Fake Meat Photos: The Delicious And The Disgusting

Fake meat could be in its own culinary class, with a variety of flavors and textures that can both delight and disgust. Some taste eerily like meat, while others bring something entirely new to the table. We support how a vegetarian lifestyle can be good for the planet, but we also are proponents of eating real food, rather than food science projects. We've compiled some of the best and worst fake meats out there. We had fun with our fake Thanksgiving turkey slideshow, so we thought we'd revisit the topic for those of you who've decided to eat less meat as a new year's resolution. Bon Appetit!

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Fake Bacon

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Fake bacon, or facon, looks a little like plastic food, and can sometimes come out hard and dry. If you're just looking for a little something to remind you of your good old bacon days, facon might not be for you.

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Fake bacon, or facon, looks a little like plastic food, and can sometimes come out hard and dry. If you're just looking for a little something to remind you of your good old bacon days, facon might not be for you.

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I'm Gonna Be Sick Mouthwatering

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Comments

[quillsinister]

10:19 AM on 01/10/2010

I share HuffPo's distaste for fake meat products. Honest vegetarian proteins can be found in all kinds of places that aren't molded to look like a bird carcass. Even tofu, tempeh and seitan aren't intended to mimic meat. Legumes and whole grains supply complementary amino acids for protein production while quinoa can give you all of them. Sneak in hummus here and there and find a good local cheese from free range animals and you have everything you need, once you throw on some vegetables and munch an apple or banana. I still go fishing, too, but that's not necessary.

[jimrs6]

09:27 AM on 01/10/2010

The Porterhouse at Morton's is the best.

[luckyone77]

05:08 PM on 01/09/2010

A Native American friend told me once that in his culture a vegetarian is what you call a poor hunter. At least they knew where their food comes from. I suspect most Americans would be shocked to learn about where their food really comes from --- Monsanto!

[Tommygun264]

04:55 PM on 01/08/2010

If tofu turkey is called "tofurkey", what do they call tofu duck?

[LyssaBarnes]

09:52 PM on 01/08/2010

Oh behave your self.

Seriously speaking, I don't like fake meat. I was vegan for over one year and not only did I gain 30 pounds, I developed some health problems. Turns out that I had formed an allergy to tofu. Per my doctors orders, I went back to meat eating, lost the weight and the health issues.

I do support the consumption of lean meats meats in moderation. I prefer free range meats and wild caught seafoods.

[quillsinister]

10:15 PM on 01/08/2010

:-)

[Tim Thompson]

02:00 PM on 01/07/2010

There is an amazing veggie sausage from LightLife: Gimmie Lean Sausage...mmmm

http://www.lightlife.com/product_detail.jsp?p=gimmeleansausage

[SimJack]

10:18 AM on 01/07/2010

I'll try it if I can pay for it with Monopoly money. Seems fair.

[hippie4ever]

01:19 AM on 01/07/2010

Chinese buddhists have been making such products for centuries, mainly from tofu. The mock duck and mock beef are simply delicious. I've had the garden burger & wasn't impressed. I suspect these new foods are only marginally better for you than eating meat. They're often full of oil and salt.

[MagicalPossibilities]

12:53 AM on 01/07/2010

Tofurkey is gross, fake bacon looks nasty. I do love Boca Burgers and Garden Burgers.
Seitan is like tofu - tasteless unless it's properly marinated and seasoned.

[Leo Mauler]

10:50 PM on 01/07/2010

Anyone who says Tofurkey is gross has never had a Tofurkey (or has used the old weirdo baste they suggested, the one using orange juice instead of sage). Every time I've brought it somewhere there's a real turkey, people try a bit and then prefer a slice of Tofurkey to the real turkey.

[thundermummy]

07:48 AM on 01/08/2010

I call bullsh!t. Tofurkey is not better than turkey.

[climastrology101]

12:24 PM on 01/08/2010

I've never seen that happen. I've been to Thanksgiving when tofurkey was present more than once and the real thing always won.

