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Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

nytimes.com

311–320 of 663 posts

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#311
post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of interest, what's the reasoning behind a strict separation of the two? I understand it in the case of gluten free products because that can really have health implications, but when you are vegan for ethical reasons it shouldn't make a difference, right? But I'd say this is great news either way. I like meat, but when there's a way to get the same taste and texture without the bad consequences for animals…

Some people seem to go vegan because they're emotionally off-kilter. I'm in a few vegan Facebook groups and I've seen posts where people are way over-reacting to food cooked on the same surface, or talking about their emotional breakdown over the suffering of animals. I'm vegan almost two years and I'm pretty sure I ate mayo on a burger two weeks ago. I ordered it explicitly without, but sending it back would just cr…

I definitely agree with your reasoning about sending things back. I've been a vegetarian my whole life, but I don't see the point in making a stink if people didn't know or made a mistake.

I've eaten meat a few times just to avoid making a scene. Got invited out to dinner by colleagues on several different occasions (diff people) and they were sushi and steak places. No vegetarian options. Such is life.

I manage to have positive impact with 99.9%.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#312

How do the other components of a typical Burger King meal stack up health wise, ignoring the patty? Bun, cheese, condiments, fries, seasoning? Is it "not that bad", or should the average Joe still feel guilty about indulging?

This is mentioned in the article. Same amount of protein, slightly less fat, 90% less cholesterol.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#313
post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Religious reasons, for one. Some vegetarians are just very grossed out by it (I'm one of them). I generally look the other way at very minor cross contamination, its probably going to happen once in a while, especially if I don't know about it, but if I taste meat juices in my food I completely lose my appetite. I once bit into sausage that found its way into my pizza (I suspect it fell into the cheese) and I couldn'…

> (of course, for a burger that's supposed to taste exactly like beef, you wouldn't know...) Funny thing, that: http://archives.quarrygirl.com/2009/06/28/undercover-investi...

Fascinating study, it looks like they really did their best to control all the variables.

Makes sense that dairy and eggs were the most commonly found non-vegan ingredients-- they are both such a huge part of cooking. As someone who has tried to go vegan in the past, I can tell you that cheese was probably the hardest thing to fully cut out for me, and eggs were right behind it. I'm glad the liars are being called out, though, that is some despicable behavior.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#314
post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of interest, what's the reasoning behind a strict separation of the two? I understand it in the case of gluten free products because that can really have health implications, but when you are vegan for ethical reasons it shouldn't make a difference, right? But I'd say this is great news either way. I like meat, but when there's a way to get the same taste and texture without the bad consequences for animals…

Religious reasons, for one. Some vegetarians are just very grossed out by it (I'm one of them). I generally look the other way at very minor cross contamination, its probably going to happen once in a while, especially if I don't know about it, but if I taste meat juices in my food I completely lose my appetite. I once bit into sausage that found its way into my pizza (I suspect it fell into the cheese) and I couldn'…

My wife has a similar distaste for red meat, she can stand it in food but just doesn't enjoy the taste so, when we eat, it's never center stage in the meal.

Amusing to me is that frozen pizza meat (and some delivery pizza meat) is seriously bottom shelf and can be disgustingly greasy. I've gotten very picky about my frozen pizza preference because some of the brands have a meat with a terrible aftertaste (looking at you, Delissio).

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#315
post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Because I want to have a drive through vegetarian hamburger and I want it to have it anywhere in the country...

Burger King and McDonald's "burgers" barely resemble the real thing anymore, so an "Impossible Burger" might be a step up. Seriously, go eat a McDonald's burger in Italy. The difference between that one and one in the US will shock you.

Why would anybody eat a chicken nugget when they can get a slice of that grade A free-range whole wheat grass fed organic chicken breast which provides only objectively superior flavor for every human palette? Better not put bbq sauce on it though, because that is meant for only the classiest of ribs. Every aspect of food: price, quality, appeal, ethics, and flavors, lie together on a single linear scale. So sayeth the religion of the sacred snob diet.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#316
post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Because I want to have a drive through vegetarian hamburger and I want it to have it anywhere in the country...

