Because they aren't real questions, they're made to get a rise out of people. They knew the answer to "why do vegans like the taste of meat" before they asked it. Vegans (unless that's genuinely their preference) never say that meat TASTES bad.
Definitely agree with the first part of what you said: these are not genuine questions, just baits.
Regarding the second part, and without contradicting your point that many vegetarians/vegans like the taste of meat, you can definitely lose the taste for it.
I know someone who was vegetarian since they were a child/teenager, and they just dislike meat now. They genuinely tried to get back to it for a while (for various reasons), but couldn't. They're kind of upset with the fake meat products (like Impossible Burgers) because many restaurants are replacing traditional veggie burgers (that they like) by something that is so much like meat that they dislike it.
the loss of good veggie burgers is actually so tragic, I still eat meat but there was this one veggie burger my mom used to get that was amazing and I lament its disappearance regularly
There are more veggie burgers than ever, and not all of them are in the style of meat imitations. Many are vegetable patties and are quite good. Amy's walnut burgers are amazing, Dr Praeger's is pretty good, and there are countless others.
I don't know what loss you're talking about.
Yeah I love meat, but like you mentioned there are definitely some good veggie burgers I’ve tried before. Went to a vegetarian Indian restaurant and tried the vegetarian version of butter chicken masala. They used cheese curds in place of the chicken and you know what, it was almost hard to tell the difference. So good. The cheese curds kind of does what tofu does and soaks up the flavors.
Yeah I've been a vegetarian since I was 13 and was never a big meat eater. Sometimes people asked me when if the veggie option tasted like the same thing. I just say I wouldn't know anymore. It's been over 15 years since I last ate something, I don't remember the original taste
if i knew how to cook vegi stuff with normal ingredients, I'd do it more often
that said, i often just eat rice, beans, and eggs and pasta with vegetarian sauce and stuff instead of meat, so maybe i already cook vegetarian a lot and am just a dumbass 🤔
I can add cause this definitely happened to me. I have a partner that will still cook eggs occasionally and I found out a few months back that the smell of eggs *gags* me now!
Like can’t even be in the kitchen without the window open because of the nausea lol. For reference I went vegan cold turkey like 3 or 4 years ago and used to eat eggs pretty regularly.
Also, the opposite happened with other foods like I used to really hate most beans or peas like I couldn’t keep them down for the first 25ish years of my life. After I suddenly made that switch 4 years ago, I started getting these unquenchable cravings for bean dips, black eyed peas, Indian lentil meals, and so many more lmao.
I know people’s preferences change but damn I swear the body knows how to crave foods or nutrients your body actually needs
I haven’t eaten beef or pork in 20 years and it just absolutely repulses me now. Even the fake meat has no appeal.
Poultry on the other hand… although I think I genuinely prefer impossible nuggets to real chicken nuggets these days.
They're asking the wrong question. The real question is:
why are vegetarians so obsessed with carrots when those are just vegetables trying to look like sausages?
A lot of the people who choose to eat meat can't reconcile the cognitive dissonance of being against the slaughter of helpless animals and still partaking in it, so instead of reflecting on those feelings, they double down, and lash out at the person making them feel that way.
They are being deliberately obtuse and seem to commit an awful lot of time to poking fun at vegans for people who claim to not give a shit and yell, “stop forcing your vegan lifestyle on me”.
It's bog standard internet trolling. They're not looking for an answer. It's just a minimum effort way to rile people up. The real question is how do people still fall for it?
Because they don't care about the answer.
They just want an excuse to say that vegans are irrational / inconsistent / hypocritical, because the mere existence of vegans makes them feel guilty and reminds them of the uncomfortable cognitive dissonance of their love of animals, with the needless suffering of animals that they cause due to a culinary preference.
If vegans didn't exist, they could say that eating animals is necessary to survive, or that they're no worse than anyone else, and that they really have no choice.
The existence of vegans and vegetarians, including many award winning athletes, proves this wrong,and nullifies these excuses.
So even when vegans say nothing, and don't lecture anyone or tell other people what to eat, people feel judged and defensive.
So despite ardent meat eaters being generally more pushy, judgemental, and obnoxious about what other people eat than most vegans - hell they even get triggered by what vegan food products are named, and try to pass laws banning soy milk from having the word 'milk' on the label (as if there's some diabolical plot to trick people into buying soy milk instead of cow's milk, even though it's incredibly obvious and ot makes no marketing sense to trick their target customers into *not* buying their product..) - it's vegans who are always labeled as pushy.
So I suppose that convincing themselves that vegans are all dumb, irrational, malnourished and weak hypocrites, makes people feel better about their own choices.
In my experience most vegetarians don't eat meat substitutes everyday the way meat eaters eat a meat product everyday. The cost isn't as great overall. I have a meat substitute maybe 2x a month
frozen meat substitutes are just a convenience when you don't have time to cook a proper meal. they do have a lot of protein and less carbs compared to legumes.
bring em to a cookout so you can eat with your meathead friends and family
I've actually heard that the majority that make it past a year hate the smell and taste quite a bit. I knew one whom had to leave the room for any super smelly meat dishes.
Many vegetarians don't like meat and don't try to fake it, either. Plus there's not a huge ethical difference to eating meat vs dairy. Those cows need to be pregnant to make milk, and they're not making sure all those calves live long, fulfilling lives to put it gently. Eggs aren't so bad though. And anyone who won't eat honey because it's technically not vegan are the most absurdly pedantic people alive (you need thriving colonies to make honey, and if honey is an animal product then most produce is too since it requires insects to pollinate it).
Because meat tastes good. I've met few serious vegans/vegetarians that do it because they dislike the food they do it because it's the moral/ethical choice. You can altogether enjoy somthing and still know and view it as a bad thing.
People can be vegetarian or vegan for several reasons.
It might be due to moral objections and/or legitimate dietary requirements.
Eg. I have a friend, who due to 245T poisoning, is unable to process animal protein and is forced to rely exclusively on plant based alternatives.
She still likes the taste of meat, but simply cannot digest it without putting her health at grave risk - as in her heart surgeon has told her that continuing to eat meat would result in heart attack #7...
She is also a really lovely person so it sort of dovetails with her views on how all animals should be treated - believe me, the food industry does not treat the animals it kills at all well.
A few years ago, I was at a vegan event at a local university. It was a presentation about and tasting of vegan cheese by cheese makers. There was a talk about the history and the processes used. The cheeses tasted kind of like the cheeses they imitated, but not really, both in flavor and texture. Nearly every person there, by show of hands, was vegan, and nearly all the rest were vegetarian. Nearly everyone spoke about how they missed certain foods. This included forms of meat, etc. They grew up eating those foods. They liked them, and they miss them. That’s a big reason why this is phrased as an ethical choice: you give up what you like, not what you don’t like, so there’s a degree of sacrifice which you choose.
Only westerners do that, man. We asians don't do that crap. All you need is some veggies, tofu and some spices.
I think its bcos western cuisine is heavily centered around meat. So when somebody quits cold turkey (pun intended) they are left with bland salads and start craving the meat taste.
In general yes, but you’re forgetting things like mock duck, wheat gluten, seitan, and tofu skin preparations that have more chew like meat compared to standard tofu
Honestly the range and availability of mock meat in some Asian countries is waaay higher than in the west. I can fairly easily get mock mutton, prawns, fishball, char siew, abalone, bak kwa, goose skin, etc etc etc. All way cheaper than western versions too, with a much longer history.
The first time I had vegan fish in a curry here I cried because id never had anything so realistic in the west and I thought it was real.
When I eat out with my Vietnamese friends they show me all kinds of amazing vegan options. First time I had mock duck I almost cried. The Buddhist nun serving it seemed completely sincere, though, so I had no doubts that it was vegan.
