How many people on here rely on processed fake meats?

I don't rely on them, but I appreciate them...

Try my chili recipe. It is a good way to stretch that faux meat. You may actually enjoy it...

This is the recipe for my vegan chili. It's tried and true and should be just the thing for you...

The ingredients are 1 bag of Morningstar Farms ground, 1 large can of crushed tomatoes, 1 can of chili magic, a chichi's corn cake packet and a can of cream corn.

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except for the corn and the corn cake mix. Heat until boiling and let it boil for like 8 minutes and it's ready.

Follow the directions on the corn cake mix and heat it in the oven. It's better to start the cake first because it takes a lot longer. You can time it out right after practicing though.

When both items are done, fill a bowl with half corn cake and half chili. Take a little corn bread and a little chili with each bite. Trust me, you can't go wrong with this recipe.

It's completely cruelty free, and it only costs about 11.50 to make it. It serves 4 people with too much and probably 6 if you eat normal portions.

It depends on the person. I personally LOVE the fake meats... especially those by Quorn and Morningstar Farms. However, I've talked to some long-time vegan and vegetarian friends and the thought of even fake meat grosses them out. They say they'd become nauseous if the item even resembled the texture of meat (which is the whole point, isn't it?). So it totally depends. I've been vegetarian for a little over a year and I couldn't have done it without meat substitutes. I can still cook all the same dishes I used to cook. Morningstar Farms has "crumblers" (like ground beef), chicken patties, nuggets, burgers, and now they even have "steak" and "chik'n" strips that make a great stir fry! Even their corndogs & hotdogs are good (better than the real deal IMO - I always thought that stuff was nasty!), as is their "sausage" links. WAY better than the originals, in which I'd inevitably bite down on a piece of grissle or mystery meat my first bite, ruining my appetite. You do have to cook fake meats quite differently (except Quorn)... most of it gets really soggy if you cook it in liquids. It's best when added at the end of cooking, just long enough to heat up. In fact, with the strips especially, I like to pan-fry them to dry them out some, then add them to whatever sauce or dish I'm using them in.

I relied on them until recently. This whole year and then some has been a big transition. I am still learning all the time. The biggest part has been cooking for myself. Since I started cooking for myself (it is so much cheaper and healthier) I have stopped relying on the fake meats as much. They are good but should not be relied on...they are extremely processed.

The closer you can get to whole/raw foods, the better off you are. Even though I wasn't a fan of vegetables (haha yeah I know...don't even say it), now that I cook them for myself all the time, I love them. I crave them more than ever but have very little cravings for much else.

So...I once did but not really anymore. That's my story and I am sticking to it = )

I remember when I first became vegetarian, I would eat the fake meats all the time. As time went on I realized there were much tastier alternatives(which were also a lot cheaper).

I hardly ever eat the fake meat anymore, as there is really no need to. Where I used to use the fake "steak" strips and veggie burgers, I mostly use portobello mushrooms. For meals that I used to use the fake "chicken" I use tofu. And as my recipes expanded and I found that the new recipes I could make were a lot tastier than a veggie burger or veggie dog.

I don't rely on them, several weeks can go by without me eating or wanting them, but I do enjoy some of them.

Like you, I went vegetarian a long time ago (I'm now vegan) and there weren't any processed meats then - just TVP chunks which were tasteless and disgusting, and those sausages that came in a tin, ugh - so I spent many years as a vegetarian without using them.

Yes they can be expensive - though certainly not more expensive than meat - and of course they're processed, though some are less highly processed than others.

But if you're feeling uninspired or lazy, or if you're short of time, or if you just fancy a change of texture and taste, they're fine and useful to have in your fridge or freezer

My husband and I eat some form or another every two or three days. I wouldn't say we rely on them but they are convenient for a snack or a meal in a pinch and sometimes contribute to a recipe that otherwise is made with whole foods. For those of us with limited time and somewhat limited cooking experience they can be quite helpful. I imagine it would have made my transition to vegetarianism a little bit harder but I think we would have made it without them, just as you and others have. We are finding veggie burgers sold in Indian stores especially tasty and nice to add to things. And crumbles are our most-used fake meat. Since I haven't successfully tackled TVP yet they have been a lifesaver in some recipes.

I won't lie to you...I do have some soy ground "beef" in my freezer at the moment, but I use it sparingly.

I have veggie burgers only every once in a while and I couldn't tell you the last time I had chick'n nuggets, fake bacon, fake sausage, etc.

I eat a LOT of tofu, fresh and frozen veggies and of course - grains.

I agree with you - it's heavily processed and should only be consumed in moderation. To me, it's like junk food - an occasional treat.

Fake meat is a real life saver at times, especially Boca Burgers and Smart Dogs. I try to stay away from the processed foods as well though and focus more on fresh fruits & vegetables. Being veg means being healthy and having a well balanced diet, even without meat.

I don't rely on them but I definitely appreciate them. It makes the transition much easier for new vegetarians and vegans. Vegans on my college campus (on meal plans) also have very few options, despite 8 years of activism from our campus animal rights group. While there are vegetarian foods, everything is slathered in cheese or butter. Fresh fruits and vegetables aren't readily available, the one thing you can count on is vegan burgers and tofu pups. Living on campus, we're required to buy a meal plan that we can't even use because we have no options other than faux meats.

I will hopefully have my own kitchen next year so I can cook again. It's fresh fruits, vegetables, cereal, soy milk, pasta, grains, tempeh, seitan, and tofu for me.

I do not rely on them but am not ashamed to consume them from time to time. Sometimes they are convenient when you just don't have the time to make something better.

Many of them actually do have healthy ingredients, especially the veggie burgers and are a lot better than actually eating the "high calcium" meats of hot dogs and who knows what's in the burgers, etc.

As a side note I do not like to refer to them as fake meats. Just as soy milk is just a real as diary milk a veggie burger is as real as a hamburger. Both are burgers one is just made of meat that's all.