Burger King and McDonald's "burgers" barely resemble the real thing anymore, so an "Impossible Burger" might be a step up. Seriously, go eat a McDonald's burger in Italy. The difference between that one and one in the US will shock you.

Barely resemble the real thing?

Come on... I know you might not like them, but I don't see how they "barely resemble the real thing."

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#317

I'd like to add that I see a lot of people saying, "If you're vegetarian/vegan why are you going Burger King?" - Well, I don't go often, but on the off chance that I'm with some friends and they go to a fast-food restaurant, it's much easier and less awkward if there's something I can eat too.

"Because I want to have a drive through vegetarian hamburger and I want it to have it anywhere in the country...

I heard the following business story about McDonalds salads and I don't know if it's true but it sounds plausible:

Apparently, McDonalds salads are not directly all that profitable for them. So why do they offer them as an menu option?!? Because there is often one member in the car that would veto going to McDonald's if they didn't have a salad as an alternative to a meat burger. E.g. if mom vetoes McDonalds, they would lose the 3 potential burger sales to the dad & 2 kids in the car. Scenarios like that makes the salad option (and veggie/meatless burgers) worth it for them.

EDIT ... found one source about this: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-mcdonalds-uses-anti-veto...

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#318
post #277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Because I want to have a drive through vegetarian hamburger and I want it to have it anywhere in the country...

Burger King and McDonald's "burgers" barely resemble the real thing anymore, so an "Impossible Burger" might be a step up. Seriously, go eat a McDonald's burger in Italy. The difference between that one and one in the US will shock you.

I've had McDonald's in multiple continents, and FWIW, they taste quite consistently good no matter where you are. The homogeneity of their global supply chain is actually pretty amazing.

Also I'm glad I couldn't go a story about fast food without a comment about how is and / .

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#319

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Beef only is responsible for 3% of greenhouse gasses in America. I'm not sure an "emission" tax would really affect the price all that much. In addition, you have to account for and tax the emissions produced in plant production (fertilizer, agricultural soil, transportation, etc...). Agriculture is a total of 9%, whereas livestock only accounts for 3% of that. I work for agriculture companies, and a lot of animal fe…

I believe this is a very US-centric viewpoint. I'm using the article 'Beef Cattle and Greenhouse Gas Production' from Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/news/info... According Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN 2006 report livestock were responsible for 18% of all human-related greenhouse gas production. 14.5% according to 2013 report. O…

You are right, but I was discussing in reference to a U.S. based emissions "tax". Maybe I misunderstood and they were suggesting a worldwide tax? Not sure how that would work.

If the U.S. were to tax agriculture production of beef, I'm assuming that would be for U.S. farmers so the relevant statistic is emissions in the U.S.

Re: Burger King is introducing a vegetarian patty from the start-up Impossible Foods

#320
post #258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just out of interest, what's the reasoning behind a strict separation of the two? I understand it in the case of gluten free products because that can really have health implications, but when you are vegan for ethical reasons it shouldn't make a difference, right? But I'd say this is great news either way. I like meat, but when there's a way to get the same taste and texture without the bad consequences for animals…

Religious reasons, for one. Some vegetarians are just very grossed out by it (I'm one of them). I generally look the other way at very minor cross contamination, its probably going to happen once in a while, especially if I don't know about it, but if I taste meat juices in my food I completely lose my appetite. I once bit into sausage that found its way into my pizza (I suspect it fell into the cheese) and I couldn'…

Hmm, I think I understand your viewpoint to a degree. I myself have similar experiences when a meal contains alcohol, its taste makes the food inedible for me. There have been cases where other people ate the same thing and didn't even notice it while I couldn't eat it.
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