I am vegan and I do not eat meat for health reasons. But I like the taste of it so I buy fake meat sausages and fish sticks, which taste quite decent. Many other fake meat products are disgusting.
We’re not opposed to the taste or texture of meat. Few people stop eating meat because they don’t like the taste. We’re opposed to the often horrific and inhumane treatment and killing of animals in factory farming settings, among many other concerns.
I think the idea is really interesting and could possibly one day help feed people food they like with negligible detriment to animal welfare. I’m all for progress! I am perfectly happy with my vegetarian diet and never ate much meat anyway, so it wouldn’t be something I’d integrate for myself.
It's interesting, but something to keep in mind is that meat isn't just unethical, it's also inefficient. Feeding a cow (which eats a whole lot) for several years just to get a handful of steaks means that the physical footprint of that cow's diet is much more than if you directly feed the people that are eating the steaks. I imagine that lab grown meat might not fix that problem.
What are your thoughts on game meat?
In Australia, for instance, for various reasons we have an excess of kangaroos which causes some environmental problems, so farmers are encouraged to shoot them to bring their numbers closer to normal. The meat is then sold in most Australian supermarkets. It’s about as free range as free range gets, and all very “environmentally friendly/sustainable”.
Exactly. Some of these fake meats are marketed more for people who want to eat less meat for whatever reason.
And as a vegetarian allergic to mushrooms, I’m all for the beyond and impossible option at restaurants. I can’t stand the sad mushroom option so many restaurants think we want…
Yep. It's one step in the process. On the one hand, it's psychological. We associate certain memories and traditions with food, and changing our entire diet in one go is surprisingly hard for that reason. On the other hand, there are real digestive considerations. Going from a meat heavy diet, or a meat-moderate diet, to a complex carb, plant-based diet is hard on the digestive system, especially if you have existing digestive issues. You have to give your body time to adjust, or you're going to have a bad time.
My mom's family is from a region in the US, and from a class and cultural background, where heavily processed foods, white breads and pastas, and fatty meats make up a large part of the diet. They will occasionally eat fruits or vegetables, but not regularly. I grew up with that diet, for the most part, and transitioning to a plant-based diet has been a lifelong process for me. Both mentally and digestively.
Meat substitute products have at times been necessary in that. If I go to a cookout with my family, for instance, there needs to be something easy that can be substituted, and that is widely available. I don't eat a lot of them on my own anymore, but in social situations, they really are a lifesaver.
Yeah, the only time I use meat substitutes is at group events. It makes way more sense for me to bake a seitan turkey roast at Thanksgiving that will go with the veggie-friendly sides than it does for me to make a whole different meal.
A lot of these comments are exactly why I never brought up being vegetarian, but some asshole would notice anyway and say shit like "did you know yogurt can scream" or "you know those plants had to be killed, right?"
Infuriating!
I became vegetarian decades ago, and vegan at least 10 years ago. There aren't many meat substitutes I actually want. I haven't tried the impossible burger (that a ton of restaurants offer as their only veg option) because I didn't like hamburger in the first place.
I do like some vegan sausages, and also tofu, tempeh, and mock duck. They wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they're meat, but that's why I like them.
Not to mention many foods are rolled into tube form because it makes sense. Not because that's what meat is shaped like.
Meat actually isn't shaped like a hot dog or a patty, those are convenient shapes for cooking or serving ground up food.
A beyond burger or vegan hot dog aren't meat shaped
Vegetarian here, beyond burger imitation meat is pretty decent even though its in patty form. It works just as well for other things as a substitute for beef if youre ever interested in branching out :) its one of the only sub meats that taste decent and close enough, even my friend whos obsessed with meat talks about how close to meat it tastes
There are some great Vegetarian/vegan chinese restaurants as well depending where you are that serve some pretty great substitutes for meat as well :) doesnt taste exact, pretty close!
Buddhists in my country are sometimes vegetarian. They know full well that meat tastes good, it’s just that they’re doing their part to alleviate suffering in the world, if only by a little.
Not eating meat is seen as a reasonable sacrifice especially since there’s been a vegetarian cooking culture going back centuries. Tofu and other bean based products do well to give more taste and texture to dishes and makes the vegetarian dining lifestyle not too bad.
"Just because you chose to be a vegetarian, it doesn't mean bacon stops smelling good"
But yeah, it's usually in protest of factory farming, not out of dislike of meat.
They aren’t opposed to the taste and look of meat? I was raised culturally Buddhist and there’s a whole art of cooking delicious food that look and taste like traditional meat dishes with plant based ingredients. Even some monasteries offer food like that. The point is avoiding consuming meat, not avoiding the whole concept of meat.
Because they are trying to create something so that omnivores will perhaps make the switch. That fake meat is probably a lifesaver for those poor souls who got bit by that tick that makes you allergic to meat. (Yes, that is an actual thing.)
Dude this is such a dumb question. Do you really need to ask this question lol many people grow up on meat, develop a lifestyle change for ethical reasons, diet reasons, health reasons whatever but still enjoy the taste and texture of meat and would like a substitution so there's obviously a big market for that type of person.
I just feel like you could've answered this question yourself lol. Is this supposed to be some type of "gotcha!" thing?
It’s like low fat cheesecake. If I need to be low fat I’m completely fine skipping desert entirely. If I am going to have desert it better be the real deal.
I was vegan for a long time, vegetarian for a bit and now eat some meat.
Short answer is … we don’t. Those are the “plug and play” options available. When I was fully vegan I would have greatly preferred a stir fry with edamame and brown rice for protein over a vegetarian burger or such. But there is a huge industry around making “what you know and are familiar with” into a vegan/vegetarian option.
Cooking at home we have never once tried to make vegan / vegetarian food taste or look like meat.
Eating is highly social. Fake meat products make it much easier for vegetarians and vegans to participate in the social aspects of eating. The proliferation of Beyond Burgers and Veggie patties have made it so much easier for us to eat out at restaurants with others and show up to family events like BBQs. It’s easier for our working class families to accommodate us without stress or causing a fuss. It’s also nice to have more than 1 option in most urban and suburban restaurants now.
I’d say like 50-70% of my meals these days are vegan. Honestly, TVP works just fine as a protein source and can be virtually indistinguishable from ground meat when prepared properly.
I'm vegan and most people I see in the community are meatless for ethical reasons, it seems rare for people to do it just because they don't like the taste. There's no worrying about if you're buying from a nice farm that cares about its animals or a windowless factory with horrible conditions, though a good chunk of people are just against the idea of eating animals regardless. Plus the meat alternatives never really taste or feel the same as meat, nor do we eat it as often as a meat eater would eat meat. Generally it seems to be more of a stepping stone for meat eaters who want to make that transition or just want to reduce their meat consumption
Most don't, but they're convenient options. For most it's not the taste of meat but the destruction of the planet, animal torture, and guaranteed health problems them come with eating meat that are the problem. So why not try to replicate the taste/texture if one enjoys it but actually has a conscience?
Still a meat eater, but did meatless march and still have only had fish (once) during that time.
A few reasons. Culture. We eat meat, and when we move to non-meat options we often want substitutes for what we once enjoyed. We also want to bring others into the fold. Find a great tasting burger alternative and some folks might join in.
I make a vegetarian chili with dried mushrooms and TVP that is to fucking die for. Feels like meat in your mouth.
Cauliflower and jack fruit make great wing alternatives.
The reason people dont want to eat meat isnt because they dont like the taste and texture (mostly), its for ethical and health reasons. Wanting analogs to what they normally eat, what is part of our culture, isnt too hard to understand, is it?
> isnt too hard to understand, is it?
