Bye bye MEAT! How will the post-meat future look?

[MrCurry]

Just an observation - watching some of channel 4 output this afternoon I noticed no fewer than three tv ads which seemed to be on the theme of eating less meat.

Wagamama were advertising that 50% of their menu choices now don’t have meat, the hairy bikers were pushing Knorr vegetable stock pots to a dedicated meat eater and Sainsbury’s were suggesting adding chick peas and lentils to dishes to halve their meat content. Those were just the ones I noticed.

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

 

[platinumsage]

Just an observation - watching some of channel 4 output this afternoon I noticed no fewer than three tv ads which seemed to be on the theme of eating less meat.

Wagamama were advertising that 50% of their menu choices now don’t have meat, the hairy bikers were pushing Knorr vegetable stock pots to a dedicated meat eater and Sainsbury’s were suggesting adding chick peas and lentils to dishes to halve their meat content. Those were just the ones I noticed.

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

Of course companies will leap on such a trend because there's so much capacity for meaty profit margins on vegetable products, because people are happy to pay the same price as their meat-based alternatives.

 

[skyscraper101]

Just an observation - watching some of channel 4 output this afternoon I noticed no fewer than three tv ads which seemed to be on the theme of eating less meat.

Wagamama were advertising that 50% of their menu choices now don’t have meat, the hairy bikers were pushing Knorr vegetable stock pots to a dedicated meat eater and Sainsbury’s were suggesting adding chick peas and lentils to dishes to halve their meat content. Those were just the ones I noticed.

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

I'm fully onboard with it. And I'm exactly the target market as a meat eater trying to eat less of it, so the more meat alternatives that can sway me with the better. And tbh the quality of Beyond burgers or even the McPlant burger at McDonalds are already enough to make me not want to bother with beef burgers ever again now.

 

[Sue]

Just an observation - watching some of channel 4 output this afternoon I noticed no fewer than three tv ads which seemed to be on the theme of eating less meat.

Wagamama were advertising that 50% of their menu choices now don’t have meat, the hairy bikers were pushing Knorr vegetable stock pots to a dedicated meat eater and Sainsbury’s were suggesting adding chick peas and lentils to dishes to halve their meat content. Those were just the ones I noticed.

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

TBF, Wagamama have long had a separate veggie/vegan menu as have quite a few of the big chains. The problem is more that you often have to know they exist and ask for them. (Wagamama did do a thing a few years ago where they asked if you also wanted a veggie/vegan menu which was good I thought.)

 

[8ball]

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

Have you been living under a rock for the last 4 years?

 

[MrCurry]

And tbh the quality of Beyond burgers or even the McPlant burger at McDonalds are already enough to make me not want to bother with beef burgers ever again now.

I’ve never tried one of these ”fake” burgers but I guess I should take the chance next time it arises.

Have you been living under a rock for the last 4 years?

Maybe, yes. I deffo don’t normally see U.K. tv ads, which is why they were noticeable to me.

 

[8ball]

I’ve never tried one of these ”fake” burgers but I guess I should take the chance next time it arises.


Maybe, yes. I deffo don’t normally see U.K. tv ads, which is why they were noticeable to me.

I’ve tried the “No Bull” and the “Beyond” burgers and was impressed with both (the former isn’t as good, but is also about half the price, so no complaints there).

They both beat a lot of “real” burgers imo.

 

[Hollis]

Yeah - vegan burgers are fine. Vegan ice cream also - I've tasted stuff just as good as the dairy equivalent.

 

[MrCurry]

Yeah - vegan burgers are fine.

I guess the trick to getting these things to really take off is if they can be made to be the cheaper alternative to meat burgers. That’s assuming there can be sufficient production capacity to meet that level of demand. I really know nothing about how these things get made and whether they can be made efficiently in the kind of volumes needed to shift the fast food market away from beef patties.

 

[8ball]

Yeah - vegan burgers are fine. Vegan ice cream also - I've tasted stuff just as good as the dairy equivalent.

Interesting, given how bad the “cheese” is.
Will give it a try.

 

[CNT36]

Interesting, given how bad the “cheese” is.
Will give it a try.

The ice cream is much better than the cheese. Lacks something in texture or at least has a slightly different texture. The Magnum's not bad.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

TBF, Wagamama have long had a separate veggie/vegan menu as have quite a few of the big chains. The problem is more that you often have to know they exist and ask for them. (Wagamama did do a thing a few years ago where they asked if you also wanted a veggie/vegan menu which was good I thought.)

The vegan options at Wagamama are amazing and it's the first chain restaurant to have 50% plant-based options. I do worry about the separate vegan menu though. Vegan food isn't just for vegans but perhaps non-vegans are less likely to specifically request a vegan menu than pick vegan options from a mixed menu?

