Plant-Based Meat (Beyond Burger etc) - Thoughts?

spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 12:42
Last edited 14/02/2020 - 19:02

So by now I'm sure many have tried these from Grill'd, HJs, etc, but does anyone choose to buy them, and if so which do you prefer?

Beyond Burger Patties are currently $12 @ Coles, which is pretty pricey.
Woolworths has Next Gen2 Burger Patties for $7 (RRP $8) currently, which is far more palatable.
Are there others?

Has anyone tried the options available and what do you recommend?

A really good watch is Mark Rober's newest video on the subject

Oh, and let's have a poll!

How do you feel about plant-based meat?

Edit
Good to see an interesting conversation around it :) Have discovered that Choice has reviewed some of the options available, and scores seem on-trend with comments in here (looks like you should avoid the Alternative Meat Co Mince!). Might try the Next Gen2 Burgers this weekend and report back!

Poll Options

  • 258
    Haven't Tried Plant-Based Meat
  • 38
    Tried Plant-Based Meat, don't like it
  • 67
    Tried Plant-Based Meat, thought it was average
  • 212
    Tried Plant-Based Meat, like it
  • 36
    Tried Plant-Based Meat, continue to buy it
Food & Grocery

Comments

  • Ghost47 on 14/02/2020 - 12:48
    +11

    I've tried the Beyond Burger at Grill'd and Lord of the Fries. It's not bad, but it tasted somewhat smokey — I think to imitate meat or to mask the actual flavour of it. Not bad, but not quite meat.

    I've also tried the Rebel Whopper. Strong smoky taste, again, probably to mask the flavour.

    What I really want to try is the Impossible Burger — that one is supposed to be quite good.

    I also invested in BYND meat when it launched, so that was a good time.

    • [Deactivated] on 14/02/2020 - 17:39
      +1

      I also invested in BYND meat when it launched, so that was a good time

      We did too but glad we got out when we did -the current share price is less than half what it was last July.

      • flywire on 16/02/2020 - 12:22
        -8

        There is no such thing as plant base meat - it's a meat alternative.

        • blergmonkeys on 16/02/2020 - 18:28
          +4

          Ok…

        • 3 on 17/02/2020 - 09:15
          +2

          I mean, farm animals are technically plant based meat…

      • Ghost47 on 17/02/2020 - 16:55

        Yep, it's still not bad though.. I bought on Stake at around $70, so at the current price you're still doing well, but not compared to the crazy highs of course!

        Really hope Impossible Foods floats one day… but who knows, I think the whole hype around fake meat has died a lot in the past few months.

    • inconspicuous on 15/02/2020 - 10:25
      +1

      Yeah the smoky taste is pretty distracting. Tastes like it's marinated in bbq sauce, especially the Rebel Whopper. I'd definitely like to try Impossible.

    • Never Pay RRP on 16/02/2020 - 01:26
      +2

      I like the Lord of the fries burger too. It doesn't really taste like meat, but it's quite nice.

    • iwantmoney on 17/02/2020 - 23:25

      I got on BYND when it hit 129/share…thank goodness it was only a small amount of funds, but the few weeks of hype really shot up the price to exaggerated levels

      • Ghost47 on 18/02/2020 - 14:32

        Yep, it was priced at about $25 before it floated, when I bought close to the end of the first trading day it was already at $70 lol.

  • HighAndDry on 14/02/2020 - 12:49
    +4

    Tried it at Hungry Jack's - distinguishable from a whopper but not noticeably worse.

    But I don't buy patties from the supermarket anyway - I'd more often buy unprocessed meat (cuts, steak, etc), and unfortunately there's not really such a thing as unprocessed meat replacement.

    • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:18
      +2

      There are plant-based "mince" and "chicken" options already available. I'm sure other cuts of "meat" will become available if the trend continues.

      • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:21
        +3

        In this video, he tries plant-based sausages, which doesn't sound like a bad idea (at least you know the ingredients!)

        • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:28

          Ingredients - yes.
          The environmental impact by the production of the sausages - no.

          • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:35
            +7

            @GG57:

            The environmental impact by the production of the sausages - no.

            As in, the impact by the plant-based ones?

            Do some research, even basic stuff, and you'll get your answer.

            Here's an excerpt from the article that you linked below:

            “Nothing really compares to beef, lamb, pork, and dairy – these products are in a league of their own in the level of damage they typically do to the environment, on almost every environmental issue we track,” says Joseph Poore, a researcher at the University of Oxford who studies the environmental impacts of food.

            • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:46

              @spackbace: I posted that link to the BBC article.
              Importing plant-based burgers manufactured in the USA, made from a plant that uses huge amounts of water and requires a lot of processing, is probably more environmentally damaging than buying a piece of meat from a local farm outlet.

              The point I was trying to make is that if people really want to mitigate environmental concerns, we should probably revert to eating locally produced, in-season produce. Just because a packet in a supermarket, or a burger in a food outlet, is marked as 'vegan' doesn't mean it is the best solution.

              • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:50
                +6

                @GG57: A home-made salad burger, made of local produce will always be the best option. But it doesn't cure that 'itch' for meat-eaters, and doesn't substitute a beef burger. This is where these products are aimed at.

                The WW version, made in Aus from majority Aus products would be the best solution (and is the cheapest currently). Until Beyond has manufacturing plants in Aus, they'll continue to be more expensive due to transport.

                But if you do basic research, you can't possibly argue that local beef is better than a locally made beef substitute for a long-term solution

                • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:54
                  +5

                  @spackbace: All agreed with.
                  It is frustrating that almost all of the packaged food (or burgers in a food outlet etc.) do not openly divulge the full impacts.
                  Even those food delivery options (e.g. Marley, Hello Fresh, etc.) are terrible for the food miles clocked up as opposed to buying local produce from a local outlet.

              • dazweeja on 15/02/2020 - 19:41
                +2

                @GG57: I agree about taking into account the whole supply/distribution chain but as for water use, beef is far worse than all other agricultural products, even compared to other meats. So if water use is a concern (I realise it's not the only one), I sincerely doubt than an imported plant-based burger is more environmentally damaging than buying a piece of meat from a local farm outlet. See the table here:

                https://waterfootprint.org/en/water-footprint/product-water-…

                Also:

                "The water footprint of a 150 g soy burger produced in the Netherlands is 158 litres, of which 99.9% refers to the supply chain. Although most companies focus on just their own operational performance, this study shows that it is important to consider the complete supply chain. The major part of the total water footprint stems from ingredients that are based on agricultural products. In the case of soy milk, 62% of the total water footprint is due to the soybean content in the product; in the case of soy burger, this is 74%. Thus, a detailed assessment of soybean cultivation is essential to understand the claim that each product makes on freshwater resources. This study shows that shifting from non-organic to organic farming can reduce the grey water footprint related to soybean cultivation by 98%. Cow’s milk and beef burger have much larger water footprints than their soy equivalents. The global average water footprint of a 150 gram beef burger is 2350 litres."

                Source: https://research.utwente.nl/en/publications/the-water-footpr…

              • MontyMacaw on 16/02/2020 - 09:16

                @GG57: Yeah plants use way more water than animals over their lifetime. Said no scientist ever.

    • trapper on 14/02/2020 - 18:39
      -2

      "Not noticeably worse" than a whopper patty… :/

    • michaelpls on 16/02/2020 - 14:31
      +1

      I'm currently on a Business trip in the US. Went to Burger King and tried the Impossible Whopper… It's Miles (or KM's) better than the 'Rebel' garbage us Aussies got. It's really good. Obviously it's not a healthy alternative or anything but I'm sensitive to red meat so this satisfies my cravings :)

    • Spam Service on 17/02/2020 - 08:09

      I personally think that the rebel whopper tastes better than the regular whopper, and I'd pick the Rebel if I have to choose. But let's face it, most fast food patties really don't have much flavour anyway. I'll stick to the rebel at HJs, but it will be a while before plant based meat can compete with a real burger.