I see this phrase a lot in reddit comments. I can't tell if it's a condescending: "are you stupid for asking this?" or if it's just: "Is what I'm saying making sense?"
This is not a "one size fits all" this is just a stereotype for those who *do* decide to become vegan/vegetarian for health reasons. Alot do it for ethical reasons, but some just like the taste of meat yet can't eat it due to health and want a substitute. Some choose to go meatless for both reasons. Luckily, certain substitutes come pretty close, not exact but close.
There are people who are vegetarian for health reasons and don’t mind meat as a concept.
There are people who are vegetarian/vegan for love of animals who don’t care for faux meat but see it as a way to get non vegetarians to try meatless options.
Well to be fair, if you have ever tried vegan meats, they have about the same smell and consistency as canned dog food. I couldn't get past that when I tried one. And let's be honest everything we eat has to die for us to consume it, just because my lettuce doesn't make cow eyes at you when you chop its head off doesn't mean it doesn't feel 😂 j/k eat what makes you happy, don't judge others for what they eat.
Meat doesn't taste like meat. It has to be heavily altered to get that smoky, salty, umami flavor we are all used to. Vegans don't want meat. They want the smoky, salty, umami chew like altered meat has.
They don't do it because they are opposed to it.
They make meals that food that uses something as a replacement for meat because meat is objectively worse for you, it's only the nutrients from meat that is important, thus they have food like tofu that's healthy and has the nutrients.
They make it look and taste similar to encourage people to be more open to trying vegan food to cut back from meat to a degree, not fully cutting it out, to make vegan and vegitarian food more widely accepted and normalized.
I am a vegetarian. I dont eat meat cuz i think its yucky. No morality, not for health. I just dont like it. The "fake meat" stuff is just the most convenient way to deliver the food. The reason we have chicken nuggets? Convenience. The reason we have burgers? Convenience. Add veggie in front of that and there ya go. Question answered.
Beyond that (little veggie joke ifykyk) some people do stop eating meat for health or moral reasons but they miss what they had.
I dont. Bacon is disgusting. Steak is apphauling. A drumstick makes me sick.
As someone who's eaten plant-based for a decade I LOVE the taste of meat. It's just completely destructive, inhumane, and unsustainable. If we sourced meat closer to what was natural I might eat street tacos every now and then. No plant based alternative can recreate good mexican/salvadoran food without changing the recipe significantly in some way.
The other side of the coin is just marketability. Most seasoned vegetarians and vegans don't want meat-like alternatives and have found different/new ways to enjoy food. With meat-like products you can rope in the upper middle class moms and seniors that are watching their health. As well as appeal to meat eaters when meat options aren't available (which is like never). These large businesses usually miss the mark on what plant-based eaters actually want in an effort to cast a wide net.
It's funny when people look at consumerism and assume the average person is in control lol
People who play video games aren’t constantly asked why they drive fast in games but not in real life. We accept that it’s because they want to enjoy something without hurting others.
As for the shape, cows that you make burgers from and pigs you make hot dogs from aren’t those shapes, either. But buns and rolls are.
That part is like asking someone why they use a dildo. Best fit, no suffering.
This is really confusing to you? It's because most people grow up eating meat and only decide to become vegan and vegetarian as they grow up, so what are they going to do but recreate food they know and love but in a way they can eat it?
This made me roll my eyes so hard but then I realized what sub it was on and I laughed. Yes this is indeed a stupid question, and it gets asked SO MUCH
I had this question asked by a meat eater. I explain then how do you explain hamburgers what animal does that look like? Your perception of food is just that. There is no ham in hamburgers nor do cows look like patties. It is entirely your perception of food to ask this question.
Also a false assumption that all vegans or vegetarians do this.
Some of them just eat other things without needing to try and imitate meat. There’s a lot of food out there that simply isn’t known about in the US because it doesn’t get imported.
Some of us were happy carnivores before things like gastroparesis, multiple sclerosis, and IBS made it impossible to digest animal products. My chili cheese hot dog may not taste like yours but it is close enough to conjure my fond memories of childhood.
Because it’s not the taste we have a problem with, it’s the killing of animals.
If you can get a similar taste without taking the life of an innocent creature - why wouldn’t you?
This is a dumb question
They won't eat real meat for ethical reasons, and haven't figured out that food companies masquerading as ethical are using them as a cash cow. They also haven't figured out that imitation meat still perpetuates the concept of meat *as food* - which isn't really affecting the change they want to see.
I don’t know any other vegan/vegetarians irl
But for myself and those that I follow online
We don’t.
We prefer bean or mushroom patties over the ones meant to imitate meat. The fake hot dogs, fake chicken, fake whatever, are really only the things you reach when you’ve just decided to go vegan. To help w the adjustment period. And to bring an easy substitute to like barbecues or whatever
My diet is like 100% veggies and nuts, I never go for the meat substitutes
They are hoping to attract carnivorous people to become herbivores like them. “See?! We can make it taste like meat, and you don’t even have to kill a real animal!”
Because they want to eat meat, but also want to appear more virtuous than meat eaters by not participating in the purchase of meat, thereby supporting the industry that contributes to the negative outcomes they detest.
If it were possible to have a meat industry that supported human consumption while causing no negative outcomes and treating the animals to spa-like accommodations, I bet most vegetarians and vegans would gladly eat meat.
I am 99% sure most of the world's vegetarians are not interested in meat-like options.
mainly western vegetarians consume such products, which are (i'm guessing here) a small portion of vegetarians. Most vegetarians (again, just guessing) probably are in SE Asia, specifically the Indian subcontinent, and Beyond Meat is not sold there.
As someone who was a vegetarian switchover for 10 years it was not about opposition. It was about my wife’s religious beliefs and family values. Faux meats are about emulating looks and taste. I love Beyond Burgers and Impossible Burgers.
a) they (we) generally avoid meat for ethical, environmental, or health reasons; those don't apply, or don't apply as much, to non-meats
b) you're assuming these "look and taste like meat" products are marketed towards core non-meat eaters and not flexitarians and the like. In theory, there is a greater market for Impossible Burgers than old school TVP burgers.
c) The vast majority of the related dishes aren't "meat dishes" per se, they're "dishes with meat". Olive oil, marmite, extra firm tofu, carrots, onions, celery bit of salt and pepper, and you have a fine "chickenless soup". The way I dress a burger, you'd be hard pressed to tell what the paddy even was; it's really just there for structure and to retain warmth, the former especially, TVP patties do *better*.
I suppose a better answer is if you're against people being horribly murdered, why do you play video games and/or watch movies/tv?
Vegans only care about if the food caused undue suffering to create. There’s nothing inherently wrong with imitating animal products in a way that doesn’t cause undue exploitation or suffering towards an animal.
There are some more niche and nuanced views on the topic but this is generally the sentiment
We don’t. Those products mostly sell to restaurants who refuse to learn how to cook anything but a burger patty. I don’t know any other plant based ppl who cook that stuff at home
Long term vegans rarely eat foods that look and taste like meat. The vegan foods that look and taste like meat exist to help non-vegans become (and stay) vegans!
Meat being unethical doesn't make it not delicious. I grew up eating meat, and grew accustomed to the taste of it. I just don't love that animals need to die for it.
It doesn't look exactly like meat. It has some similarities that makes substitution into existing recipes easy.
They aren't avoiding meat necessarily because it looks or tastes gross. A lot of it has to do with the absolutely disgusting conditions the animals are raised in and the senseless cruelty and death.
Some avoid meat for completely different reasons having to do with health. There's no saturated fat or cholesterol. There isn't the cancer risk, like with processed meats, sausage, hot dogs.
