A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals • Hacker News Board

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#201

Post by WorldMaker » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:12 PM UTC

SubuSS wrote: post #190

I would highly suggest vegetarian food seekers to try out cuisines that have worked out vegetarian options over time (Indian / Thai) rather than the options that try to substitute a green salad. I also have a HUGE resistance for stuff like Beyond meats - When I want meat, I really don't want to try out synthetic haeme or whatever that makes this taste like meat - at least for the next 15-20 years when we figure out w…

> to try out synthetic haeme or whatever that makes this taste like meat

The synthetic hemoglobin is Impossible's (patented) technique to make it cook like meat, because it's fake red blood cells. Long story short, it's a slightly differently different way to (kind of) ferment soy beans, and while it may not be as old as Soy Sauce, after as long as Asian cultures have been (ab)using the soy bean, Impossible's process would be quite hard pressed to find some new cancer to cause.

The rest is just mostly various combinations of plants (beans, plant fibers, spices), just as bean burgers and veggie burgers have always been.

Though don't let me stop your skepticism. Beyond / Impossible are useful beef substitutes and probably aren't healthier than beef, but they probably aren't any worse than beef either.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#202

Post by geggam » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:13 PM UTC

seanwilson wrote: post #173

geggam wrote: post #165

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>If that's correct, how is that not cruel? Animals don't want to die The animal will die regardless. The Native Americans would honor the animal and thank its spirit for the life force. To me that seems quite ethical.

> The animal will die regardless. You don't have to kill the animal or breed animals to be killed. You're choosing for that to happen. > The Native Americans would honor the animal and thank its spirit for the life force. Why does that make killing something that doesn't want to be killed okay? Would that making killing a dog or human okay if you thanked their spirit after?

Some places do eat dogs. Animals are not humans and elevating them to that status is why you have ethical problems

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#203

Post by geggam » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:14 PM UTC

socksy wrote: post #121

geggam wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would argue that you haven't ever really spent much time in nature. Example : Wolves and coyotes thrive on killing babies, nature is much more harsh than any farm I have seen.

So because nature does it, we should do it too?

You are a part of nature.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#204

Post by ethbro » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:16 PM UTC

sudosteph wrote: post #154

AnIdiotOnTheNet wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Stories I've heard of southern cuisine describe meat dishes with a side of more meat.

It's not all meat but it it's not healthy either. I can't speak to Cajun food, but fried okra, hushpuppies, and Cole slaw, are all important side dishes where I live. Fresh tomatoes or fried-green tomatoes too are good ones too.

I will say, as someone who's live in both southern and northern US states...

- Northern "American" food traditions tend to completely lack seasoning of any sort (note: not including appropriated ethnic traditions here)

- Southern "American" food traditions tend to heavily season vegetables (often with ham)

Essentially, if you just took raw vegetables and steamed them, nobody would bat an eye in New England.

In the Southeast, nobody would eat them. And it would probably be politely suggested that you never bring food to the church picnic again.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#205

Post by saagarjha » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:19 PM UTC

andrewfromx wrote: post #107

mikekij wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This extends to individual meals too. Lots of meat eaters feel some desire to be vegetarian, but have a particular dish or two they “can’t live without.” The environmental and health impacts of even avoiding meat in 50% of meals would be enormous. There’s no gold star for being a “perfect” vegetarian. Just do what you can.

i've been doing no cows and pigs since 2015 and the hardest part is the social aspect of going out with friends and someone announcing to the group, OH HEY THIS PERSON OVER HERE DOES NOT EAT 100% OF EVERYTHING. And all of a sudden you are the lame one that isn't "open to trying new things" or "fun and spontaneous" and will just pop anything from any dish into your mouth and say, oh wow, yum. And yet, the same people…

> i've been doing no cows and pigs since 2015 and the hardest part is the social aspect of going out with friends and someone announcing to the group, OH HEY THIS PERSON OVER HERE DOES NOT EAT 100% OF EVERYTHING

It sounds like you’re lacking some supportive and understanding friends :( Would they say the same if you had a food allergy?

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#206

Post by ohbleek » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:24 PM UTC

jedimastert wrote: post #91

_Microft wrote: post #8

The dish mentioned sounds far better than what is usually served as vegetarian food at canteens and restaurants. Quite often they offer just a compilation of side-dishes to have something vegetarian on their menu. (Dumblings with red cabbage and - wait for it - gravy from roasting meat is a widespread menu offer for vegetarians in southern Germany. Not sure if it counts as vegetarian option though). Once people notic…

POV: Omnivore with a (previously) vegetarian spouse. We generally ate veg @ home One of my biggest issues with modern veg diets is all of the veg food trying to masquerade as other food. Soy bacon does not taste like, or taste as good as, real bacon. Tofu and Boca burgers do not taste like actual meat. But tofu and the like can taste amazing on its own merit . It's an ingredient with it's own flavors and textures, so…

