Why do vegans eat food products that represent animals?

suziecue66

From a broader marketing perspective, vegetarian and vegan meat replacement products are not only for vegetarians and vegans. They are also being marketed to people who eat meat, too, as a healthy alternative and a compassionate choice. By mimicking the meat products that one would find in a meal a consumer finds it easier to use the meat-free product in the place of meat.

For example, Quorn mince looks pretty similar to minced beef. So, consumer A wants to make tacos. Consumer A has the vegetarian choices of tofu, quorn mince or a block of tempeh. Which one looks simplest to turn into tacos?

The real thing is healthy not the fake.

paigemarie93

I think a better question is: If Vegans & Veggies care so much about animals, why are they eating their food? ;D

You assume that all of us became so because we care about the animals. Your assumption would be wrong.

It's called a joke... :noway:

neverstray

I've wondered more why vegans eat things that TASTE like meat. I'm a veg, and I like being able to grill out a boca or morningstar farm burger. But any of that fake crap that not only looks, but tastes like meat grosses me out. Fake chicken is nasty as hell! I've always said if I want to eat something that tastes like real meat, I'll just start eating meat again!

They may actually like meat but don't like the way animals are a product of manufacturing. Or, there could be health reasons for not eating meat, or certain meat. But, they do like it.

I don't really see why it's so difficult to "get".

bluefox9er

Wow, what a ridiculous question. Ask about real issues, weight control, exercise, or something ... but why vegans eat faux meat that still resembles meat forms?

^^ this ^^

Rhea30

First off nothing against vegans or the food as I have best friends that are and I cater to them when they come to visit. So yea I have always thought it funny that hard core Vegans eat foods that look like animals. Like burgers. The whole Morning star brand. Fakin bacon etc. Am I the only one that thinks that's funny?

Looking like an animal is the not the same as it being an animal so not its not funny, its common sense if you want a burger but don't eat meat. I'm sure it also helps with social gatherings if other people are around eating theses types of items and they can join in with their own version of it that didn't come from meat.

blair_bear

Novelty(McD's doesthe same with their McRib).It's easy to put a burger shape on a burger-shaped bun. What shape should they be?
I don't really think it is to "represent" animals so much as it is convenience to use the products with complimentary products like condiments and the like.

Eaglesfanintn

This does seem like kind of a dumb question. Why is any food shaped the way it is? Like, why is a hamburger (usually) round? So it can fit on a bun and you get tasty meat with every bite would be my guess. So why wouldn't a meatless patty be shaped the same way? How should it be shaped? Octagonal?

kelsully

I am not vegan but I do not eat meat. I do not miss hamburgers meat at all. I do not like hamburger and never have. I do however miss having a sandwich to eat in the fashion of a burger. I will eat a portabella mushroom cap or a black bean burger with grilled onions...yummmm.

II like that garden burgers do not taste like meat.

makemewannadie

I just have to add that being vegan (for me anyway) isn't a taste based decision- I've never eaten meat but I loved the taste of a lot of dairy products, and i'm happy to eat things that are vegan friendly that do emulate the taste of the 'real' products.

sjohnny

why do carnivores eat cabbage?

They don't.

sjohnny

Someone should make meat that looks and tastes like vegetables.

deadstarsunburn

Not all vegans are ethical vegans so that bit doesn't really matter.

makemewannadie

Not all vegans are ethical vegans so that bit doesn't really matter.

How is eating a chicken style tofu cutlet (for example) unethical?

tripitena

I like the occasional veggie burger because decades ago I used to like burgers. Just because I no longer eat the flesh of dead animals does not mean I dont enjoy what I do have on that bun. It tastes good imo.

I always wonder why so many omni eaters spend so much time worrying about what veg people eat and why. If they are bothered by it, they should not eat a veg diet and go on with their lives. I wish they would get over the need to constantly want us to explain ourselves. Dont like fake meat? Then by all means dont eat it and get over it.

ElizabethRoad

This is a stupid question. First of all burgers and bacon don't look like animals. Secondly you're completely missing the point of being vegan. I would eat a food shaped like a human baby if it was tasty, is that unethical?

Cold_Steel

Playing devils advocate here but... Technically if a non meat product tastes like a meat product would it not be reasonable to assume that a certain amount of animal death went into that recipe? I mean you woul have to eat at least one turkey before you could make something else taste like it... So isn't it technically an animal byproduct and technically animals were used in the making of said items ?

lizzybethclaire

I always ate it for
a) Protein. Beans taste nasty to me, so it was my only source of protein.
b) Flavor. I still love the flavour of fake meat WAY more than real meat.
c) Because we can (':

This. I am no longer a vegan and I still enjoy vegan products especially portobello burgers. Yum!

lynn_marie68d

I always ate it for
a) Protein. Beans taste nasty to me, so it was my only source of protein.
b) Flavor. I still love the flavour of fake meat WAY more than real meat.
c) Because we can (':

Yeah okay 1 & 2 make sence,..but look at the diary. You need to eay more fruits and veggies. Your body needs thr nitrients. You can't starve your body even if your vegiterian or vegan.