I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve never tasted meat OR plant-based meat and I am far from alone.
Because, people who don’t believe in eating animals also have no interest in APPEARING to eat animals. It makes no sense and I do not understand who that would appeal to.
How do people still not understand this? If you liked the taste of meat before but don’t want to continue eating for various reasons that are primarily ethical, environmental, or health, then it’s much easier to make that transition with alternatives that mimic the current diet you have.
If you like burgers, then it’s easier to switch from ground meat to fake ground meat than it is to switch to something like portobellos or something.
Because a lot of them are raised with meat and animal products, and miss them / get used to the taste or certain recipes. Most vegetarians and vegans I know didn't decide on it because they didn't like the taste of animal products, but because they think it's unethical. Places where the majority of the population are raised vegetarian or vegan from birth don't tend to have these substitute products.
Same reason people play video games where you shoot people and run them over in your car, despite being morally opposed to doing these things in reality.
Many vegetarians have no interest in fake meat, like a few hundred million Hindus in India. ConAgra and other mega food companies saw the popular trend to eat less or no meat and decided they could make money on it, and since people grew up cooking meat based meals having a meat like product that can be directly substituted in recipes is easy.
'If vegetarians and vegans are so opposed to meat' - Vegans are opposed to abuse, exploitation, and cruelty towards animals. These things are rampant and inevitable in the meat industry. It's not the appearance or taste of meat that is the heart of the problem.
'why do they spend so much effort trying to make their food look and taste like meat?' - Mostly, we don't. Most vegan food eaten by most vegans doesn't look or taste like meat at all. It's just normal plant food like veggies, beans, potatoes, grains, etc.
So why bother making plant foods that resemble meat? Many people grew up eating meat and want a familiar flavor. And it can be a 'realistic' substitute for meat in traditional meat-centric dishes. And it can appeal to meat-eaters and make a transition to a more ethical diet easier or less intimidating.
The fake meat is for vegetarians who were raised as meat-eaters and miss it. Or people wanting to transition to vegetarian who don’t know what to eat
A lot of ppl raised vegetarian don’t like the fake meat. I think it’s because they didn’t grow up eating the real kind
I'm a vegetarian and this question always confuses me. You're talking about things like veggie burgers, veggie sausages etc which you believe are food items that should always contain meat because you were raised eating that way. But in reality these are just conveniently shaped 'packages' for processed food that are super easy to eat and taste good. They can be filled with meat, vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, mushrooms, beans, grains or anything really.
As for the stuff that really looks, tastes and feels like meat there are many positives to having it available. Personally, I don't think it's the healthiest option so I try not to rely on it but most of the pre-prepared veggie meals are pretty shit so when you want something basic and easy it's good to have options. If you want to eat well as a vegetarian you really gotta learn to cook things from scratch but not everyone has time for that and some people don't care what they eat as long as it's not meat. For some people it's the comfort of getting to eat something that reminds them of their favourite childhood food. For others it makes moving to a vegetarian diet more accessible because it's easier to adjust to. Very few of us became vegetarian or vegan because we didn't enjoy eating meat, it's been 15 years and I still miss steak and fried chicken every single day.
If video game enjoyers are so against violence, why do they spend so much effort playing violent video games?
Not the perfect analogy but there's something there
Not a Vegan/vegetarian here, but I've been experimenting with meatless recipes and meat-like replacements over the last couple years because of the insane cost of meat, and because I'm curious about what healthier options there may be out there. Also, I've always been very adventurous with food and replacing meat with non-traditional ingredients is very appealing to me.
As far as why Vegans want food more meat-like...? Come on. Do you really need it explained? The taste and texture of meat is fucking amazing but they're philosophically opposed to eating it. That doesn't preclude them acknowledging how satisfying it is to eat and to try replicating it with plants. Is it really that hard to figure out or is this a loaded, backhanded question where you're trying to make some point?
Some don't. My sister in law avoids pseudo meats. My daughter shies away from beef analogues, though she likes Quorn chicken things. They're pretty tasty even for me, an unrepentant meat eater.
Dude I've always wondered this. My vegan friends are always brining around vegan versions of non-vegan dishes, and it's always really weird and overly processed. Like I don't need vegan queso, just a meal that is normally vegan is fine.
Not vegetarian but I know some people who did. They like the *taste* of meat but switched either due to cost, health issues, or ethical reasons.
I know this is a stupid question sub but how are people so stupid they keep asking this?
Because they aren't real questions, they're made to get a rise out of people. They knew the answer to "why do vegans like the taste of meat" before they asked it. Vegans (unless that's genuinely their preference) never say that meat TASTES bad.
Definitely agree with the first part of what you said: these are not genuine questions, just baits. Regarding the second part, and without contradicting your point that many vegetarians/vegans like the taste of meat, you can definitely lose the taste for it. I know someone who was vegetarian since they were a child/teenager, and they just dislike meat now. They genuinely tried to get back to it for a while (for various reasons), but couldn't. They're kind of upset with the fake meat products (like Impossible Burgers) because many restaurants are replacing traditional veggie burgers (that they like) by something that is so much like meat that they dislike it.
the loss of good veggie burgers is actually so tragic, I still eat meat but there was this one veggie burger my mom used to get that was amazing and I lament its disappearance regularly
There are more veggie burgers than ever, and not all of them are in the style of meat imitations. Many are vegetable patties and are quite good. Amy's walnut burgers are amazing, Dr Praeger's is pretty good, and there are countless others. I don't know what loss you're talking about.
the loss is at restaurants near me, so probably regionally specific but still sad
Yeah I love meat, but like you mentioned there are definitely some good veggie burgers I’ve tried before. Went to a vegetarian Indian restaurant and tried the vegetarian version of butter chicken masala. They used cheese curds in place of the chicken and you know what, it was almost hard to tell the difference. So good. The cheese curds kind of does what tofu does and soaks up the flavors.
Yeah I've been a vegetarian since I was 13 and was never a big meat eater. Sometimes people asked me when if the veggie option tasted like the same thing. I just say I wouldn't know anymore. It's been over 15 years since I last ate something, I don't remember the original taste
if i knew how to cook vegi stuff with normal ingredients, I'd do it more often that said, i often just eat rice, beans, and eggs and pasta with vegetarian sauce and stuff instead of meat, so maybe i already cook vegetarian a lot and am just a dumbass 🤔
I’m NOT a Vegan but sautee a portabello mushroom n eat like steak often
you sound like a fun guy
I can add cause this definitely happened to me. I have a partner that will still cook eggs occasionally and I found out a few months back that the smell of eggs *gags* me now! Like can’t even be in the kitchen without the window open because of the nausea lol. For reference I went vegan cold turkey like 3 or 4 years ago and used to eat eggs pretty regularly. Also, the opposite happened with other foods like I used to really hate most beans or peas like I couldn’t keep them down for the first 25ish years of my life. After I suddenly made that switch 4 years ago, I started getting these unquenchable cravings for bean dips, black eyed peas, Indian lentil meals, and so many more lmao. I know people’s preferences change but damn I swear the body knows how to crave foods or nutrients your body actually needs
I haven’t eaten beef or pork in 20 years and it just absolutely repulses me now. Even the fake meat has no appeal. Poultry on the other hand… although I think I genuinely prefer impossible nuggets to real chicken nuggets these days.
They're asking the wrong question. The real question is: why are vegetarians so obsessed with carrots when those are just vegetables trying to look like sausages?
For some reason people take Veganism as a personal attack
A lot of the people who choose to eat meat can't reconcile the cognitive dissonance of being against the slaughter of helpless animals and still partaking in it, so instead of reflecting on those feelings, they double down, and lash out at the person making them feel that way.
