Developing a distaste for animal products?

[vjonnyv]

Is it wise to attempt to develop a resistance to animal products? I mean, there are all sorts of replacements: vegan cheese and ice cream and so on. But does this help us or hurt us? I think partially it makes us crave the animal products more. If we chose not to eat the substitutes, perhaps we would develop a complete distaste for them and not even want to look at them (or have replacements). I think that may ultimately serve us better. Thoughts?

[mophoto]

i have a distaste for animal products. i think i could tell the difference between earth balance and butter- don' want to test that theory.

i eat meat substitutes, but only as something to accompany my veggies or put on a sandwich. when i was vegetarian i tried garden burger's riblets. they made me sick because they tasted too much like meat, they had fake gristle and a smokey taste.

maybe if they were called something else entirely it would be better. call them soy nuggets instead of chick.

fake meats (for lack of a better term ) taste nothing like the real thing

[xwitchymagicx]

I can taste the difference of vegan and non vegan foods. Some silly plonker but cows milk in my tea...yuck but I smelt it before I drank it. Thank god.

I don't really eat the "meat" substitutes they just taste wierd and contain gluten anyway.

I don't crave animal products at all...I would probably throw up if I ate something animal one because of the taste and two I wouldn't want something like that inside me.

[tipsy]

i have a severe distaste for animal products...and thier replacments...

vegan "mayo" products make me gag.

i never use meat replacement, because they arent appetizing to me seeing that i never ate meat, and never missed eating meat.

but i do use things like toffuti better than sour cream and better than cream cheese products...i dont think of them as a replacement for the dairy alternatives, but rather a vegan food that i use occasionally (mainly when im cooking for others).

eating these things do not make me want dairy products...but rather make me glad that there is such an awesome aray of vegan goodies out there

[moochbabe]

i think that for a lot of people that want replacements, it's the seasonings and textures they miss. i like having them sometimes because they're quick, and yes, i like the taste. however, they never really taste like the real thing, and so, they do not make me want to eat their meat counterpart...i like vegan burgers, but would GAG at a hamburger...

[Roxy]

I like a lot of foods which are vegan "replacements" for the animal version of products. These things include soy milk (which doesn't make me crave dairy milk), Yves breakfast sausages (which don't make me crave meat sausages), Tofurkey products (which don't make me crave any type of meat) and soy jerky (since I never tried meat jerky I can't say this makes me crave that either).

I guess it's up to the individual. I for one, am glad that such replacements are available.

[foxytina_69]

i like animal product 'replacements' aswell. it doesnt make me want real meat or anything! it makes me want it alot less because veggie dogs, soy milk, all things like that are just so darn good! i always think "how could anyone want meat/dairy when they could have these?"

[Peas'nHominy]

I wasn't reared vegan, so the replacements helped me a lot with the transition. Now, however, I am amused that I compare in reverse -- I see diferences in color and texture, and I don't feel like I'm getting second best by chosing the vegan item. I actually prefer the vegan "replacements" now but they no longer look, smell, or taste like I'm having to choose them as a replacement. (Does that make sense?) I actually prefer the textures, tastes, colors, and smells of the vegan choices over the animal flesh and products.

In particular, I think I would upchuck if I tried to drink cow's milk or eat chicken flesh today. The thought just makes me sick even.

...except for the vegan rice cheeses...that just doesn't do it for me...I can't get Follow Your Heart vegan cheese here and I'm considering ordering some on-line. At this point, however, I bet if I tasted cow cheese (which I won't) it probably wouldn't taste good to me anymore like it use to.

[foxytina_69]

i think the follow your heart gourmet cheese was nice, when melted, but when normal, wasnt that great. kindof a wierd texture/taste, but melted it was very nice. i find this with alot of vegan cheeses.

[Lily]

I didn't have to 'attempt to' develop a resistance to them. I've developed such an utter distaste for animal products by realising exactly what they are and I feel disgusted whenever I think about the fact that I ever ate them at all. So much so that when I bit into a Linda McCartney deep country pie recently, my first (and last) one, it seemed to so closely resemble meat that I wasn't able to eat it, and the thought of that same pie even now is almost making me want to throw up.

I'd like to discover a vegan 'cheese' that tastes nice, but if it was *too* much like the real thing I wouldn't be able to eat that either, and I used to eat LOADS of cheese when I was veggie. Ugh!

[moochbabe]

I wasn't reared vegan, so the replacements helped me a lot with the transition. Now, however, I am amused that I compare in reverse -- I see diferences in color and texture, and I don't feel like I'm getting second best by chosing the vegan item. I actually prefer the vegan "replacements" now but they no longer look, smell, or taste like I'm having to choose them as a replacement. (Does that make sense?) I actually prefer the textures, tastes, colors, and smells of the vegan choices over the animal flesh and products.

In particular, I think I would upchuck if I tried to drink cow's milk or eat chicken flesh today. The thought just makes me sick even.

