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Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

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Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm happy to eat plants of all sorts, in their natural form. A slurry of plant fats and proteins which approximates eggs sounds like nasty factory runoff. I don't get this trend anyway. There are lots of perfectly good vegetarian dishes out there. Why do we have to whore out the food industry to the tastes of meat eaters in the name of saving the planet ? Can't wannabe "virtuous" meat eaters learn to eat vegetarian f…

I'm a big proponent of vegetarianism, and I think there's a lot of value in these "transitional meats." I've convinced one friend to vegetarianism over the years by cooking "meat-like" replacements for them... this is the type of person who might say "oh I've considered it before, but I could never give up hamburgers" to a vegetarian. Overall if the goal is meat reduction, then it's a win if you can get someone to oc…

I'm a proponent of eating animals - and I don't think there's a lot of value in these fake meats.

But hear me out.

We eat too much meat and I loathe the industrial complex that supplies 'technically meat' - at the expense of it actually being good and the lack of welfare that brought that price down. The average turkey is tofu-taste with suffering. Nobody should want this (and I genuinely don't see how anybody enjoys eating it).

On the converse, a grass-fed, heritage breed, 28 day aged cow rib-eye is amazing. Not cheap, it shouldn't be cheap, it should be a rare treat - is amazing, and I'm not giving that up.

What I dislike about the "tech startups selling fake-meat" is that they're treating us like fuck-wits. #press-release Burger King is now selling our patty, only available at BK!! Nobody who cares about their food was going to BK in the first place. Saying "BK customers can't tell the difference" is a f'in low bar.

Sorry, I'm meandering. I just meant that the world is full of amazing vegetarian/vegan food - homemade hummus, pitta and roasted veg. Might be my favourite meal. Few toasted pine-nuts chef's-kiss Switch up to vegetarian and there's even more amazing choice and dishes.

What we should be pushing is that a felafel-burger is amazing. BK selling a beetroot coloured chemical concoction and telling us their customers can't taste the difference, is not a 'win'

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm happy to eat plants of all sorts, in their natural form. A slurry of plant fats and proteins which approximates eggs sounds like nasty factory runoff. I don't get this trend anyway. There are lots of perfectly good vegetarian dishes out there. Why do we have to whore out the food industry to the tastes of meat eaters in the name of saving the planet ? Can't wannabe "virtuous" meat eaters learn to eat vegetarian f…

Beyond beef and impossible have been successful because meat eaters are willing to choose them and like them. Put another way, can't you learn to like an all meat diet without sneaking in vegetables or making them seem like non-meat? (Well, no, you like what you like, and you probably won't make huge changes without incentive).

My feeling is that "meat appreciators" aren't choosing them. They're being eaten by people who just default to a meat a their protein of choice - and we'd be better off pushing something that's non-meat and tastes better.

I mean just consider the 'vegeburgers' these places previously sold. There was clearly no attempt/inclination previously - and I feel the meat substitutes now offered come with as much care.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#63
post #11

Its hard for me to understand exactly how the term "plant-based" came to be an acceptably descriptive name for a category of food. Is it so hard to just put the name of the plants in the name of the food? I think most people would be skeptical of going to a bar and ordering something off the menu that was simply called "Animal-based Wings."

It's probably because the concoction contains so many elements that it's difficult to label.

No it's because so many people have an allergic reaction to the idea (and ideology) of Vegan. People who eat plant-based tend to be more (health based) pro-veggie than militantly anti-meat. It's trying to promote a healthy vision with out the quagmire of the extremists.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#64

Vrimp is officially the worst branding I have heard since Kraft rebranded to Mondelez. Otherwise very cool! I've started eating Impossible or Beyond burgers wherever they have them because I like the flavor and honestly beige blend of 1000 cattle [1] isn't a particularly appetizing product. Looking forward to expanding this to eggs and, uh, vrimp. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/05/there...

> beige blend of 1000 cattle true, most chains are inedible, but I just can't get past the aftertaste - feels too synthetic and unhealthy. I feel people tho tout "you won't believe it's not beef" have never tried either of them.

I agree it’s definitely not beef but I like it as it’s own thing.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#65

if it is plants, it is not Eggs best way for a product to not work is to label it as "plant based" *insert_animal_food_name*

Are you equally pedantic on the colloquial classification of nuts when a large portion of the "nuts" we eat are actually drupes? Or fruit vs vegetable classifications? Perhaps language is a tool used to convey meanings and ideas in ways that are quickly and concisely understandable. The "plant-based" insert_animal_food_name allows people to understand that this food item is meant to mimic an animal-based food item, e…

That's a good point and a good question

My personal issue is i then expect the product to taste similar

I got disappointed when i first tried "almond" milk, i was expecting the taste to not differ from the cow milk i used to drink, and it was simply just a disgusting taste.. that made me puke..