Yes I know my roomate is a personal trainer and nitritionist.

Bobby_Clerici

First off nothing against vegans or the food as I have best friends that are and I cater to them when they come to visit. So yea I have always thought it funny that hard core Vegans eat foods that look like animals. Like burgers. The whole Morning star brand. Fakin bacon etc. Am I the only one that thinks that's funny?

Because eating meat is fabulous, and they really want meat.
COME AND GET IT!

momtokgo

Not all vegans eat fake mean products either. Most of them have an ingredient list a mile long and its not something some of us want to even bother with.

nickiog

i did because i was vegan for health reasons and it had nothing to do with animal rights etc.

TanzaMarie

morning star is not vegan there are eggs in most of their products as well as cheese.

Morning Star spicy black bean patties are vegan and delicious! Mmmmmm

and they are sooo good! Add some guac and a tomato....happiness...in my omnivore family loves them!

TanzaMarie

i did because i was vegan for health reasons and it had nothing to do with animal rights etc.

Ditto.

nickiog

This is a stupid question. First of all burgers and bacon don't look like animals. Secondly you're completely missing the point of being vegan. I would eat a food shaped like a human baby if it was tasty, is that unethical?

this. exactly.

Sharyn913

What's also funny is that I had a former friend who was PRO abortion, but was the biggest animal activist you could meet. She cared more about an animals life than she did a human life, and her reasoning being is that "humans are stupid" (her words not mine) but it was funny because every time we got together, she would eat meat. All the time. Eventually, our friendship ended.

skinnyinnotime

I like the occasional veggie burger because decades ago I used to like burgers. Just because I no longer eat the flesh of dead animals does not mean I dont enjoy what I do have on that bun. It tastes good imo.

I always wonder why so many omni eaters spend so much time worrying about what veg people eat and why. If they are bothered by it, they should not eat a veg diet and go on with their lives. I wish they would get over the need to constantly want us to explain ourselves. Dont like fake meat? Then by all means dont eat it and get over it.

I have found the opposite, I've had quite a few remarks (attempted insults) from vegetarians, comments like in your first paragraph "eating the flesh of dead animals" what's it got to do with them what I choose to eat? Nothing.

flyingwrite

First of all, meat makes me sick. I can't comfortably digest it. It leaves me feeling heavy and lethargic and causes many other digestive issues. So I quit eating it because the taste of it did not outweigh the misery I felt after eating it. However, a black bean burger causes none of these issues. I haven't been able to eat beef in over a decade so I was already substituting with turkey. I like burgers. They, however, don't like me. People make decisions based on what works for them.

rinnismom

I'm not really a cannibal, but I shape all of my meat products into what looks like a human baby. It just tastes better that way.

ZOMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BAAAAAAA-HAhAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahAAHHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

you, sir, are the KING!!

Grimmerick

Playing devils advocate here but... Technically if a non meat product tastes like a meat product would it not be reasonable to assume that a certain amount of animal death went into that recipe? I mean you woul have to eat at least one turkey before you could make something else taste like it... So isn't it technically an animal byproduct and technically animals were used in the making of said items ?

I don't think there is any answer to give you that you will actually think about and accept because honestly I can tell you aren't really here for an answer more than for your own amusement or to play "devil's advocate" as you say. A lot of non meat eaters like the taste of meat but for their own personal reasons do not want to contribute to factory farming, animal suffering yadda yadda yadda. A burger is shaped like a burger because how else would you fit it on the bun, same with a hot dog, it also is more appetizing when it's a food you can recognize or grew up with before you made the change. Marketing is also probably the reason they do this, they want you to know the product they are trying to sell. As far as fake meat as an animal byproduct, you are really stretching it. Maybe meat eaters developed the flavor of the fake meat, they are eating meat anyway so what does it matter. Anyway this is all moot, People say they are curious, I don't really believe that because most of the time they just want to debate while hiding under the mask of curiosity so they don't come off like total aholes with no good reason for doing so.In the grand scheme It doesn't matter what the food looks like, what it tastes like, if it doesn't affect your life or your tastebuds...........well you see where I am going with this.

secretlobster

Oh sorry I thought we were just asking pointless questions that nobody cares about?

If no one cared, would this thread be four pages long?

And I realize it's only 10am where I am, so it's early yet, but the question "why do carnivores eat cabbage" is the dumbest thing I've heard today