You can get all those textures and variety in an omnivorous diet, with the addition of meat textures, too. It Seems bizarre to me that there’d be an issue with people inventing things that let them eat less meat while also enjoying the textures a meat-based diet has to offer.
I’ve said many times that I’d be the first person signed up to eat “engineered meat” when it becomes available, and put my money where my mouth was, literally, by seeking out beyond meat burgers, sausages, and now, their “crumbles” when they became available.
I am a huge fan of the textures, flavours, and culinary wonders made possible by meat (in fact I went to culinary school specifically to get better at cooking proteins), but both the beyond meat burgers and sausages are such good approximations of their respective meat-based foods that my partner and I now exclusively buy them at home when burgers or brat/italian sausages are required.
Before moving to Austin, I had occasion to hit up a Canadian A&W (which have no relation to the US chain, BTW), and try the beyond meat breakfast sausage, which was also an excellent approximation. I buy breakfast sausage rounds occasionally now at home, and would switch in an instant if/when they are available for home purchase.
In short, these products are wonderful, even if you’re an omnivore but want to reduce the amount of meat your family eats. I’m very happy that they market them as “alternative proteins” instead of “vegetarian/vegan”, and while no, they won’t compare to a $20 Umami Burger from a gourmet shop, they will compare to what you probably make at home or get from most fast-food joints nowadays.