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#66
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a big proponent of vegetarianism, and I think there's a lot of value in these "transitional meats." I've convinced one friend to vegetarianism over the years by cooking "meat-like" replacements for them... this is the type of person who might say "oh I've considered it before, but I could never give up hamburgers" to a vegetarian. Overall if the goal is meat reduction, then it's a win if you can get someone to oc…

I'm a proponent of eating animals - and I don't think there's a lot of value in these fake meats. But hear me out. We eat too much meat and I loathe the industrial complex that supplies 'technically meat' - at the expense of it actually being good and the lack of welfare that brought that price down. The average turkey is tofu-taste with suffering. Nobody should want this (and I genuinely don't see how anybody enjoys…

So I agree with you conceptually, that would be a better way to eat meat and I'd likely join in if that were our reality. But I think you may be overestimating how daring Americans are with food... or just how familiar they are with food in general.

A lot of the country has almost a toddler-like relationship with food. They like what they like and you have to practically shove it down their throats to get them to try anything new... just look at the restaurant options available in some parts of rural america... they're basically large chains microwaving frozen foods (at least the south gets exposure to some authentic mexican food and barbeque... the midwest is... well... limited)

People literally die because they will not eat healthier to save their lives. It's not at all unusual for a diabetic person to lose a limb and still not change their diet.

I'd wager that a meat-like replacement that tastes enough like meat and looks like meat will be more successful than anything on the BK menu containing the word falafel. It's like tricking children to eat healthier by putting a food they don't want to try into a fun shape.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a big proponent of vegetarianism, and I think there's a lot of value in these "transitional meats." I've convinced one friend to vegetarianism over the years by cooking "meat-like" replacements for them... this is the type of person who might say "oh I've considered it before, but I could never give up hamburgers" to a vegetarian. Overall if the goal is meat reduction, then it's a win if you can get someone to oc…

Meat consumption reduction to 2-4 meals a week feels ok. Some cheese and eggs other days. This is totally bearable. What I feel is really detrimental is the fitness culture pushing for no carbs and 2 grams of proteins per kg of body weight.

If fitness culture were the main problem I think we'd be ok. Most people in the US are not even remotely fit.

The other end seems much more common... we've got big boxes of cheap frozen hamburgers sold in supermarkets that consist largely of beef heart, tongue, and whatever other garbage is left behind. The baseline for what consists of meat in the US is almost literally what's swept off the floor.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#68
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Could you please cite your sources for your claims? They are rather bold and contrary to what I've learned.

A quick search readily brings up multiple articles about margarine and heart disease. Women who eat four or more teaspoons of margarine a day have a 50 percent greater risk of developing heart disease than women who eat margarine only once a month http://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/05/us/study-links-heart-disea... Margarine intake and subsequent coronary heart disease in ... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9229205 Butter…

Ah makes sense. Trans-fats were definitely bad. But you can get trans-fat free and even lower staturated fat content margarine today.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#69

I remember when margarine, and other plant based fats were being touted as the healthier alternative to animal fats, and in the end, it turned out that these artificially oxidized plant oils ended up being a direct cause of heart disease. I'm afraid of products such as these for the same reason, because we have no long term health data. I'm happy to eat plants of all sorts, in their natural form. A slurry of plant fa…

I'm happy to eat plants of all sorts, in their natural form. A slurry of plant fats and proteins which approximates eggs sounds like nasty factory runoff. I don't get this trend anyway. There are lots of perfectly good vegetarian dishes out there. Why do we have to whore out the food industry to the tastes of meat eaters in the name of saving the planet ? Can't wannabe "virtuous" meat eaters learn to eat vegetarian f…

Are meat eaters the target audience here? I was always under the impression that the target audience was vegetarians that longed for a burger et al.

As a meat eater, I can't imagine myself ever even trying a plant-based "meat" product. If I want veggies, I eat veggies. If I want meat, I eat meat. I know, crazy.

Re: Nestlé to Debut Plant-Based Eggs, Shrimp

#70
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm a proponent of eating animals - and I don't think there's a lot of value in these fake meats. But hear me out. We eat too much meat and I loathe the industrial complex that supplies 'technically meat' - at the expense of it actually being good and the lack of welfare that brought that price down. The average turkey is tofu-taste with suffering. Nobody should want this (and I genuinely don't see how anybody enjoys…

So I agree with you conceptually, that would be a better way to eat meat and I'd likely join in if that were our reality. But I think you may be overestimating how daring Americans are with food... or just how familiar they are with food in general. A lot of the country has almost a toddler-like relationship with food. They like what they like and you have to practically shove it down their throats to get them to try…

I'm only an infrequent visitor to the states - but I feel you're selling your country short.

Everywhere I've been, there's been an immigrant selling their food - first place I randomly had Ethiopian food for example. But also my first Tamale, which seemed pretty normalized.

I think people not being able to cook, is maybe the hurdle we need to clear - or not having the confidence to cook. My mum let me help out, I got taught at school - not to any great standard, but enough to instill in me the confidence that after a few tries you can make anything you want (and now I have fun seasonal arguments when I produce a meat thermometer and ask her to stop killing it)

Typing that actually helped me out. It's not that I have an issue with meat substitues - it's that they seem to be pasting over the symptom, and missing the cure. Getting somebody to buy their Beyond-Meat-Patty from BK is good, but it would be better if they cooked themselves, or picked up something from their local-vegetarian-Indian restaurant - "STOP GOING TO BK"

Whole Beyond Meat thing seems to be some weird stop-gap - filling a cheap-meat hole. "Just Stop Eating Cheap Meat"

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