We Don’t Want Any Beef—Your Guide to Forgetting You’re Eating Meatless

For the past six years my sister has been vegan, and it has slowly but surely impacted the way many people around her eat. There are plenty of reasons to consume more plant-based foods. A plant-based diet is scientifically proven to help lower your blood pressure, keep your heart healthier, decrease risks of diabetes, cancer, and other diseases- and it can also help you lose weight, keep your brain stronger, and overall live longer. Not only this, but eating plant-based is far, far better for the planet.

Yet, many of us hesitate to gravitate towards a more mother earth and animal-friendly diet. Won’t I miss a classic burger? My saturday night chicken nuggets? What about Taco Tuesdays? Look no further, we have the answer. Here is our guide to plant-based meats that are so good you’ll hardly notice the difference, and satisfy your craving in a healthier way. 

Beyond Meats

Beyond burgers are our new favorite. These burger patties have the best texture and taste of any vegan burger I’ve ever tried. When cooking these burgers, they even smell like a beef burger. Beyond patties are made of proteins such as pea protein, bean protein, and brown rice protein- making them a superior alternative. As of recently Beyond Meat has partnered with McDonalds, PizzaHut, and KFC to create healthy, plant-based options for these popular chains. Beyond burgers have become an absolute staple in my diet, topped with your classic burger toppings. Not only does Beyond create mouth-watering burgers, but also meatballs, sausage, ground beyond beef, breakfast sausages, and beyond crumbles. Overall 10/10- you won’t even miss the beef burger at your cookout! These can be found at Harris Teeter, Lowes, Whole Foods, and most grocery store chains.

Beefless Beef

The Beefless Ground-Beef is a Trader Joe’s staple. This original item is gluten free, vegan, low calorie, and even more: delicious! Not only this but it is extremely inexpensive (less than 4 for 6 plus servings!) and certainly could feed a family for a taco night or in a lasagna or spaghetti bolognese. The texture of this hits extremely close to a true beef or ground turkey. I like to season with taco seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic, and have a make-your-own nacho/taco night. The same textures and flavors without the CO2 emissions and painful bloating the next morning… what’s not to love?!

Vegan General Tso’s Chicken

Whole Foods’ versions of General Tso’s chicken and buffalo chicken in soy form are elite. Packed with soy protein and covered in a classic sauce, these are a tasty stand alone snack or can be used to top a salad or rice dish. Though the texture is definitely different than chicken, this does not detract from how good these nuggets are. Many non-vegetarian eaters still reach for Whole Foods’ soy nuggets because they’re too good to miss out on. 

Gardein Vegan Chicken Nuggets

These faux-chicken nuggets are our final stop of the meatless tour. Similar to Beyond, Gardein nuggets are made from soy and wheat protein. These are a fabulous alternative to our classic drunchies snack, and can be paired with any of your favorite sauces- I recommend Chick-fil-a sauce with these!! Crispy and flavorful, these are well reviewed and loved by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Gardein nuggets and other meatless items can be found at your local grocery store.