...except for the vegan rice cheeses...that just doesn't do it for me...I can't get Follow Your Heart vegan cheese here and I'm considering ordering some on-line. At this point, however, I bet if I tasted cow cheese (which I won't) it probably wouldn't taste good to me anymore like it use to.

exactly, becuase i didn't really like the things when i thought of them as replacements, but as i began to REALLY dislike the flavor of meat, i began liking these "replacements"

[Zanahorias!]

The thought of eating anything that was a part of an animal, or part of an animal's reproductive tract is vile and makes me want to vomit. <----- That is me vomitting.

Just think of eating a human's reproductive by-products... that's all the resistance you'll need.

[Tigerlily]

For me, I find fake meat quite gross especially veggie burgers and that ground round stuff (just the look, ick). Veggie dogs and vegan deli meats don't bother me much, because even the non-vegan meaty counterparts don't look like the real flesh itself.

But soy milk isn't a replacement for cow's milk, not in my mind. It's a yummy beverage that I drink not because I miss cow's milk but because I want something other than juice.

[eclectic_one]

I agree with the lot of you who said that you didn't find the meat replacements all that "animal like" in the first place. I know one of the reasons I enjoy "fake" meat is because it isn't like meat to me--no grisles or fat lines or extreme chewiness or grease. So when an omnivore/carnivore asks "why do you eat that when you can have the real thing?," I say I like the "fake" better and nobody had to die for it


I also like the soy "ice cream" better than "real" ice cream because even when I was ovo-lacto vegetarian, the real stuff made me feel a bit funky afterwards. (Of course, after learning about all the nasty stuff in there and how the cows are treated, it would only make me feel worse now.)

I agree though these are technically substitutes, I like them for their own qualities, not the "meat-like" or "milk-like" qualities

[Kiva Dancer]

I'm not exactly sure how drinking soy milk will make me crave bovine breast excretions or how eating seitan will make me crave bird, cow or any other living creature the seitan was meant to mimic. There's simply no comparason between the two and having a soy hotdog does not in any way make me crave the lips and n1pples version that was packed into some animal's exit ramp and cooked.

I'm not one for a lot of analogs, but I'm awfully glad they're available. In my early days, they made the transition easier because they were a familliar food in different form. Now, they're just a nice once in rare while treat that I can enjoy without guilt. I'm also glad that the analogs are available not just for the veg that likes them but also for the omni that eats them for whatever reason. IMO, the more the omnis eat the analogs, the less they'll eat the animals and isn't that always a good thing?

[thecatspajamas1]

I eat veggies burgers that look and taste nothing like regular burgers. I prefer them to look like vegetables/rice squished into a patty. When I go to a restaurant and get a veggie burger they usually look a lot like meat and I keep picking it apart to make sure I see a bean or something to reassure me!

[nakaniNumen]

I don't like the idea of trying to emulate the taste of non-vegan foods. Occassionally the "replacements" are better such as with soy milk and some veggie burgers etc, but that seems to be because they aren't trying to taste the same as the originals. Prime example being Tofurkey... that stuff is gross!

I say instead of trying to emulate, do your own thing and do it better.

[veggiegirl3]

ISo when an omnivore/carnivore asks "why do you eat that when you can have the real thing?," I say I like the "fake" better and nobody had to die for it

Say, "Why do you eat the "real thing" when you could easily have this "replacement?"

[veggiegirl3]

At first, when I missed meat, I liked eating fake chicken and stuff, but I don't even remember the last time I had fake chicken. I do have veggie burgers probably once a week, but I like ones with a nutty/bean taste better than the other kind. Now, the idea of anything "too meaty" does kinda freak me out. I LOVE soy ice cream, though. I do miss the taste of dairy ice cream, and the nondairy type does the trick. I do NOT like the taste of vegan cheese though.

[FR]

Is it wise to attempt to develop a resistance to animal products? I mean, there are all sorts of replacements: vegan cheese and ice cream and so on. But does this help us or hurt us? I think partially it makes us crave the animal products more. If we chose not to eat the substitutes, perhaps we would develop a complete distaste for them and not even want to look at them (or have replacements). I think that may ultimately serve us better. Thoughts?

Why would I crave animal products when the "substitutes" exist, and they taste better, and they are healthier? I personally do not look at them as substitutes. They are what they are, good things made from good wholesome stuff.

[FR]

Prime example being Tofurkey... that stuff is gross!

What!!! I love it, I bought some tomato basil italian deli slices today. They are divine w/vegenaise and multi grain bread.

Here is a little comparison of products:

Vegenaise (vegan mayo) > mayo made from a hen's ovulation
Soy based ice cream > calf food based ice cream
Earth Balance (vegan butter) > calf food based butter
Follow Your Heart's Vegan Gourmet (soy cheese) > calf food based cheese
Tofurkey > animal flesh
Plant based milk > pus filled calf food

[speedylemons]

meat and dairy substitutes scare me.

