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Is 'vegetarian' a dirty word?

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I've noticed 'beyond meat' and 'plant-based' burgers being marketed. Are they that stupid to think they'll fool the average person into eating it without knowing it's actually just a vegetarian burger?

Does the term 'vegetarian' have such a tree hugging hippy dippy lovey dovey connotation that the giant food guys feel they should avoid it to trick the carnivores?
 

InChrist

Free4ever
I've noticed 'beyond meat' and 'plant-based' burgers being marketed. Are they that stupid to think they'll fool the average person into eating it without knowing it's actually just a vegetarian burger?

Does the term 'vegetarian' have such a tree hugging hippy dippy lovey dovey connotation that the giant food guys feel they should avoid it to trick the carnivores?
Probably just another way to attempt increasing profits.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
Have you tried these? I think they’re a close enough facsimile to fool some, but I’m not sure that’s the intent.

While I’m vegetarian myself, I do like a good burger. The brand I work with sells them, I eat them on occasion (the Impossible Foods variant), and quite honestly, as some who has abstained from eating animal flesh, it’s close enough for me.

Don’t judge ‘em til you’ve tried ‘em.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Have you tried these? I think they’re a close enough facsimile to fool some, but I’m not sure that’s the intent.

While I’m vegetarian myself, I do like a good burger. The brand I work with sells them, I eat them on occasion (the Impossible Foods variant), and quite honestly, as some who has abstained from eating animal flesh, it’s close enough for me.

Don’t judge ‘em til you’ve tried ‘em.

I've eaten several varieties, both from restaurants, and from stores. But do you think if it's labelled 'plant based' on the packaging, that the average consumer walking by is more likely to buy it, as opposed to if it was labelled 'vegetarian'.

Personally I find the taste of meat repulsive ... it's been nearly 50 years. Last time I ate a tofu hot dog (at least 20 years back) I puked it up. My renter, a lifetime vegetarian from India tried some veggie sausage with a friend at a luncheon just last week, and he told me he couldn't stand it. It's not a taste one can get used to easily if you've never had it.

There are so many wonderful tasting things in the plant kingdom, like an enormous variety of spices, for starters.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
I've eaten several varieties, both from restaurants, and from stores. But do you think if it's labelled 'plant based' on the packaging, that the average consumer walking by is more likely to buy it, as opposed to if it was labelled 'vegetarian'.

Personally I find the taste of meat repulsive ... it's been nearly 50 years. Last time I ate a tofu hot dog (at least 20 years back) I puked it up. My renter, a lifetime vegetarian from India tried some veggie sausage with a friend at a luncheon just last week, and he told me he couldn't stand it. It's not a taste one can get used to easily if you've never had it.

There are so many wonderful tasting things in the plant kingdom, like an enormous variety of spices, for starters.

I'm one of those deplorable vegetarians that does like the flavor of meat, but refrains from eating it for moral/dharmic reasons.

I don't think I'm alone in that basket of deplorables, though. I think there are many that like meat, but are looking for an alternative, either for the reason I am, or because they think that these burgers (and other plant based products such as sausage) are a healthier option. I think the jury is still out on this, but while they contain less fat, they are higher in sodium. But my restaurants are still averaging north of 50 per day 6 weeks from launch.

While I love Indian food, and it's the majority of my diet (paneer dishes, kofta vegetable dumplings dishes, and dosas along with spiced basmati rice for the most part), I do like my fake meat on occasion.

This is what I just picked up at the grocery for dinner tonight :D...
422a9b6a-9a9d-416f-ace4-401f5c89cfa3_1.c1d2b300200035fff5e8064e7e946a34.jpeg

Not exactly Impossible or Beyond product, which is made with heme (at least at Impossible Foods), which was initially supposed to be a synthetic substitute for human blood. But still pretty tasty.

More on heme: Heme - Wikipedia
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Their vegetarianness is their main selling point, and the regular burgers are still there on the menu.
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
Probably just another way to attempt increasing profits.

I would hope so, since both Beyond Meats and Impossible Foods are startups with no other products to profit from.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be in business very long with zero profits. :rolleyes:
 

oldbadger

Skanky Old Mongrel!
I've noticed 'beyond meat' and 'plant-based' burgers being marketed. Are they that stupid to think they'll fool the average person into eating it without knowing it's actually just a vegetarian burger?

Does the term 'vegetarian' have such a tree hugging hippy dippy lovey dovey connotation that the giant food guys feel they should avoid it to trick the carnivores?
I think that both Vegetarian and Vegan food adverts are tightened up pretty tightly by trading standards now.

'They' can call a Veggie meal a 'Dino-Burger' as long as the contents are very clearly shown.

By the way........ after recent cases where young people with allergies to nuts and/or dairy products have died after being sold meals at fast food outlets, our laws are getting tightened up much further.

Vegetarian is no longer a 'bore' word here......... my Missus is thinking of turning vegetarian and if she does then I will be eating veg-only meals at home in future. We do everything together.......... yeah yeah.... I mean shopping, bathing, meals..... you know. :p
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
I've noticed 'beyond meat' and 'plant-based' burgers being marketed. Are they that stupid to think they'll fool the average person into eating it without knowing it's actually just a vegetarian burger?