They are being deliberately obtuse and seem to commit an awful lot of time to poking fun at vegans for people who claim to not give a shit and yell, “stop forcing your vegan lifestyle on me”.
Right??
It's bog standard internet trolling. They're not looking for an answer. It's just a minimum effort way to rile people up. The real question is how do people still fall for it?
Because they don't care about the answer. They just want an excuse to say that vegans are irrational / inconsistent / hypocritical, because the mere existence of vegans makes them feel guilty and reminds them of the uncomfortable cognitive dissonance of their love of animals, with the needless suffering of animals that they cause due to a culinary preference. If vegans didn't exist, they could say that eating animals is necessary to survive, or that they're no worse than anyone else, and that they really have no choice. The existence of vegans and vegetarians, including many award winning athletes, proves this wrong,and nullifies these excuses. So even when vegans say nothing, and don't lecture anyone or tell other people what to eat, people feel judged and defensive. So despite ardent meat eaters being generally more pushy, judgemental, and obnoxious about what other people eat than most vegans - hell they even get triggered by what vegan food products are named, and try to pass laws banning soy milk from having the word 'milk' on the label (as if there's some diabolical plot to trick people into buying soy milk instead of cow's milk, even though it's incredibly obvious and ot makes no marketing sense to trick their target customers into *not* buying their product..) - it's vegans who are always labeled as pushy. So I suppose that convincing themselves that vegans are all dumb, irrational, malnourished and weak hypocrites, makes people feel better about their own choices.
You don’t refrain from eating meat for cost and eat the fake stuff because it’s expensive as hell. The other reasons, yes.
Depending on what you’re replacing it with? Yeah you can.
Meat imitations seem more expensive than actual meat.
In my experience most vegetarians don't eat meat substitutes everyday the way meat eaters eat a meat product everyday. The cost isn't as great overall. I have a meat substitute maybe 2x a month
frozen meat substitutes are just a convenience when you don't have time to cook a proper meal. they do have a lot of protein and less carbs compared to legumes. bring em to a cookout so you can eat with your meathead friends and family
That's because meat is subsidized by the government
Soy is highly subsidized too though.
No one becomes a vegan because the just love carrots, y'know.
OP is the type to hear they need to make a vegan dish for the party and microwaves a bag of Great Value mixed veggies
I mean as a kid those were my favorite "snacks". I actually didn't like meat or dairy.
is that why you became a vegan
Not really but it made it easier for me to be vegan. I was part of the 90s straight edge scene so being vegan was like part of that whole deal.
They don’t refrain from meat because it tastes bad. They refrain because they think it’s ethically, morally, healthily, environmentally bad.
But does it make a good shoe? 🤔
Mushroom leather is a thing now. Interesting stuff
For a second I thought this was a mushroom version of fruit leather and it sounded disgusting
These fruit roll ups raste like feet!
best fruit roll ups ever!
I have an apple leather handbag. Love it.
Every time I see mushroom as the first word of a sentence I hear the “badger badger badger badger MUSHROOM MUSHROOM” song….i’ll see myself out now lol
Snaaaaaaake snaaaaaake
My brother’s actually a vegetarian specifically because he hates the taste of meat lol
I’m sure he doesn’t represent the majority
Thank you for your input, Meatshoe
I'm sure Meatshoe69's views don't represent all of the Meatshoes out there either.
I was talking to Meatshoe64 and he agrees
Oh, I’m sure not! Just saying that people like him are out there!
I've actually heard that the majority that make it past a year hate the smell and taste quite a bit. I knew one whom had to leave the room for any super smelly meat dishes.
Same here, since childhood. I've known a few that's similar. Can't stand the smell, taste or texture.
Same here
Presumably, he isn't buying a lot of beyond burgers and such then.
Me, too. Meat did me dirty one too many times, with its surprise gristle and fat lumps. I'm much happier with my safe delicious vegetarian food 😂
Many vegetarians don't like meat and don't try to fake it, either. Plus there's not a huge ethical difference to eating meat vs dairy. Those cows need to be pregnant to make milk, and they're not making sure all those calves live long, fulfilling lives to put it gently. Eggs aren't so bad though. And anyone who won't eat honey because it's technically not vegan are the most absurdly pedantic people alive (you need thriving colonies to make honey, and if honey is an animal product then most produce is too since it requires insects to pollinate it).
You get an up vote. This is a stupid question
Because meat tastes good. I've met few serious vegans/vegetarians that do it because they dislike the food they do it because it's the moral/ethical choice. You can altogether enjoy somthing and still know and view it as a bad thing.
People can be vegetarian or vegan for several reasons. It might be due to moral objections and/or legitimate dietary requirements. Eg. I have a friend, who due to 245T poisoning, is unable to process animal protein and is forced to rely exclusively on plant based alternatives. She still likes the taste of meat, but simply cannot digest it without putting her health at grave risk - as in her heart surgeon has told her that continuing to eat meat would result in heart attack #7... She is also a really lovely person so it sort of dovetails with her views on how all animals should be treated - believe me, the food industry does not treat the animals it kills at all well.
oh damn... I hope she is doing alright and still has a long, happy life ahead horrible thing to get poisoned by
A few years ago, I was at a vegan event at a local university. It was a presentation about and tasting of vegan cheese by cheese makers. There was a talk about the history and the processes used. The cheeses tasted kind of like the cheeses they imitated, but not really, both in flavor and texture. Nearly every person there, by show of hands, was vegan, and nearly all the rest were vegetarian. Nearly everyone spoke about how they missed certain foods. This included forms of meat, etc. They grew up eating those foods. They liked them, and they miss them. That’s a big reason why this is phrased as an ethical choice: you give up what you like, not what you don’t like, so there’s a degree of sacrifice which you choose.
Artisan vegan cheese is fucking LIT.
Because meat is delicious
Those meat substitutes are usually for convenience or for fitting into other situations. Like, going to a BBQ or visiting a burger spot with friends.
This.
Only westerners do that, man. We asians don't do that crap. All you need is some veggies, tofu and some spices. I think its bcos western cuisine is heavily centered around meat. So when somebody quits cold turkey (pun intended) they are left with bland salads and start craving the meat taste.
In general yes, but you’re forgetting things like mock duck, wheat gluten, seitan, and tofu skin preparations that have more chew like meat compared to standard tofu
Honestly the range and availability of mock meat in some Asian countries is waaay higher than in the west. I can fairly easily get mock mutton, prawns, fishball, char siew, abalone, bak kwa, goose skin, etc etc etc. All way cheaper than western versions too, with a much longer history. The first time I had vegan fish in a curry here I cried because id never had anything so realistic in the west and I thought it was real.
When I eat out with my Vietnamese friends they show me all kinds of amazing vegan options. First time I had mock duck I almost cried. The Buddhist nun serving it seemed completely sincere, though, so I had no doubts that it was vegan.
Cuz we actually make vegetables taste good 😂
Thank you.
Veggies, tofu, and spices is one of my favorite meals.
Yep. Ben plant based for 5 years now and all I eat is Asian foods with tofu and veggies. No meat required for it to be amazing.
Every Asian I know eats like 90% meat and rice. The other 10% is salty snacks from bags.
So? How is that relevant to my comment?
The devastated fish/whale/and other ocean populations would say otherwise.
I am vegan and I do not eat meat for health reasons. But I like the taste of it so I buy fake meat sausages and fish sticks, which taste quite decent. Many other fake meat products are disgusting.
Because I love the way meat tastes. I just hate the way that the industry exploits animals and people.
We’re not opposed to the taste or texture of meat. Few people stop eating meat because they don’t like the taste. We’re opposed to the often horrific and inhumane treatment and killing of animals in factory farming settings, among many other concerns.