  • DarthAntz on 14/02/2020 - 12:50
    +9

    There has been an asian cuisine (i think primarily Taiwanese) that has been doing meat flavoured vegetarian food for years, using tempeh, beans, mushrooms and seasoning to make awesome tasting vegetarian food, called for example 'vegetarian fried chicken' on the menu. Texture and flavour is done very well. I remember a vegetarian restaurant in Mt Gravatt near the Games Workshop opposite Garden City did this well (about 5-6 years ago).

    The aim of 'Plant-Based Meat' is to create a cheaper, meat substitute industry, that satisfies a larger group of people.

    My point is its not new, its just rebranding in a way that will hopefully advertise itself, which discussions like this will do.

    It will be a great addition to menus.

    • trapper on 14/02/2020 - 18:42
      +3

      In the west, the goal seems to be to make a more expensive meat substitute industry though hahah

    • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:06
      +16

      This isn't about veganism, it's about choosing healthier options, and/or options that are better for the Earth :)

      No, I haven't drunk the Kool-aid, but we do need to think about the future, and with 2 young impressionable kids, it's something I try to be conscious of

      Nothing wrong with substituting every now and then

        • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:20
          +5

          For me, Mark Rober's vid did strike a bit of a chord. It wasn't hugely eye-opening, but more of a realisation because he did it as a meat-eater. Typical American who loves a good bbq. Yes, we all try to put it to the back of our heads wondering how we get so much meat & chicken, and how we're able to get a whole cooked chicken for $8.

          As he says, the more people who try these products, will bring the cost down. And they should be cheaper than meat-based products due to the lower cost of ingredients. Can still have meat in the diet by all means, but I do wonder how much difference would be made if more of these products were sold. The greater revenue allows them to perfect the recipe, allows them to lower costs etc.

          The look on his kids' faces when he tells them it wasn't a beef burger was hilarious!

        • one man clan on 14/02/2020 - 13:39
          +18

          I don't think this is about "pandering to vegans" but about filling a hole in the market. People obvious want these products because all of the big chains are doing it and there are multiple competing products available at supermarkets. The market has decided that there's profit to be had in supplying these products.

          You don't have to eat it and there's not "standard" being attacked so I'm not sure why it bothers you so much.

            • one man clan on 14/02/2020 - 13:41
              +15

              @jimbobaus: So? It doesn't affect you at all. If it doesn't sell or drive people to stores, it'll stop being supplied. Stop caring so much about lifestyles that literally have no impact on you

                • one man clan on 14/02/2020 - 14:13
                  +19

                  @jimbobaus: Yes I'm sure that story is 100% real and doesn't fit your oppressed narrative of the vegans taking over the world. The dairy manager definitely told you how shocked he was (◔_◔)

                  Ok boomer. Change is scary and you might have to choose a different ice cream flavour. The world is a horrible place.

                  • moggott on 14/02/2020 - 23:02
                    +2

                    @one man clan: Boomer is your logical response??… Not surprising from the everyone is a nazi crowd.

                  • pufffdragon on 15/02/2020 - 02:46
                    +4

                    @one man clan: The boomer meme got old real quick didn't it.

                • abb on 14/02/2020 - 14:20
                  +7

                  @jimbobaus:

                  this crap is allowed to go on

                  Are you suggesting that private companies should be forced to act in a way determined by something other than 'the market' ?

                  As for these products being made for people who do not want to buy them, if true, that will sort itself out in short order. I think you will rather find there are some people who would like to be 'more vegan' but can't bring themselves to give up, say, ice cream. Now a vegan ice cream appears, they buy it.

                • teacherer on 14/02/2020 - 18:47
                  +9

                  @jimbobaus: I don't understand why people complain about vegans when the only thing they are doing is ensuring that they aren't making animals lives torture. Just buy your ice cream elsewhere.