Does the term 'vegetarian' have such a tree hugging hippy dippy lovey dovey connotation that the giant food guys feel they should avoid it to trick the carnivores?
No, I think that packaging requirements state that they may not deceive you about what is in the product; but the marketing people want to make neutral statements into positive ones. They aren't trying to deceive, but they can't live without spin. Marketing is about making things sound terrific, so they think that this somehow makes the product sound more appealing to the customers -- to the vegetarians -- not to the carnivores. Its not that bad, really, to talk up the product a little. I guess its a little nerdy, but its not deceiving anyone. The taste certainly isn't deceiving anyone.

I'll tell you some of my experience learning to cook beans and soups:

I have noticed that when I look for a vegetarian recipe I frequently find alongside it missionary messages about not eating animals. The cookbooks are often very anti meat. I simply want to save money while finding things I can stand to eat. I don't want to watch an episode of Bambi every time I cook. This though is a very important aspect to vegetarians, and to sell to vegetarians the writers have to sympathize with them. This is what I think is happening with the products in the OP. Its marketing towards vegetarians by suggesting that this could attract carnivores to their point of view.

I'm curious about vegetarian cooking but not for vegan reasons, so these ploys stand out to me. Vegetarian cookbooks are all about flavor not cost savings, and they generally expect you to know how to find some ingredients which aren't that easy to locate in my area. For example I could not find tapioca flour anywhere until I wandered into a Chinese food store. Tapioca is a starch that vegetarian recipes use sometimes, and its not expensive but rare here. It comes from an alien plant called a 'Cassava'. Frequently recipes call for fresh spices. Where I live that often means growing your own spices. I try to find alternatives to meat, because meat is expensive. So is cheese. So is milk. Fresh spices? Their prices are through the roof.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
You want to know the the best bean for a meat eater? Its the small red beans -- not the kidney beans but the smaller red beans. They taste a little bit meaty.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
No, I think that packaging requirements state that they may not deceive you about what is in the product; but the marketing people want to make neutral statements into positive ones. They aren't trying to deceive, but they can't live without spin. Marketing is about making things sound terrific, so they think that this somehow makes the product sound more appealing to the customers -- to the vegetarians -- not to the carnivores. Its not that bad, really, to talk up the product a little. I guess its a little nerdy, but its not deceiving anyone. The taste certainly isn't deceiving anyone.

I'll tell you some of my experience learning to cook beans and soups:

I have noticed that when I look for a vegetarian recipe I frequently find alongside it missionary messages about not eating animals. The cookbooks are often very anti meat. I simply want to save money while finding things I can stand to eat. I don't want to watch an episode of Bambi every time I cook. This though is a very important aspect to vegetarians, and to sell to vegetarians the writers have to sympathize with them. This is what I think is happening with the products in the OP. Its marketing towards vegetarians by suggesting that this could attract carnivores to their point of view.

I'm curious about vegetarian cooking but not for vegan reasons, so these ploys stand out to me. Vegetarian cookbooks are all about flavor not cost savings, and they generally expect you to know how to find some ingredients which aren't that easy to locate in my area. For example I could not find tapioca flour anywhere until I wandered into a Chinese food store. Tapioca is a starch that vegetarian recipes use sometimes, and its not expensive but rare here. It comes from an alien plant called a 'Cassava'. Frequently recipes call for fresh spices. Where I live that often means growing your own spices. I try to find alternatives to meat, because meat is expensive. So is cheese. So is milk. Fresh spices? Their prices are through the roof.

I can buy cassava root here. Maybe just blending some cooked cassava would do the same thing as starch. Besan (chick pea flour) probably would too. I like to experiment.

Besan recipes ... 9 Delicious Dishes with Besan (Gram flour), the Versatile Kitchen Ingredient
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
The problem is vegetarianism is its a cafe ' niche. What that usually means is they're astronomically higher prices you pay at the store almost like what you pay for a brand name.

It's sad because vegetables are almost as high in prices as meat itself in places. At least for the fresh variety as opposed to frozen and canned goods.

I still enjoy meat although I do get upset as anybody else when it comes to animal slaughter. I think there's a growing Trend in culture grown meat which is absolutely something I'm looking forward to. I've been aching to try it myself and from what I hear you can't really tell the difference because it's still grown from animal cells. But man the benefits and cost savings you can get.....

Is Cultured Meat The Answer To The World's Meat Problem?
 

SalixIncendium

अग्निविलोवनन्दः
Staff member
Premium Member
The problem is vegetarianism is its a cafe ' niche. What that usually means is they're astronomically higher prices you pay at the store almost like what you pay for a brand name.

Please, by all means, please point me to the "cafe niche." I'm tired of buying at the store and cooking at home.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
To non-veggies, "vegetarian" & "vegan" are downers.
But "impossible burger" sounds challenging & inspired.

I bet veggies & vegans dislike the word "lard".
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
To non-veggies, "vegetarian" & "vegan" are downers.
But "impossible burger" sounds challenging & inspired.

I bet veggies & vegans dislike the word "lard".

Depends on the vegetablearian. Boss reacts far more than I do to those words. Venison, feedlot, spit, roast, rare, finger lickin' good, bacon) But at least I get to 'console' her.

How can there be such a thing as an impossible burger? Sounds impossible to me.
 
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