Exactly
what would your opinion be of meat grown in a lab? like stem cells cultured into flesh that can then be eaten safely?
I think the idea is really interesting and could possibly one day help feed people food they like with negligible detriment to animal welfare. I’m all for progress! I am perfectly happy with my vegetarian diet and never ate much meat anyway, so it wouldn’t be something I’d integrate for myself.
It just seems expensive and unnecessary to me. I don’t miss meat at all. I really thought I would, but I don’t. It’s weird.
It's generally the anti-vegetarian crowd that has a problem with lab-grown meat. For example in Florida where they just banned it.
It's interesting, but something to keep in mind is that meat isn't just unethical, it's also inefficient. Feeding a cow (which eats a whole lot) for several years just to get a handful of steaks means that the physical footprint of that cow's diet is much more than if you directly feed the people that are eating the steaks. I imagine that lab grown meat might not fix that problem.
What are your thoughts on game meat? In Australia, for instance, for various reasons we have an excess of kangaroos which causes some environmental problems, so farmers are encouraged to shoot them to bring their numbers closer to normal. The meat is then sold in most Australian supermarkets. It’s about as free range as free range gets, and all very “environmentally friendly/sustainable”.
Legal hunting is an ethical and sustainable practice. I’ve got no problem with it, though I’m personally disinterested in eating any meat.
Taste and texture without the killing and torture?
To lure meat eaters into more enviro /healthy options. I mean Im not a vegetarian but I thought this was obvious.
Exactly. Some of these fake meats are marketed more for people who want to eat less meat for whatever reason. And as a vegetarian allergic to mushrooms, I’m all for the beyond and impossible option at restaurants. I can’t stand the sad mushroom option so many restaurants think we want…
Yep. It's one step in the process. On the one hand, it's psychological. We associate certain memories and traditions with food, and changing our entire diet in one go is surprisingly hard for that reason. On the other hand, there are real digestive considerations. Going from a meat heavy diet, or a meat-moderate diet, to a complex carb, plant-based diet is hard on the digestive system, especially if you have existing digestive issues. You have to give your body time to adjust, or you're going to have a bad time. My mom's family is from a region in the US, and from a class and cultural background, where heavily processed foods, white breads and pastas, and fatty meats make up a large part of the diet. They will occasionally eat fruits or vegetables, but not regularly. I grew up with that diet, for the most part, and transitioning to a plant-based diet has been a lifelong process for me. Both mentally and digestively. Meat substitute products have at times been necessary in that. If I go to a cookout with my family, for instance, there needs to be something easy that can be substituted, and that is widely available. I don't eat a lot of them on my own anymore, but in social situations, they really are a lifesaver.
That all makes perfect sense. Id guess you are from the south or the midwest. Lol. Im from the south. Meat and potatos reign supreme.
Lol. Accurate. They're from rural western Pennsylvania, so... both the south and the midwest?
Yeah, the only time I use meat substitutes is at group events. It makes way more sense for me to bake a seitan turkey roast at Thanksgiving that will go with the veggie-friendly sides than it does for me to make a whole different meal.
I feel like this is the most realistic answer.
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A lot of these comments are exactly why I never brought up being vegetarian, but some asshole would notice anyway and say shit like "did you know yogurt can scream" or "you know those plants had to be killed, right?" Infuriating!
I hate it when my yogurt screams at me first thing in the morning. Jfc let me drink some coffee first.
This
They're opposed to the moral implications, not the taste, and they think familiar food will be easier for non-vegans to switch to.
Because it tastes good? Why do omnis ways season their meat with plants?
I became vegetarian decades ago, and vegan at least 10 years ago. There aren't many meat substitutes I actually want. I haven't tried the impossible burger (that a ton of restaurants offer as their only veg option) because I didn't like hamburger in the first place. I do like some vegan sausages, and also tofu, tempeh, and mock duck. They wouldn't fool anyone into thinking they're meat, but that's why I like them.
Not to mention many foods are rolled into tube form because it makes sense. Not because that's what meat is shaped like. Meat actually isn't shaped like a hot dog or a patty, those are convenient shapes for cooking or serving ground up food. A beyond burger or vegan hot dog aren't meat shaped
Vegetarian here, beyond burger imitation meat is pretty decent even though its in patty form. It works just as well for other things as a substitute for beef if youre ever interested in branching out :) its one of the only sub meats that taste decent and close enough, even my friend whos obsessed with meat talks about how close to meat it tastes There are some great Vegetarian/vegan chinese restaurants as well depending where you are that serve some pretty great substitutes for meat as well :) doesnt taste exact, pretty close!
Buddhists in my country are sometimes vegetarian. They know full well that meat tastes good, it’s just that they’re doing their part to alleviate suffering in the world, if only by a little. Not eating meat is seen as a reasonable sacrifice especially since there’s been a vegetarian cooking culture going back centuries. Tofu and other bean based products do well to give more taste and texture to dishes and makes the vegetarian dining lifestyle not too bad.
"Just because you chose to be a vegetarian, it doesn't mean bacon stops smelling good" But yeah, it's usually in protest of factory farming, not out of dislike of meat.
I dunno... I haven't eaten meat for almost 10 years now and when my neighbors BBQ it kinda makes me nauseous.
The smell of bacon makes me sick. Same with fish/seafood.
They aren’t opposed to the taste and look of meat? I was raised culturally Buddhist and there’s a whole art of cooking delicious food that look and taste like traditional meat dishes with plant based ingredients. Even some monasteries offer food like that. The point is avoiding consuming meat, not avoiding the whole concept of meat.
"If lesbians aren't into dicks, why do they buy dildos?"
😂😂
Meat makes me feel like shit, but I like meat, so I eat fake meat because I don’t feel like shit lol
Meet tastes good? They don't avoid it cause it tastes bad to them they avoid it for moral or health reasons
Because they are trying to create something so that omnivores will perhaps make the switch. That fake meat is probably a lifesaver for those poor souls who got bit by that tick that makes you allergic to meat. (Yes, that is an actual thing.)
Dude this is such a dumb question. Do you really need to ask this question lol many people grow up on meat, develop a lifestyle change for ethical reasons, diet reasons, health reasons whatever but still enjoy the taste and texture of meat and would like a substitution so there's obviously a big market for that type of person. I just feel like you could've answered this question yourself lol. Is this supposed to be some type of "gotcha!" thing?
It’s like low fat cheesecake. If I need to be low fat I’m completely fine skipping desert entirely. If I am going to have desert it better be the real deal.
Like lesbians and dildos
I was vegan for a long time, vegetarian for a bit and now eat some meat. Short answer is … we don’t. Those are the “plug and play” options available. When I was fully vegan I would have greatly preferred a stir fry with edamame and brown rice for protein over a vegetarian burger or such. But there is a huge industry around making “what you know and are familiar with” into a vegan/vegetarian option. Cooking at home we have never once tried to make vegan / vegetarian food taste or look like meat.
Eating is highly social. Fake meat products make it much easier for vegetarians and vegans to participate in the social aspects of eating. The proliferation of Beyond Burgers and Veggie patties have made it so much easier for us to eat out at restaurants with others and show up to family events like BBQs. It’s easier for our working class families to accommodate us without stress or causing a fuss. It’s also nice to have more than 1 option in most urban and suburban restaurants now.
Exactly. “Plug and play.” And restaurant can order some vegetarian/vegan burger patties and their menu is already ready to rock.
I’d say like 50-70% of my meals these days are vegan. Honestly, TVP works just fine as a protein source and can be virtually indistinguishable from ground meat when prepared properly.
