Faux meats have had their ups and downs over the years which has made a rep for themselves as not being the tastiest things to sink your teeth into. Even amongst vegetarians and vegans some still prefer finding ways to make ‘meats’ simply from vegetables at home. Though, in recent years more and more companies are expanding the faux meat market. It’s estimated that this niche market will expand to $7.1 billion by 2025, making it not so niche. So, before it expands enough to reach your kitchen table, I wanted to make it easier for you to quickly sift through and find your favourite meat replacements by trying them so you don’t have to.
UnCut: Spicy Chicken Patty
Before the Butcher is a vegan company that has recently released a vegan burger/patties line called UnCut. Their mission is to feed people before the butcher is necessary and distributes ‘cuts’ of meat that aren’t really cut nor actually meat. To be honest, this patty was pretty solid and absolutely delicious. For roughly $3 a patty though, it could run you up a good amount of money quick. I would definitely purchase again but not a regular addition to the grocery list.
Tofurky: Chick’n
Tofurky used to have a pretty bad rep but it has totally reinvented itself into a new favourite and is usually on my grocery list. At around $4 per container, it is a very versatile meat replacement. It isn’t awesome alone but if you were to season it a bit and it is perfect in almost everything. From sandwiches to salads to tacos, anything you would usually add some chicken to is easily replaceable with this. Not to mention, out of most faux meats, this one is decently affordable compared to its competition.
Tofurky: Hickory Smoked Deli Slices
Since moving back to America I have thoroughly enjoyed having a sandwich almost every single day for the past three months. These deli slices hit home to school lunches or after spending a day in the pool snacks. I don’t recommend eating them alone but also if you are doing that with normal meats – are you okay? With all the fixings for a good sandwich it adds that perfect touch for a true school lunch sandwich.
Tofurky: Peppered Deli Slices
I promise this is the last Tofurky product for this list, but it is one you might want to add to your grocery list if you eat as many sandwiches as me. It is a step up from the normal hickory smoked ones and delicious on some toasted bread with melted provolone Daiya cheese. I still wouldn’t eat it alone but it is great nonetheless.
Sweet Earth’s: Benevolent Bacon
Not my favourite out of all the faux meats I have tried and won’t kick your bacon addiction but would be a good addition to your traditional breakfast. They were not messing around when it came to spices and flavour but the texture was lacking a bit too much for me. It almost resembled multiple pieces of the fatty part of bacon. Though, I believe if you were to air-fry it you could crisp it enough to mimic bacon. For roughly $5 a pack, I wouldn’t recommend it first but wouldn’t be the bottom of the list either.
Gardien: Chick’n Strips
If you are looking for staple chick’n strips I would not recommend going for Gardein’s version. Again, not the worst I have ever had but was lacking a lot in flavour and in texture. It was very similar overall to extra firm tofu. If you are looking for something quick to heat up and add to things like burritos, I would say this is perfect. Other than that, nothing too special comes out of them.
What you should try
Out of this list, I would highly recommend checking out the UnCut spicy chick’n patties, the Tofurky Deli Slices, and the Tofurky Chick’n strips. I purchase the deli slices often and add them to my sandwiches frequently. The chick’n patties were a hit and were absolutely delicious, if the price was more affordable, I would be purchasing them every week. The Tofurky chick’n strips would be a frequent buy but I just don’t typically eat dishes that would have something like chick’n strips in them anyway.
What I would wait on
The Gardein Chick’n Strips and the Benevolent Bacon are ones you could hold off on for now. They are average at best and didn’t cut it enough for me to be something I would recommend to someone who is trying faux meats for the first time.
Which ones should I try next?
If you enjoyed this blogpost, don’t forget to drop a comment saying which kind of faux meat I should try next and I will keep an eye out for it!
Sarah | 小包子 