You notice I didn’t say beef?  That’s because I’m talking about “beef,” and rightfully so!

By leaps and bounds, scores of people are coming over to the “right” side, not just here in the U.S., but all over the world.

Company after company is coming out with meat substitutes (yay!) and have recently been heavily concentrating on “beef.”  One in particular has been working on a juicy, “bloody,” (yuk) hamburger.  Why, if you want to become a vegetarian or vegan would you need or desire something that is “bloody” is beyond me, but that’s where they are putting their efforts.  (Goose bumps, and not in a good way.  Yuk!)

If you want a veg based product that has some resemblance to things you have eaten in the past, super!  But, bloody?  (Shivers now, also in a bad way.)

Quorn, is one of the oldie but goodies, and has been working on expanding its line. Morningstar Farms is an old stand-by, relatively boring, but also working on expanding is line.  My personal favorite is Gardein, especially the Szechuan “Beef,” which you can rarely find anywhere lately.  And, if would be nice if a wider variety of their creative and yummy products were available across the board.

There’s also Tofurky, LightLife, Boca (pretty much veggie burgers), Field Roast (also expanding), Beyond Meat (started out pretty awful but have sprung ahead by leaps and bounds) and are, unfortunately, the creators of the “bloody” burger. Why does anyone need that???

There’s Trader Joe’s, who carries their own line, as well as Target’s own line.  I have not tried Trader Joe’s, but have tried Target’s, Simply Balanced.  The last time I tried their “meat” it felt like rubber bands with sauce.  Perhaps the brand has improved.  And more than likely that’s why there is so little Gardein at Target of late.  They are pushing their own “rubber brands.”

Outside of the “meat” family is my fave, “Vegan Seafood,” from Sophie’s Kitchen.  They cancelled their “calamari” because too many people didn’t cook the product properly, but it was sooo good, and they have branched out to include “lox” and “tuna fish” and other delicacies of the sea….  or so you’d think.  I wish they were more readily available, too!

And these are just our more common, U.S. available brands.  There are others in Europe that are not available here (“meats” and other “veg” items), and from what I read on a regular basis, I hope they get here fast!

If you care at all about animals and our environment, there is NO reason NOT to go veg.  On this Memorial Day weekend, buy “beef” to make those burgers, and do the ethical and moral thing.

Stop thinking about going veg, just DO it!