I get so tired of this argument. If you were raised eating meat then you'll likely have tendencies to eat meals based around meat. Meat substitutes make sense in the current world and given the typical diet of western cultures. It doesn't have to taste just like the meat it mocks, it just has to taste good. There is nothing special about the taste of chicken or beef other than it is good and you're used to it. If something is similar it doesn't have to be exact and if it doesn't hit that mark it doesn't make it inferior. Chances are most meat doesn't taste the same and has various levels of quality but people don't have the same level of scrutiny between choices of chicken as they do between fake chicken and real chicken. I have given fake buffalo chicken sandwiches to friends before that had no idea at all that it wasn't real until I told them (Iknew about any allergies beforehand). Please excuse my tone, I've been veg for +10 years now and I'm tired of hearing the same weak arguments and excuses. People eat too much meat and it's time to stop making excuses. It's not necessary to stop eating it completely if you don't want to but you shouldn't be eating it more than a few times each week. The nuance of your argument is not lost on me, in fact I agree with the main point but not the part meant to persuade.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#207

Post by NeedMoreTea » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:26 PM UTC

bootlooped wrote: post #123

jedimastert wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

POV: Omnivore with a (previously) vegetarian spouse. We generally ate veg @ home One of my biggest issues with modern veg diets is all of the veg food trying to masquerade as other food. Soy bacon does not taste like, or taste as good as, real bacon. Tofu and Boca burgers do not taste like actual meat. But tofu and the like can taste amazing on its own merit . It's an ingredient with it's own flavors and textures, so…

Mock meat foods are a great way for restaurants to easily serve vegetarian or vegan plates with a simple substitution. They also make a massive number of recipes accessible to vegetarians or vegans. They also lower the barrier to entry for meat eaters to convert to eating less meat. I think they're really great in many ways. Downsides: they are highly processed, currently expensive, and of questionable nutritional va…

That was the approach you'd see in UK restaurants and pubs 15 or 20+ years ago. In place of a vegetarian dish they'd prepare some mash up of regular dish with meat substitute - Quorn sausages, or mince in a lasagne etc everything else as for the carnivore serving. Or a side dish bulked up to pretend to be a main. They were usually to be avoided, unless like one or two of my friends you were vegan or vegetarian and stuck with them.

Now, more of my friends are vegan, and all good restaurants have vegan first dishes, created to get the best of the ingredients rather than pretend to be something else. Many of them are incredibly nice and I might choose them over a steak with no more difficulty than deciding lamb over beef another day.

As a result we are eating less and less meat - because we are discovering great vegan dishes beyond Indian cuisine - that's always been strong on vegetarian dishes. Not because we've decided to don hair shirts and "tolerate" vegetarian meals. That it's better for the environment is a bonus, but food quality and taste can stand by itself now.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#208

Post by lukeschlather » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:29 PM UTC

benj111 wrote: post #196

lukeschlather wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're morally against killing people, why would you want to play a game about killing people?

One other thing I've never quite understood is that a child can watch James Bond shoot a few hundred people and that's fine, it is significantly less fine for that child to watch a film of 2 people having sex, even though sex is a normal heathy part of life. In the UK a 16 year old can legally have sex, but cant watch it?! Tbh I'm not sure, I get turned off by things like Saw, because I don't really think theres the…

I mean for me it's just a question of nutrition. Especially if I'm doing a lot of activity, vegetarian food that "pretends to be meat" gives me a lot more protein with less fiber and carbs which translates into a better balance for exercise.

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#209

Post by SolaceQuantum » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:30 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #153

SolaceQuantum wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm also quite curious, because palak paneer and other vegetarian indian dishes are awesome, veggies or not, and you didn't specify these sorts of options when you specify disliking vegetables in any form. If you hate tomatoes, does that mean you despise chili, or pasta? Are curries terrible? Is an apple pie better off with just shortbread?

> and you didn't specify these sorts of options when you specify disliking vegetables in any form I haven't had a chance or inclination to eat much Indian food yet. I'm going to try, at some point. > If you hate tomatoes, does that mean you despise chili, or pasta? Not really. Here's the thing: it all depends on the processing, and usually the more processing was involved, the better I like the end result. So e.g. I…

I would recommend then trying roasted vegetables or veggie soups or sauces. Disliking raw carrots by themselves is very different from disliking roasted carrots and carrot soup and carrots in a curry and carrots in a dumpling and carrot cake, all of which drastically change the carrot taste and texture. It's a bit like saying that "i don't like any sort of pork product at all, as I've had unflavored pulled pork and didn't like it".

Re: A rise in vegetarian options leads customers to embrace meat-free meals

#210

Post by markkanof » Thu, Oct 03, 2019, 5:35 PM UTC

ohbleek wrote: post #206

jedimastert wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

POV: Omnivore with a (previously) vegetarian spouse. We generally ate veg @ home One of my biggest issues with modern veg diets is all of the veg food trying to masquerade as other food. Soy bacon does not taste like, or taste as good as, real bacon. Tofu and Boca burgers do not taste like actual meat. But tofu and the like can taste amazing on its own merit . It's an ingredient with it's own flavors and textures, so…

I get so tired of this argument. If you were raised eating meat then you'll likely have tendencies to eat meals based around meat. Meat substitutes make sense in the current world and given the typical diet of western cultures. It doesn't have to taste just like the meat it mocks, it just has to taste good. There is nothing special about the taste of chicken or beef other than it is good and you're used to it. If som…

You might get tired of it, but it's a pretty strong argument. If I know what real bacon tastes like then eating some vegetarian facsimile of bacon is going to lead to massive disappointment and drawing the conclusion that eating vegetarian is not really an option for me. If instead I just eat things that are vegetarian and have no meat based equivalent then there is a good chance of discovering new and interesting foods and really being able to enjoy what you are eating.