                  • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 18:55
                    +6

                    @teacherer: Fine with veganism, it's the ones that picket out the front of restaurants etc that ruin the whole thing

                • SBOB on 14/02/2020 - 18:59
                  +10

                  @jimbobaus:

                  so they can give the shelf space to the FULL range of vegan versions. (versions which are clearly not selling

                  I'll take 'things that never happened for $100 thanks Alex'

                • MontyMacaw on 16/02/2020 - 09:21
                  +3

                  @jimbobaus: So you finally show your colours. YOU CAN’T GET YOUR FAVVY ICEY CREAMY…. those nasty vegans have ruined your life. And those horrible manufacturers are deliberately making products at a loss (apparently from your comments) just to piss you off. #gimmeabreak

                • Randolph Duke on 17/02/2020 - 20:14
                  +1

                  @jimbobaus: So basically, you don’t like the free market? Considering vegan products are in the minority, what makes you more important that they should get no choice?

              • Nebargains on 14/02/2020 - 18:15
                +1

                @one man clan: I doubt they would get removed if they weren't making money, imagine the social media backlash over some burger patties.

            • darkchoc on 14/02/2020 - 23:57
              +13

              @jimbobaus: Does the same apply to:
              Coke Zero - pandering to those that give up sugar
              Decaf coffee - pandering to those that give up caffeine
              Gluten free bread - pandering to those that can't have up gluten
              Alcohol free beer - pandering to those that don't want alcohol
              …
              Chinese/Indian/Italian food - pandering to those that don't want Australian food
              Juice - pandering to those that don't drink water

              There are heaps of people that are vegetarian/vegan due to cultural and religious reasons as well as socially aware. Furthermore, there are heaps of non vegans that want to eat less meat.

              I for one love the increasing choice at supermarkets and restaurants.

              • pufffdragon on 15/02/2020 - 02:55
                -2

                @darkchoc: Out of all of those listed, only vegans seem to piss and moan about everything.

                • darkchoc on 15/02/2020 - 08:37
                  +12

                  @pufffdragon: I hear far more moaning/jokes about vegans from non vegans.

        • Vote for Pedro on 15/02/2020 - 07:39
          +6

          For someone with ‘no issue’ you seem to have a lot of issues

        • sjj89 on 15/02/2020 - 10:01
          +3

          You're forgetting about all the turkey bacon they consume in Saudi….

        • kbo5000 on 15/02/2020 - 12:04
          +2

          True "vegans" don't go vegan because they don't like the taste of dead animals and their secretions. They go vegan because of ethical concerns, primarily, possibly environmental and health concerns also.
          If they can not kill animals and yet still eat something that tastes similar or better than what they were brought up and conditioned to eat, then why wouldn't they?

          If we can live happy and healthy lives without harming others, why wouldn't we?

          It's ok, you can still have your precious bacon. New products and industry trends change all the time. Being triggered by inevitable progression won't change that.

        • apenman on 17/02/2020 - 17:14

          Interestingly this is how markets work.. when there is a strong minority that is inelastic in its demand profile .. it is in the producers interest to meet that demand… it is cheaper to move the market in the direction rather than force it the other way.

          In the end its just all about money.

      • trapper on 14/02/2020 - 18:42
        +4

        Meat isn't unhealthy.

        • teacherer on 14/02/2020 - 18:45
          -2

          You reckon do ya?

        • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 18:45
          -1

          healthier options

          My post references burger patties. Unless you're making your own, it's hard to argue that the meat option is healthier than plant-based

          • trapper on 14/02/2020 - 19:03
            +2

            @spackbace: I would not bet on that. The unhealthiest part of a meat burger patty is all the non-meat stuff they add to it anyway.

            Now compare your fake meat to a nice rare steak.

            • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 19:05

              @trapper:

              Now compare your fake meat to a nice rare steak.

              I never said I was vegetarian ;)

          • gromit on 15/02/2020 - 18:47
            +2

            @spackbace: actually most of the plant based ones are even worse than meat health wise. That is not to say the meat ones are healthy but the high salt processed plant based ones are universally condemned as horribly unhealthy.

      • gromit on 15/02/2020 - 07:24
        +2

        from everything I have read there is nothing "healthier" about these options. Highly processed and many of them very high in things like salt and considered terrible food to be eating.