[Jane M]

Hmmm, at first I thought uck but then I realized I was drinking a glass of chocolate soy milk. I have to say the substitutes are great! I love the Tofutti cream cheese and soy ice cream! Do they taste like the real thing? Don't know and don't care...just taste good. There is a vegan sausage I like too. Really spicey and flavorful. Like having a party in my mouth!

[puffin]

It took me about 8 years before i would touch soya meat. The thought of it made me feel a little unsetted. I tried the redwoods sausages one day, and i thought they didnt taste anything like meat, well from what i could remember. I now eat it with out any problems but some soya meat can be a little to strong in flavour and put me right of. I dont eat it very often but i think it is a good thing and i am sure it has helped many people find going vegan a lot easier.

[FR]

These Tofurkey deli slices I've been enjoying lately, the tomato basil flavor, do not taste anything like animal meat.

[grail]

Mmmm...substitutes are way better (except for bleu cheese)

Meat subs are gross when you think about it anyway. What do you want, sinew and fat? That's what it would take to make it realistic and then it would be disgusting.

I love my falafel instaburgers and why would I want regular ice cream when Tofutti is so much better. I drink hazelnut or almond milk with my coffee which tastes better than dairy anyway.

Don't eat the substitutes because they tast "just like" the real thing - eat them because they are better. It's not really fair to compare them, you have to accept them for the yummy flavor they have in their own right.

[FR]

Mmmm...substitutes are way better (except for bleu cheese)

Meat subs are gross when you think about it anyway. What do you want, sinew and fat? That's what it would take to make it realistic and then it would be disgusting.

I love my falafel instaburgers and why would I want regular ice cream when Tofutti is so much better. I drink hazelnut or almond milk with my coffee which tastes better than dairy anyway.

Don't eat the substitutes because they tast "just like" the real thing - eat them because they are better. It's not really fair to compare them, you have to accept them for the yummy flavor they have in their own right.

Agreed!

[speedylemons]

i think i tried the fake sliced meats once before.. i think it was supposed to taste like turkey or something. All i remember is it tasting like a dirty rubber sandwhich.

[insubordination]

I never eat any 'fake' meat products anymore. I think I did in the beginning - especially sausage things in a stir-fry but now I think they're gross and crave less processed foods.

Also, for 10 years I never used to be bothered about the smell of cooking meat, fish and if people ate it around me. Lately, I'm finding it a real turn off. The smell makes me nauseous.

[speedylemons]

I have to walk past a friggin butcher type BBQ shop every time i walk to school, or walk home. The stench lingers almost a block in all directions.. and it truly makes me nauseous. i always try to get in a glare at the workers. haha.

[Want2BVegan]

I can't even imagine eating any animal products ever again.

As for veggie-meat, most I don't really like, except the Mountain burger....tastes nothing like a "burger" but is awesome! Oh and tofurky sausages - I think they are tomato-basil or something like that....

I like soy, almond and rice milks on cereal but not on their own. I haven't once craved cows milk since I quit drinking it. Ewwwww, the thought of it repulses me.

I do LOVE toffuti cream cheese - French onion /drool it is so yum!

I like silk soy cream in my coffee, tastes better than any "cow" cream!

[Lyns]

I had some Redwoods sage and onion slices and I have to say they were the most disgusting thing I've ever had in my life (maybe a slight over-exageration). Just tasted far too similar to sliced turkey meat.

However I do love all kinds of vegan cheese (all that I've tried anyway), soya milk and yoghurt. I like Cheatin' rashers, and veggie sausages and burgers. It is nicer though to have something that has actual vegetables in it rather than a grey lump of soya-something that is actually trying to look and taste like meat.

Mostly I think of meat replacements as food in their own rights rather than trying to replace something that I don't miss in the first place.

[laurin]

When I've eaten veggie meat it doesn't really taste like meat, it has it's own quality to it I guess.

[tabitha]

When Ive had the fake roast turkey stuff, I think Ive only really enjoyed it because you can have all the trimmings of a roast - potatoes, parsnips, stuffing etc., I dont think its for the taste. I really like Redwoods sausages, but only cold, dipped in mustard!

[treehugga]

I have to walk past a friggin butcher type BBQ shop every time i walk to school, or walk home. The stench lingers almost a block in all directions.. and it truly makes me nauseous. i always try to get in a glare at the workers. haha.

I have the same issue . My 4 year old actually walks up to these stores and tells the assistants that it makes him sad that they sell poor dead animals. The assistants usually look embarressed and don't know what to say. I think it's really effective coming from him as he is a small child, they would probably become defensive if I said it .

[treehugga]

The only fake meat things I like are my vegan sausage rolls.

1 cup cashews
1/2 - 1 cup breadcrumbs
chopped fresh sage, about 2 tablespoons
enough soft tofu to combine or soy milk
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon fake chicken stock

Mix until soft and pliable.
Roll into vegan puff pastry to make sausage rolls.
Bake until browned.
Serve with tomato sauce or chutney etc.

Yum and great for kids parties.

[treehugga]

OOPS make sure you grind up those cashews