[mdsco]

11:18 PM on 01/06/2010

self edit i meant I just want to know your logic

[mdsco]

11:17 PM on 01/06/2010

A few real questions for the vegans and vegitarians. Not being sarcastic just don't want to know your logic. 1. Do you wish we could force everyone to be a vegitarian? 2. What do we do with all the livestock cows, pigs, chickens ect.. if we don't eat them. I love veggies and grew up with grandparents that farmed soybeans and corn as well as livestock. We have also had large gardens with veggies most people don't eat on a regular basis. I also had problems eating store bought meat after I moved away from home after being raised on beef grandpa raised with the best feed and care.

[epistemological]

04:26 PM on 01/07/2010

As someone who just broke the 1 year mark on being vegan let me give it a shot. First I think it depends on what type of vegan or vegetarian you talk to. Personally Im a nonethical vegan, meaning I don't see anything wrong with eating meat just choose not to. Like many groups its hard to speak for everyone since its quite diverse.

1. No I could care less what you or others put into your body, I just wish I didn't have to pay taxes to support obese people who have health issues (unless its not diet related). Though I wish I could force people to learn about nutrition and healthier lifestyles.

2. I would hope we eventually get back to actual farming and not our current system. If you don't know how tyson raises and kills chickens id highly recommend looking it up.

[quillsinister]

10:20 PM on 01/08/2010

I would add that meat production consumes ungodly amounts of fossil fuel, which perpetuate the worst trade deficits in our history, funds terrorism, pollutes our air and keeps our military in the Middle East.

Vegetarianism and veganism are literally weapons in the war on terror and strengthen the economy at the same time they clean our air and water. All because it takes many times more oil to produce a pound of animal protein than plant protein.

Congratulations on passing the year mark!

[Leo Mauler]

10:56 PM on 01/07/2010

1) Meat-eating uses up more food than it makes, which makes meat more expensive than its nutrient content, compared to vegetarian alternatives. This emphasis on meat-eating forces a lot of people to have to spend more than they should on food so they can have "meat at every meal."

2) We should let them live out the rest of their days and don't actively force them to breed such huge numbers. Cows and chickens will continue to produce milk and eggs, and as a lacto-ovo vegetarian I have no problem with people consuming animal products that didn't require killing the animal to acquire them.

And, more importantly, we won't be forcefeeding them antibiotics to the point where the bacteria inside them are so antibiotic-resistant that if you cut your thumb in a meat-packing plant you might as well remove your arm (the one with the cut thumb) to save time.

[KristinNoelle]

10:57 PM on 01/06/2010

Who makes the Masala burger?...it sounds good. Side note, if you are going to buy Boca burgers, go for the organic ones. For whatever reason they taste WAY better.

[liarsclub75]

08:38 PM on 01/06/2010

Some of these products are pretty good. I like saitian chicken substitute. The "bacon" tastes like bac-os which I do not care for at all.

[veggiequeenmo]

08:18 PM on 01/06/2010

Meat alternatives are just fine. Just because they are made to look like the meat-based counterparts doesn't mean that vegetarians/vegans are promoting the idea of eating meat. In fact, quite the opposite is true. It's a good way to start a conversation about embracing the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle. Many people don't want to embrace it since they think the won't fit in. This is especially true with young children, so when they take their lunch to school and it looks like what other kids are eating, they won't get picked on, plus they get a much more healthy lunch than most school districts provide. I've been a vegan over 20 years and have 3 children - all vegan - and I make my own seitan, bugers, sausage - all vegan - and good!

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

05:56 PM on 01/06/2010

If anyone is from the Boston area or is visiting, the best vegan Chinese food restaurant is called Grasshopper, on North Beacon Street, in Allston, MA. If you didn't know it was a vegan restaurant, you wouldn't know at all from the food they have. The dishes all look what they are supposed to be, like the General Gau's "chicken" dish tastes absolutely delicious - not exactly the same consistency as chicken, but pretty damn close, and just as good.

Did I mention they also have vegan cheesecake and other desserts that tastes like the real thing? I try to go there at least once a month, it's so GOOD!!

check it out: http://grasshoppervegan.com/

[ultrabop]

08:49 PM on 01/06/2010

Ditto!!!

[SoyMochaMike]

04:56 PM on 01/06/2010

Two reasons we use the fake meats at our house:
1) we're not all vegetarians, and the fake meats keep the peace (usually), and
2) the fake meat stll looks better on a plate than sliced or chopped dead animals.