      • pjcook on 15/02/2020 - 07:58
        +1

        The meat substitutes are not healthier…. Contain more salt and fat then real meat burger patties.
        https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/beyond-meat-burger-beef-hea…

      • boomramada on 16/02/2020 - 11:34
        +2

        Vegan / Vege burgers are healthy? Really?
        If you want healthy option of burger, just have a meat burger with lots of salad.
        It's more like artificially molested combination of veggies to get burger like taste.

        https://www.insider.com/are-veggie-burgers-healthy-2018-12

    • teacherer on 14/02/2020 - 18:44
      +11

      Mate. No vegans I know choose to be vegans because they don't like the taste. They choose to be vegan for ethical and animal welfare.
      They're allowed to miss the taste.

      • ThithLord on 17/02/2020 - 08:51
        +1

        Careful, you're asking a lot of these people to consider something outside the realm of possibility for them.

    • Popid on 14/02/2020 - 20:22
      +1

      Don't expect something that is already right there available? yeah that'd be dumb.

      Do you also think people who like cola but dislike Coke shouldn't be being 'pandered' to by Pepsi? lol

  • elgrande on 14/02/2020 - 13:11
    +2

    Think about the plants… why should they have to be cut down just so we can feel like we are eating meat.

    I dont eat plant based meat unless its from a sustainable certified organic rain forest with a climate change action plan.

    —

    Now for my real answer, not that you care, I have tried a beyond burger at Ribs and Burgers, it was nice because it was free.

  • bobbified on 14/02/2020 - 13:14
    +4

    I wonder how long it'll take for some study to conclude that the chemicals used in the patties are carcinogenic.

    • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:16
      -2

      the chemicals

      Except there aren't any

      • bobbified on 14/02/2020 - 13:17

        Someone will come up with something - they always do!

        • xuqi on 14/02/2020 - 19:30

          Too much Oxygen kills..

      • orangetrain on 14/02/2020 - 17:23
        +8

        Do any of the ingredients belong to periodic table? Then it's a chemical.

        I believe everyone has effectively tried "plant based" meat before. The fillers they put in sausages and mince is mostly from plants.

      • jacross on 15/02/2020 - 18:05
        +1

        The meat patties are a vacuum of nothingness?

      • ozhunter on 14/02/2020 - 18:57
        +1

        possibly red meats

        They don't know or are they just trying to scare people to stop eating meat?

      • ozhunter on 15/02/2020 - 15:38
        +1

        Processed meats are carcinogenic, possibly red meats too

        How about processed vegan foods and unprocessed ones?

        If anything, it sounds like it's the "processing" that makes it unhealthy.

    • sjj89 on 15/02/2020 - 10:02
      +3

      the WHO classifies red meat as a carcinogen already….

  • nubzy on 14/02/2020 - 13:17
    +4

    They are great. Gardein is the best, I only buy them when they are half price.
    Significantly cut down on meat consumption in recent years. Just don't enjoy it much anymore.

    • jimbobaus on 14/02/2020 - 13:38
      -5

      Its all good.. i will pick up the slack for you :)

  • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:26
    +2

    I think that the increase in availability of plant-based products is great. I can obviously still get my steaks etc., so no impact to me except that I can choose to avail of these if I want to.

    My concern is that we are not fully aware of how these options end up in our supermarkets or food outlets; specifically what were the environmental impacts in the production of these?

    By chance, BBC published this article recently, which discusses this:
    https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200211-why-the-vegan-di…

    • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 13:38

      Probably explains much of the reason why the 2 different costs on the examples I gave. More expensive one is from the US, cheaper one is from AU

  • jjjaar on 14/02/2020 - 13:31
    +12

    I think there's a real concern in how these are being advertised as "healthy".

    There are so many great whole-food options around that I wouldn't bother going to eat something so over-processed.

    Note: I eat meat.

    Water, Pea Protein, Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Refined Coconut Oil, Rice Protein, Natural Flavors, Cocoa Butter, Mung Bean Protein, Methylcellulose, Potato Starch, Apple Extract, Pomegranate Extract, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Vinegar, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Sunflower Lecithin, Beet Juice Extract (for color).*

    • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 13:50
      +4

      Exactly.
      Much more healthy and environmentally responsible to have an in-season vegetable alternative. Nothing wrong with an eggplant parma.

