgers and they are pretty good, as are a bunch of other veggie burgers (I even make my own black bean burgers)... but make no mistake, they are still distinctly veggie burgers in my eyes and none of them that I have tried so far have ever come close to satisfying the craving for red meat that I still get occasionally.
We don't have Impossible or Beyond Burgers widely available up here in Canada yet, but I am desperately waiting for them to be (Beyond Meat is coming May 1)... because everything I have seen/heard about them leads me to believe they actually do satisfy that craving for real red meat. And I suspect I am not alone in being an omnivore that is desperately hoping to find a more ethical (and environmentally friendly) replacement for eating red meat that still satisfies the craving for it.
Yeah, I knew about that, but I am not a huge A&W or fast food fan in general, so will probably just wait until they are available in stores (which is only a few days from now). But since you have tried them, how are they? Do they live up to the hype?
p.s. The CTV article I linked mentions A&W teaming up with Beyond Meat, not Impossible Foods.
Hey, I finally caved in today and went to A&W... ;) I got myself a Beyond Teen Burger (left) and Regular Teen Burger (right) since I wanted to compare them side-by-side.
I have to say, I'm really impressed. As you said, with all the toppings I could not really tell the difference between the two in terms of texture or even taste. But you were also right, eating the patty alone there was a noticeable difference in both. The Beyond Burger was less "meaty" tasting and less "crumbly"... although I think I honestly prefer the Beyond Burger.
Now I really can't wait to get my hands on some I can cook and top myself... since I prefer my burgers with different toppings (avocado, red onions > white, smoked cheddar, etc).
I can attest they are sold in Whole Foods, at least the one nearest to me. Or..may be the Beyond Meat burger.
Hmm... that's a tiny bit disappointing to hear, but not totally unexpected and I'm sure these things will improve with time. And regardless of the deficiencies, I am still excited to try it myself though. Thanks for the review.
And yeah, I would totally be down for using it as a ground beef replacement if they offered that product, even if the taste isn't quite there yet. I already sometimes substitute ground turkey (which is a bit healthier but still ethically iffy) and even soy, but soy texture is a bit too different to really work for every traditionally ground beef dish. I have also heard good things about Seitan as a ground beef replacement too and plan on trying that eventually as well.
Does anyone know how these fake-meat burgers match on a nutrient level? I am worried that these fake-meats companies are focusing on taste and texture and not nutrients so we are going to have a repeat of the fat scares of the 20th century as they become more of a fixture of peoples diets.
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a21566428/beyond-meat-burger-ingredients/
The only thing that seems a bit higher is the sodium content (380mg) which is 16% of the daily recommended amount for adults (2.4g/day).