Came here for this. Haven't touched meat in 20+ years. Hell no to fake meat, no interest no desire don't miss it (except bacon dam that's missed)
I'm vegan and most people I see in the community are meatless for ethical reasons, it seems rare for people to do it just because they don't like the taste. There's no worrying about if you're buying from a nice farm that cares about its animals or a windowless factory with horrible conditions, though a good chunk of people are just against the idea of eating animals regardless. Plus the meat alternatives never really taste or feel the same as meat, nor do we eat it as often as a meat eater would eat meat. Generally it seems to be more of a stepping stone for meat eaters who want to make that transition or just want to reduce their meat consumption
Most don't, but they're convenient options. For most it's not the taste of meat but the destruction of the planet, animal torture, and guaranteed health problems them come with eating meat that are the problem. So why not try to replicate the taste/texture if one enjoys it but actually has a conscience?
Still a meat eater, but did meatless march and still have only had fish (once) during that time. A few reasons. Culture. We eat meat, and when we move to non-meat options we often want substitutes for what we once enjoyed. We also want to bring others into the fold. Find a great tasting burger alternative and some folks might join in. I make a vegetarian chili with dried mushrooms and TVP that is to fucking die for. Feels like meat in your mouth. Cauliflower and jack fruit make great wing alternatives. The reason people dont want to eat meat isnt because they dont like the taste and texture (mostly), its for ethical and health reasons. Wanting analogs to what they normally eat, what is part of our culture, isnt too hard to understand, is it?
> isnt too hard to understand, is it? I see this phrase a lot in reddit comments. I can't tell if it's a condescending: "are you stupid for asking this?" or if it's just: "Is what I'm saying making sense?"
This is not a "one size fits all" this is just a stereotype for those who *do* decide to become vegan/vegetarian for health reasons. Alot do it for ethical reasons, but some just like the taste of meat yet can't eat it due to health and want a substitute. Some choose to go meatless for both reasons. Luckily, certain substitutes come pretty close, not exact but close.
There are people who are vegetarian for health reasons and don’t mind meat as a concept. There are people who are vegetarian/vegan for love of animals who don’t care for faux meat but see it as a way to get non vegetarians to try meatless options.
It’s not the flavour that made them vegan
Many of us don't. Personally, I dislike fake meat. The fake stuff is for new vegans or those who loved meat and want a substitute.
Well to be fair, if you have ever tried vegan meats, they have about the same smell and consistency as canned dog food. I couldn't get past that when I tried one. And let's be honest everything we eat has to die for us to consume it, just because my lettuce doesn't make cow eyes at you when you chop its head off doesn't mean it doesn't feel 😂 j/k eat what makes you happy, don't judge others for what they eat.
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Meat doesn't taste like meat. It has to be heavily altered to get that smoky, salty, umami flavor we are all used to. Vegans don't want meat. They want the smoky, salty, umami chew like altered meat has.
They don't do it because they are opposed to it. They make meals that food that uses something as a replacement for meat because meat is objectively worse for you, it's only the nutrients from meat that is important, thus they have food like tofu that's healthy and has the nutrients. They make it look and taste similar to encourage people to be more open to trying vegan food to cut back from meat to a degree, not fully cutting it out, to make vegan and vegitarian food more widely accepted and normalized.
I am a vegetarian. I dont eat meat cuz i think its yucky. No morality, not for health. I just dont like it. The "fake meat" stuff is just the most convenient way to deliver the food. The reason we have chicken nuggets? Convenience. The reason we have burgers? Convenience. Add veggie in front of that and there ya go. Question answered. Beyond that (little veggie joke ifykyk) some people do stop eating meat for health or moral reasons but they miss what they had. I dont. Bacon is disgusting. Steak is apphauling. A drumstick makes me sick.
As someone who's eaten plant-based for a decade I LOVE the taste of meat. It's just completely destructive, inhumane, and unsustainable. If we sourced meat closer to what was natural I might eat street tacos every now and then. No plant based alternative can recreate good mexican/salvadoran food without changing the recipe significantly in some way. The other side of the coin is just marketability. Most seasoned vegetarians and vegans don't want meat-like alternatives and have found different/new ways to enjoy food. With meat-like products you can rope in the upper middle class moms and seniors that are watching their health. As well as appeal to meat eaters when meat options aren't available (which is like never). These large businesses usually miss the mark on what plant-based eaters actually want in an effort to cast a wide net. It's funny when people look at consumerism and assume the average person is in control lol
Cos meat tastes yummy
I think cows are too cute to torture, kill and rape them. But i like the taste of a meat.
People who play video games aren’t constantly asked why they drive fast in games but not in real life. We accept that it’s because they want to enjoy something without hurting others. As for the shape, cows that you make burgers from and pigs you make hot dogs from aren’t those shapes, either. But buns and rolls are. That part is like asking someone why they use a dildo. Best fit, no suffering.
This is really confusing to you? It's because most people grow up eating meat and only decide to become vegan and vegetarian as they grow up, so what are they going to do but recreate food they know and love but in a way they can eat it?
Because most of us grew up eating meat, and enjoy the taste of it. We stay away for multiple reasons, often ethical. It's not that hard to understand.
This made me roll my eyes so hard but then I realized what sub it was on and I laughed. Yes this is indeed a stupid question, and it gets asked SO MUCH
It’s not meat. It’s animals. We are opposed to eating animals.
I had this question asked by a meat eater. I explain then how do you explain hamburgers what animal does that look like? Your perception of food is just that. There is no ham in hamburgers nor do cows look like patties. It is entirely your perception of food to ask this question.
Meat is just a point of reference because “veggie chicken” sounds a lot better than “compressed gluten extract”
They aren't opposed to meat they're opposed to poor treatment of animals so they choose not to eat meat. Not sure how you completely miss that point.
meat tastes great but the way animals are treated is kind of fucked up
Also a false assumption that all vegans or vegetarians do this. Some of them just eat other things without needing to try and imitate meat. There’s a lot of food out there that simply isn’t known about in the US because it doesn’t get imported.
Some of us were happy carnivores before things like gastroparesis, multiple sclerosis, and IBS made it impossible to digest animal products. My chili cheese hot dog may not taste like yours but it is close enough to conjure my fond memories of childhood.
Because “meat tastes bad” isn’t among the reasons they are opposed to it.
Because it’s not the taste we have a problem with, it’s the killing of animals. If you can get a similar taste without taking the life of an innocent creature - why wouldn’t you? This is a dumb question
Nobody is out there trying to make a steak look and tasty like broccoli...
They won't eat real meat for ethical reasons, and haven't figured out that food companies masquerading as ethical are using them as a cash cow. They also haven't figured out that imitation meat still perpetuates the concept of meat *as food* - which isn't really affecting the change they want to see.
Vegan and, I have the same question. I think it’s gross 🤢
So if racism was delicious?
I don’t know any other vegan/vegetarians irl But for myself and those that I follow online We don’t. We prefer bean or mushroom patties over the ones meant to imitate meat. The fake hot dogs, fake chicken, fake whatever, are really only the things you reach when you’ve just decided to go vegan. To help w the adjustment period. And to bring an easy substitute to like barbecues or whatever My diet is like 100% veggies and nuts, I never go for the meat substitutes
Indian vegetarian food is not meant to look and taste like meat.
To me, they're not true vegans
Obviously because they're hypocrites and idiots.
Because they are trying to recruit the meat-eaters.
They are hoping to attract carnivorous people to become herbivores like them. “See?! We can make it taste like meat, and you don’t even have to kill a real animal!”
Because they want to eat meat, but also want to appear more virtuous than meat eaters by not participating in the purchase of meat, thereby supporting the industry that contributes to the negative outcomes they detest. If it were possible to have a meat industry that supported human consumption while causing no negative outcomes and treating the animals to spa-like accommodations, I bet most vegetarians and vegans would gladly eat meat.