      • Archi on 14/02/2020 - 13:59

        they call that a musakka

        • GG57 on 14/02/2020 - 14:01

          Isn't a musakka a stew-type dish?
          I was referring to an eggplant parmigiana.

          • Archi on 14/02/2020 - 14:03
            +1

            @GG57: I think its like a eggplant lasagne but close enough

          • LFO on 16/02/2020 - 16:40

            @GG57:

            parmigiana

            Warning contains cheese.
            Warning contains milk (and WHO knows what else).

            So eggplant might be a vegetable but milk isn't.
            And cows produce milk.
            And methane.
            And drink water.

            A steak taken from the cow tastes better and it is more nutritious.
            Less preparations means more spare time.
            And less cooking means using less gas or electricity to grill the steak.
            Win-win situation.

    • teacherer on 14/02/2020 - 18:42

      Where are they advertised as healthy out of curiosity

      • LFO on 16/02/2020 - 16:41
        +1

        Please don't ask intelligent questions or questions that may indicate this product is just a (another) fad.
        Thank you.

    • sjj89 on 15/02/2020 - 10:05
      -6

      yeah cool, these are the ingredients of an apple

      Ethanol
      Propyl acetate
      2-Methylpropyl acetate
      Propanol
      n-Butyl acetate
      2-Methylpropanol
      2-Methylbutyl acetate
      n-Butyl propanoate
      n-Butanol
      n-Pentyl acetate
      2-Methylbut-3-enyl acetate
      2-Methylbutanol
      3-Methylbut-3-enyl acetate
      3-Methylbut-3-enol
      3-Methylbut-2-enyl acetate
      n-Pentanol
      n-Hexyl acetate
      E-Hex-3-enyl acetate
      Z-Hex-3-enyl acetate
      Hex-4-enyl acetate
      E-Hex-2-enyl acetate
      n-Hexanol
      Z-Hex-3-enol
      E-Hex-2-enol
      n-Hexyl-2-methylbutanoate
      n-Heptanol
      Camphor
      n-Octanol
      n-Oct-2-enol
      1 -Methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-benzene

      • SBOB on 15/02/2020 - 18:32
        +2

        Might want to check your definition of an 'ingredient' :/

      • scud70 on 16/02/2020 - 07:54

        You forgot cyanide in the seeds lol

    • jacross on 15/02/2020 - 18:06

      Which ingredient am I meant to be concerned about?

    • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 16/02/2020 - 05:19

      Sounds gross, give me a steak anyday!

    • scud70 on 16/02/2020 - 07:53

      Exactly what I was thinking.. Good on you for saying it.

  • apsilon on 14/02/2020 - 13:38

    Haven't tried any but I am curious, especially for the options like Beyond that review well. Not curious enough to hand out a premium price for it though but as prices equalise I'm sure I will.

    • LFO on 16/02/2020 - 16:44

      It costs more because it is better.
      Anything and everything expensive is better (for the individual selling).
      Just pay up, it is good for you (or so the seller says)

    • ThithLord on 17/02/2020 - 08:55

      They're much easier to cook and don't leave a horrible mess on your pan if you fry 'em. I'd definitely recommend with double American Cheeseburger cheese by DairyLea - absolutely smashing

  • kathmandu-jeff on 14/02/2020 - 13:47

    I've tried the Beyond Burger Patties and enjoyed it. $12 for 2 patties however is pushing it a bit. The cost will inevitably go down though in the future.

  • c64 on 14/02/2020 - 13:50
    +2

    anything that is ultra processed probably isn't going to be healthy. also packed with sodium for flavour

    • spackbace on 14/02/2020 - 14:01
      +1

      As a comparison: 8% more of your daily intake of sodium per serve

    • teacherer on 14/02/2020 - 18:42
      +1

      The video did make it clear that this alternative meat is still junk food

  • Archi on 14/02/2020 - 14:00
    +4

    the only thing I don't like about these plant based products are the price..

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