Question about including meat extenders into my diet

[Soen Eber]

I've been finding myself sliding away from meats almost accidentally - I still have it but not to the same extent, and I'm interested in looking into meats I can buy at the deli counter and frozen food isle which contain textured vegetable protein and plant-based extenders like oatmeal for health reasons. Well, not just health reasons, I've ethical problems with meat production as well (the tipping point for me was companies denying workman's comp to meat workers during Covid when it's been so clear that meat production is at least a contributing factor). I've been moving away from heavy meat eating since Covid started.

I'm not looking to having a vegan lifestyle or learning how to make meat-based dishes with nothing but TVP, but I know it's healthier and cheaper, and every bit I have is like sticking a knife into an ag industry I generally despise. Because I've also been eating less I'm also having an increase in accidental meatless days. 1500 calories go by pretty fast when you have grains, fruit, bran, nuts, hard-boiled eggs and cottage cheese as part of a breakfast routine (not all at once, obviously!) and don't feel hungry until 3'ish.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

So you made a statement and have got a plan - but what's now your question? Do you seek inspiration on how to use meat extenders? Are you looking for experiences, recipes or other stuff?

 

[Soen Eber]

No, not recipies. I just want to include meats which already have food extenders and grains in them. I'm too lazy, otherwise. I want to walk into a grocery store and pick up "meat" that makes ham sandwiches or spaghetti with something cheaper and healthier. Oh, and it should be American, I guess, unless it's available locally at Aldi's or Whole Food$.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Ah I see it now, so basically you want to use plant based meat replacements, which look and taste like meat. Correct?

PETA has a list of different stuff you can get: GUIDE: Vegan Meat Replacements (Updated December 2019) | PETA

 

[Soen Eber]

Ah I see it now, so basically you want to use plant based meat replacements, which look and taste like meat. Correct?

PETA has a list of different stuff you can get: GUIDE: Vegan Meat Replacements (Updated December 2019) | PETA

Thanks, but not entirely. I'm still willing to buy meat, just less of it. There's also an economic perspective: slap the words vegetarian or healthy on a product and the price doubles, but making a meat product with 20 or 30% plant protein makes it "a dirty secret you don't talk about" but also both healthier and cheaper. Money IS an issue for me, unfortunately.

I know a lot of companies like Encore and Banquet that do this are also bottom feeders who put out poor quality starchy products with lousy nutrition, but I figure there have to better players and products out there as well. I'm looking for the health/value "sweet spot", sort of comparable to buying a graphics card that was first released two years ago that's "good enough" for $150 instead of the "new hot thing" for $800.

 

[Sid]

I really have no clue about veggy-meat. I eat less meat than I used to as well, but I never buy veggie meat. I just skip the meat from my menu at some days.
Here in NL we have e classification system for packed meat called "beter leven" (better life) and underneath the logo there can be 1, 2 of 3 stars.
No logo means not tested or poor life quality.
The more stars, the better life the animal had (space, better food, outdoor facilities). Mostly the higher the price is as well.
But I'm at an average of 3 times a week a meal with meat. And that makes it cheaper budget wise even if the meat is a bit more expensive, because 4 days no meat at diner.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

In the Frozen North we have this stuff: Maple Leaf 50/50™ | Maple Leaf Foods

Surely they're a cheap knock off of something available in the USA.

Tho Maple leaf are also

bottom feeders who put out poor quality starchy products with lousy nutrition

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Thanks, but not entirely. I'm still willing to buy meat, just less of it. There's also an economic perspective: slap the words vegetarian or healthy on a product and the price doubles, but making a meat product with 20 or 30% plant protein makes it "a dirty secret you don't talk about" but also both healthier and cheaper. Money IS an issue for me, unfortunately.

Well I just mentioned this list because PETA has it, not to turn you into a vegan. But what better place to look for such stuff as an overview?

If you want it cheaper, you could start by looking at recipes with unripe spelt grain in it.

 

[Clara D.]

Kroger brand frozen burgers have a goodly amount of filler, which makes them cheaper than ground beef.

And my parents always made meatloaf with grain in to "stretch" the meat out -- good for sammiches.

 

[Free]

And my parents always made meatloaf with grain in to "stretch" the meat out -- good for sammiches.

My family did the hamburger stretching with oats. EDIT: Or usually, oatmeal.

 

[Clara D.]

My family did the hamburger stretching with oats.

I think they used barley in theirs.

 

[Rose Karuna]

My favorite is "MorningStar farm Grillers Crumbles" I frequently that or "Beyond Beef" to make stuffed peppers, spaghetti sauce and taco meat. It's not any cheaper than meat but while you can tell the difference between it and meat, it has a pleasant taste and good texture. I started buying this when our meat counters at Publix emptied from panic buying in April and May. I liked it enough that I continued using it, (particularly the MorningStar crumbles).