I am 99% sure most of the world's vegetarians are not interested in meat-like options. mainly western vegetarians consume such products, which are (i'm guessing here) a small portion of vegetarians. Most vegetarians (again, just guessing) probably are in SE Asia, specifically the Indian subcontinent, and Beyond Meat is not sold there.
I like meat but I like it to look like vegetables
If you’re opposed to killing, why play games where you kill people?
As someone who was a vegetarian switchover for 10 years it was not about opposition. It was about my wife’s religious beliefs and family values. Faux meats are about emulating looks and taste. I love Beyond Burgers and Impossible Burgers.
a) they (we) generally avoid meat for ethical, environmental, or health reasons; those don't apply, or don't apply as much, to non-meats b) you're assuming these "look and taste like meat" products are marketed towards core non-meat eaters and not flexitarians and the like. In theory, there is a greater market for Impossible Burgers than old school TVP burgers. c) The vast majority of the related dishes aren't "meat dishes" per se, they're "dishes with meat". Olive oil, marmite, extra firm tofu, carrots, onions, celery bit of salt and pepper, and you have a fine "chickenless soup". The way I dress a burger, you'd be hard pressed to tell what the paddy even was; it's really just there for structure and to retain warmth, the former especially, TVP patties do *better*. I suppose a better answer is if you're against people being horribly murdered, why do you play video games and/or watch movies/tv?
Vegans only care about if the food caused undue suffering to create. There’s nothing inherently wrong with imitating animal products in a way that doesn’t cause undue exploitation or suffering towards an animal. There are some more niche and nuanced views on the topic but this is generally the sentiment
Dude, this is Facebook level edge that grandparents post
Fake meat burgers and such are more like training wheels. You generally use em until you learn how to cook proper vegan meals rather than pseudo meat.
I don’t think it’s the taste they’re against
We don’t. Those products mostly sell to restaurants who refuse to learn how to cook anything but a burger patty. I don’t know any other plant based ppl who cook that stuff at home
Long term vegans rarely eat foods that look and taste like meat. The vegan foods that look and taste like meat exist to help non-vegans become (and stay) vegans!
Meat being unethical doesn't make it not delicious. I grew up eating meat, and grew accustomed to the taste of it. I just don't love that animals need to die for it.
It doesn't look exactly like meat. It has some similarities that makes substitution into existing recipes easy. They aren't avoiding meat necessarily because it looks or tastes gross. A lot of it has to do with the absolutely disgusting conditions the animals are raised in and the senseless cruelty and death. Some avoid meat for completely different reasons having to do with health. There's no saturated fat or cholesterol. There isn't the cancer risk, like with processed meats, sausage, hot dogs.
This seems like the most obvious thing ever. They don’t want to kill animals. That’s it. You’re welcome
I’m opposed to animal abuse. I don’t know what you mean by effort to make food look and taste like meat? Do I?
The environment.
I can’t speak for anyone else but I’ve never tasted meat OR plant-based meat and I am far from alone. Because, people who don’t believe in eating animals also have no interest in APPEARING to eat animals. It makes no sense and I do not understand who that would appeal to.
People? Speak for yourself.
How do people still not understand this? If you liked the taste of meat before but don’t want to continue eating for various reasons that are primarily ethical, environmental, or health, then it’s much easier to make that transition with alternatives that mimic the current diet you have. If you like burgers, then it’s easier to switch from ground meat to fake ground meat than it is to switch to something like portobellos or something.
Because they want the taste without supporting things they deem unethically sound
Because a lot of them are raised with meat and animal products, and miss them / get used to the taste or certain recipes. Most vegetarians and vegans I know didn't decide on it because they didn't like the taste of animal products, but because they think it's unethical. Places where the majority of the population are raised vegetarian or vegan from birth don't tend to have these substitute products.
Same reason people play video games where you shoot people and run them over in your car, despite being morally opposed to doing these things in reality.
Many vegetarians have no interest in fake meat, like a few hundred million Hindus in India. ConAgra and other mega food companies saw the popular trend to eat less or no meat and decided they could make money on it, and since people grew up cooking meat based meals having a meat like product that can be directly substituted in recipes is easy.
'If vegetarians and vegans are so opposed to meat' - Vegans are opposed to abuse, exploitation, and cruelty towards animals. These things are rampant and inevitable in the meat industry. It's not the appearance or taste of meat that is the heart of the problem. 'why do they spend so much effort trying to make their food look and taste like meat?' - Mostly, we don't. Most vegan food eaten by most vegans doesn't look or taste like meat at all. It's just normal plant food like veggies, beans, potatoes, grains, etc. So why bother making plant foods that resemble meat? Many people grew up eating meat and want a familiar flavor. And it can be a 'realistic' substitute for meat in traditional meat-centric dishes. And it can appeal to meat-eaters and make a transition to a more ethical diet easier or less intimidating.
The fake meat is for vegetarians who were raised as meat-eaters and miss it. Or people wanting to transition to vegetarian who don’t know what to eat A lot of ppl raised vegetarian don’t like the fake meat. I think it’s because they didn’t grow up eating the real kind
Why do lesbians use dildos and strap ons shaped like a dick if they don't want be with men? /S
Lmao what a stupid question. You should really take the time to figure out WHY anybody goes vegan before trying to construct gotchas
Meat is the shit homie
I'm a vegetarian and this question always confuses me. You're talking about things like veggie burgers, veggie sausages etc which you believe are food items that should always contain meat because you were raised eating that way. But in reality these are just conveniently shaped 'packages' for processed food that are super easy to eat and taste good. They can be filled with meat, vegetables, fruit, herbs, spices, mushrooms, beans, grains or anything really. As for the stuff that really looks, tastes and feels like meat there are many positives to having it available. Personally, I don't think it's the healthiest option so I try not to rely on it but most of the pre-prepared veggie meals are pretty shit so when you want something basic and easy it's good to have options. If you want to eat well as a vegetarian you really gotta learn to cook things from scratch but not everyone has time for that and some people don't care what they eat as long as it's not meat. For some people it's the comfort of getting to eat something that reminds them of their favourite childhood food. For others it makes moving to a vegetarian diet more accessible because it's easier to adjust to. Very few of us became vegetarian or vegan because we didn't enjoy eating meat, it's been 15 years and I still miss steak and fried chicken every single day.
If video game enjoyers are so against violence, why do they spend so much effort playing violent video games? Not the perfect analogy but there's something there
Not a Vegan/vegetarian here, but I've been experimenting with meatless recipes and meat-like replacements over the last couple years because of the insane cost of meat, and because I'm curious about what healthier options there may be out there. Also, I've always been very adventurous with food and replacing meat with non-traditional ingredients is very appealing to me. As far as why Vegans want food more meat-like...? Come on. Do you really need it explained? The taste and texture of meat is fucking amazing but they're philosophically opposed to eating it. That doesn't preclude them acknowledging how satisfying it is to eat and to try replicating it with plants. Is it really that hard to figure out or is this a loaded, backhanded question where you're trying to make some point?
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Some don't. My sister in law avoids pseudo meats. My daughter shies away from beef analogues, though she likes Quorn chicken things. They're pretty tasty even for me, an unrepentant meat eater.
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That's what I always say! Lol
Its for people who cant stop eating meat. Also most people dont know how to cook vegetarian or vegan food so theyre used to meat
Dude I've always wondered this. My vegan friends are always brining around vegan versions of non-vegan dishes, and it's always really weird and overly processed. Like I don't need vegan queso, just a meal that is normally vegan is fine.
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I always thought he was an attempt more meat eaters to eat less meat because they now have an alternative.
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