 

[Jeff Robinson]

The ice cream is much better than the cheese. Lacks something in texture or at least has a slightly different texture. The Magnum's not bad.

The vegan Ben and Jerry's is very good.

 

[8ball]

The vegan options at Wagamama are amazing and it's the first chain restaurant to have 50% plant-based options. I do worry about the separate vegan menu though. Vegan food isn't just for vegans but perhaps non-vegans are less likely to specifically request a vegan menu than pick vegan options from a mixed menu?

Not been there in years, but def agree with that last bit. A place I go to sometimes has a separate vegan menu but some things, like the Beyond cheeseburger, are on both (no difference re: the vegan cheese either). I'd sooner just have one menu with some labelling.

 

[Funky_monks]

Just an observation - watching some of channel 4 output this afternoon I noticed no fewer than three tv ads which seemed to be on the theme of eating less meat.

Wagamama were advertising that 50% of their menu choices now don’t have meat, the hairy bikers were pushing Knorr vegetable stock pots to a dedicated meat eater and Sainsbury’s were suggesting adding chick peas and lentils to dishes to halve their meat content. Those were just the ones I noticed.

There‘s definately a trend underway, seems to me at least.

Yeah, as I said, this is great news for the processors and manufacturers of highly processed foods - the main cost in those containing meat was the meat itself and the main scandals around them were mostly about how little meat they contained. This way they can be all filler and stamp a little green plant logo on them so people somehow think they are eco-friendly.

There's the trend: Number of vegans Great Britain 2019 | Statista

The number of Vegans had risen to a staggering 1.16% of the population by 2019. Be interesting to see what happens post covid (during COVID meat sales went through the roof).

 

[8ball]

Yeah, as I said, this is great news for the processors and manufacturers of highly processed foods - the main cost in those containing meat was the meat itself and the main scandals around them were mostly about how little meat they contained. This way they can be all filler and stamp a little green plant logo on them so people somehow think they are eco-friendly.

Presumably you’re talking about Wagamama. I haven’t heard of any scandals involving veggie stock cubes, chickpeas or lentils containing less than the stated amount of meat.

 

[Sue]

Presumably you’re talking about Wagamama. I haven’t heard of any scandals involving veggie stock cubes, chickpeas or lentils containing less than the stated amount of meat.

Wagamama's not highly processed either so must admit I'm a bit confused.

 

[8ball]

Wagamama's not highly processed either so must admit I'm a bit confused.

It seemed kinda processed when I’ve been, but in the way I expect from a lot of Asian food.

I don’t know whether their meat-free choices make them more so.

 

[Sue]

It seemed kinda processed when I’ve been, but in the way I expect from a lot of Asian food.

I don’t know whether their meat-free choices make them more so.

Tofu/veggies/noodles/rice whatever. Not v processed imo.

 

[8ball]

Tofu/veggies/noodles/rice whatever. Not v processed imo.

Yeah, not super-procesed imo based on those ingredients. Would have to know more about preservatives etc. because you could argue on similar grounds that McDonalds isn’t especially processed.

 

[Saunders]

Tofu/veggies/noodles/rice whatever. Not v processed imo.

A few years ago one of my kids (the vegan) was in hospital in London and his and my joy when I brought him some food from their nearest branch.

 

[8ball]

A few years ago one of my kids (the vegan) was in hospital in London and his and my joy when I brought him some food from their nearest branch.

Hey, when the alternative is hospital food I don’t think it’s a big diff that it’s the vegan kid.

 

[Saunders]

Hey, when the alternative is hospital food I don’t think it’s a big diff that it’s the vegan kid.

Yeah, I get what you’re saying, but for me it looked, tasted and smelled like good food.

 

[8ball]

Yeah, I get what you’re saying, but for me it looked, tasted and smelled like good food.

Yeah, not dissing it, not had their vegan grub. Have spent enough time in hospitals though.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Yeah, I get what you’re saying, but for me it looked, tasted and smelled like good food.

The wagamama vegan menu is so good! Here are a few of the dishes (before anyone asks, the "egg" is coconut and siracha mayo):

 

[8ball]

That looks better than the non-vegan stuff I've had a Wagamama.

 

[Sue]

Damn you, Jeff Robinson. I'm hungry and that ^ has really not helped.

 

[Jeff Robinson]

Damn you, Jeff Robinson. I'm hungry and that ^ has really not helped.

Genuinely sorry. I did appreciate that risk but indulgently posted them anyway

 

[likesfish]

Burgers Archives - Really Happy Chicken

tried this perfectly edible and tastier than KFC

 

[8ball]

Pics look good. I’m not v familiar with seitan.