I also really like MorningStar patties (frozen food section) and will buy those. I have made my own veggie burger patties with puree'd black beans, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and eggs. They are pretty tasty, let me know if you want the recipe.

If you are making meatloaf or meatballs and using meat, there are all kinds of fillers you can use. For a keto diet, I've used ground chicken with ground fried pork rinds. Sounds weird but they taste amazing. For meatloaf or meatballs I tend to use what's on hand. Every week I dry left over bread in the oven and make croutons which I can grind in my food processor to make bread crumbs and then throw those in. You can use oats, rice or saltines also. There are 100,000 different recipes for meatloaf at least (I think I started a thread about that a while back). Just remember that if you do use a grain or filler that you need something to bind it to keep it from falling apart, I just use an egg.

Last, a word of warning, the most hideous, nastiest thing I have ever tasted were tofurky franks. I SO don't recommend them. If they happen to whisper your name as you pass the deli case, RUN!

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

My favorite is "MorningStar farm Grillers Crumbles" I frequently that or "Beyond Beef" to make stuffed peppers, spaghetti sauce and taco meat. It's not any cheaper than meat but while you can tell the difference between it and meat, it has a pleasant taste and good texture. I started buying this when our meat counters at Publix emptied from panic buying in April and May. I liked it enough that I continued using it, (particularly the MorningStar crumbles).

I also really like MorningStar patties (frozen food section) and will buy those. I have made my own veggie burger patties with puree'd black beans, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs and eggs. They are pretty tasty, let me know if you want the recipe.

If you are making meatloaf or meatballs and using meat, there are all kinds of fillers you can use. For a keto diet, I've used ground chicken with ground fried pork rinds. Sounds weird but they taste amazing. For meatloaf or meatballs I tend to use what's on hand. Every week I dry left over bread in the oven and make croutons which I can grind in my food processor to make bread crumbs and then throw those in. You can use oats, rice or saltines also. There are 100,000 different recipes for meatloaf at least (I think I started a thread about that a while back). Just remember that if you do use a grain or filler that you need something to bind it to keep it from falling apart, I just use an egg.

Last, a word of warning, the most hideous, nastiest thing I have ever tasted were tofurky franks. I SO don't recommend them. If they happen to whisper your name as you pass the deli case, RUN!

I also want to endorse morningstar products. ...and also agree that "tofurky" must be avoided like the plague. "tofurky" was so bad, it convinced entire generations they can't live without meat and made it that much harder for vegetarians to prove that you can have great food without it.

I also would encourage you all to look up bean burger recipes. Those can be good on their own, or to stretch out real hamburger.

...though my favorite way to replace the smoky flavor of BBQ is with laphroaig... lol.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

I also want to endorse morningstar products. ...and also agree that "tofurky" must be avoided like the plague. "tofurky" was so bad, it convinced entire generations they can't live without meat and made it that much harder for vegetarians to prove that you can have great food without it.

I also would encourage you all to look up bean burger recipes. Those can be good on their own, or to stretch out real hamburger.

...though my favorite way to replace the smoky flavor of BBQ is with laphroaig... lol.

I love my meat, but there are plenty of gorgeous vegetarian dishes out there. I just personally prefer to have vegetarian dishes that aren't pretending to be meat.

And yeah, the various veggie and bean burgers don't come off as pretending to me - they have their own unique tastes, and are pretty tasty [just not terribly keto].

 

[Free]

I love my meat

Just dragging it out of context.

 

[GoblinCampFollower]

Just dragging it out of context.

My boyfriend knows I love meat! lol

 

[Lady Darnk Juniorette]

Just pull on it!!!

 

[Ailsa Muliaina]

I think if you still want to eat meat, buy the highest quality most welfare friendly stuff you can get. Then look for recipes that work for small amounts of meat to make it last longer. In my grandparents' time and even while I was a kid, meat was expensive so my family had recipes that would stretch out their leftovers. I wouldn't touch anything that was further processed to bulk it out at all. I think it's better to extend things yourself and know what's in the food you're eating.

We're fully vegetarian, and we buy processed vegetarian foods, but at least 90% of our meals are fully cooked from individual ingredients. I cook with pulses more than meat substitutes, they're pretty cheap and versatile. You can make your own veggie burgers on the cheap too I always have stuff like nuts and seeds ready for snacking and dropping into recipes. I drop seeds into and over our bread. You can easily make sweet treats including protein bars etc with nuts/seeds/dried fruit and other goodies, plenty are non-bake too. Being full vegetarian is pretty fun and straightforward once you start exploring outside the meat aisles, I've never missed meat since I learned to cook veggie properly.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Just pull on it!!!

Mmm, pulled pork?

 

[Isabeau]

I have to say, before this thread I had never heard of the expression “meat extenders”. Somehow, it makes it so unappealing.