Fake Meat

[evensaul]

I don't understand the appeal of fake hamburger.

http://beyondmeat.com/

It just seems so ... stupid. Same with fake crab meat.

People don't put a Mercedes hood ornament on the front of a Ford to make them think they're in a luxury car.

No, it doesn't just seem stupid. It is stupid.

[futureboy]

I don't understand the appeal of fake hamburger.

From what I understand, most of the appeal is that you can enjoy the taste of a hamburger without the negative aspects of consuming meat, which include things like animal suffering and a greater carbon footprint than that of plants.

[evensaul]

From what I understand, most of the appeal is that you can enjoy the taste of a hamburger without the negative aspects of consuming meat, which include things like animal suffering and a greater carbon footprint than that of plants.

If the appeal is in those things, then why would people want it to look like meat?

[futureboy]

If the appeal is in those things, then why would people want it to look like meat?

A lot about the way we enjoy food is the way it looks. If someone is trying to enjoy the burger experience, or talk their gung-ho meat-eater friend into trying the new fake meat alternative burger, then whether the fake burger looks like a meat burger is going to be a factor.

[evensaul]

Okay. Explain using fish as fake crab meat in seafood salad.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fish...w=1704&bih=938

What's the benefit?

[futureboy]

Fake crab is not really a good comparison. It's real fish being used instead of real crab, and not a vegetarian substitute for meat.

But since you asked, I think the initial reason for using fish was because it's cheaper.

[evensaul]

It's cheaper to buy, yes, because it is fish and other stuff. But it is shaped and colored to look like crab legs. Why? I don't get it. Why not just eat fish without the charade of it looking like crab?

[futureboy]

It's cheaper to buy, yes, because it is fish and other stuff. But it is shaped and colored to look like crab legs. Why? I don't get it. Why not just eat fish without the charade of it looking like crab?

I already answered this: A lot about the way we enjoy food is the way it looks.

BTW, you are aware most of the fake crab products are called "Imitation Crab", right? They couldn't really call it that if it didn't try to imitate the look and feel of crab.
Those who want to "just eat fish" would probably just buy fish.

[evensaul]

I already answered this: A lot about the way we enjoy food is the way it looks.

Then it really is like putting the Merc hood ornament on a Ford.

[futureboy]

Which I never disputed - what is your point?

[evensaul]

Which I never disputed - what is your point?

That it is stupid.

I'm still looking at the fake meat, and frankly it still seems stupid too. How many people are eating it for the reason you offered?

[Sigfried]

It's only stupid if there is a better alternative wtih the same properties.

Beyond the reasons mentioned, some people are alergic to shellfish so they can only eat immitation crab, which is designed to have a similar texture and flavor profile to real crab meat as well as to look similar.

My return question for you..

Do you really care why, or are you just trying to mock people who do things differently than you? It seems more the latter than the former.

[evensaul]

That may account for a few people (even though what I had tasted nothing like crab legs), but only two percent of the population is allergic to shellfish, so I doubt many. And FBs reason on fake meat may account for a few people. I still don’t get why anyone else would eat them, unless theyre trying to fool themselves.

[futureboy]

That it is stupid.

Then don't eat it.

I'm still looking at the fake meat, and frankly it still seems stupid too. How many people are eating it for the reason you offered?

Enough people to justify countless companies' attempts to improve imitation meat over the last few decades. Obviously, they aren't targeting consumers who don't understand the motivations behind using the product and just think it's stupid.

[evensaul]

And you can provide statistics that show how many people eat it for the reason you offered as opposed to other reasons?

[futureboy]

And you can provide statistics that show how many people eat it for the reason you offered as opposed to other reasons?

I explained the reasons to you as I understood them, and you have so far not disputed them. Do you think there are other reasons?

[evensaul]

I've offered one: people pretend they are eating the real thing. Or maybe they actually don't understand the difference? I doubt that the majority of people are in the category you offered. Do you have support for the claim that there are "enough people (in your category) to justify countless companies' attempts to improve imitation meat" and that they aren't 75% people who are too stupid to understand the difference and another 20% who want to fool themselves? Yes, I'm making up numbers. But my guess is as good as yours unless you can provide some support.

[futureboy]

I've offered one: people pretend they are eating the real thing. Or maybe they actually don't understand the difference?

Do you honestly think that people intentionally buy imitation meat products just so that they can pretend to eat real meat?

I doubt that the majority of people are in the category you offered.

On what basis do you doubt that? Are you not aware the reasons people choose vegetarian or vegan diets?

Do you have support for the claim that there are "enough people (in your category) to justify countless companies' attempts to improve imitation meat" and that they aren't 75% people who are too stupid to understand the difference and another 20% who want to fool themselves? Yes, I'm making up numbers. But my guess is as good as yours unless you can provide some support.

The support is the growing popularity of the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles over the past decades. Are you denying that these lifestyles have become more popular over recent years? Can you not understand how companies in a capitalistic economy will try to take advantage of that growing market?

[mican333]

I don't see what's confusing about a veggie burger.

People like regular hamburgers because they are tasty and filling.

Some people don't want to eat meat for health and ethical reasons but still would enjoy the pleasure of eating a hamburger.

So instead they eat a veggie burger which has some of the pleasure of eating a hamburger and yet few of the downsides of eating actual meat. I guess it's a compromise of sorts.

Seems pretty logical to me.

[evensaul]

Mican, the website in the op includes the following: "The revolutionary plant-based burger that looks, cooks and satisfies like beef."

Why is it important to look like beef at every step of packaging, cooking and eating?