This is not an ad, but a public service: for all vegetarians who still remember fondly the joys of bacon, you have to try Morningstar Farms fake bacon. It's one of the best fake meat products out there.

Why is it that so many vegetarians eat fake animal products? Fake bacon...fake burgers, fake milk? Why?

It seems that many people are incapable of embracing what it really means to BE a vegetarian or a vegan. It strikes me as hypocritical and a little sad that so many eat "meat substitutes" instead of just going all the way and admitting that veggies are all they eat?

Whence fake butter (margarine)? Why call the dyed white liquid "soy milk"? Why gild the lily? Call it what it is! It doesn't taste anything like milk. (Personally, I think it tastes utterly foul. I got a soy latte by mistake one day at Starbucks and I spit the first sip across the sidewalk. I was literally nauseated - it tasted like it had gone "off".) It barely looks like milk. "White soy liquid" is not the most appealing thing to look at on a shelf, but why not call it what it is instead of trying to pretend it's real milk?

Same with fake bacon. Who do you think you're kidding? If you're such a devoted veggie, the mere smell of the stuff should be verboten. Fake cheese? Please, kids, admit it, you'd rather be eating the real thing!

I know that food companies make a fortune off all the phony crap, but truthfully, I'd rather have someone make me a sincere vegetarian entree than try and fake up something "meat-like".

I don't care for meat substitutes either but I don't begrudge anyone having them. My daughter loves the sausages from ToFurkey and Field Roast and I'm happier to have her eat those since they are healthier and safer in many ways (and organic) not to mention they skip a step in the making (not going through the animal first) so better for the environment as well.

I also very much disliked my first taste of soy milk which was Silk. Disgusting. But at a tasting I found out that there are some really good ones from different brands such as Pacific, Organic Valley, EdenSoy, and Vitasoy. And there are other milk alternatives such as Almond, Hazelnut, and Rice. They are a bit different from dairy milk but can be good on their own. One of the most amazing things I've ever had was a freshly made Hemp milk, and coconut milk ice cream makes the other stuff seem pretty sad. However, a lot of "baristas" tend to burn soy milk which does taste especially foul just as milk that is sour tastes nasty. There are a lot of people (in fact the majority of the world) that are intolerant to dairy so that's a big reason to have substitutes.

Health too. Many people have been diagnosed with heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, weight issues, diabetes and more so going to a more vegetable based diet is not just a good idea but a mandate by the health provider. The Cancer Project helps people transition to a more plant-based survival diet.
http://www.cancerproject.org/

There's also the convenience factor and that corporations have jumped on the meat substitute bandwagon because it's rather difficult to repackage the carrot for maximum profit. Seems the non-vegetarians have a hard time thinking outside the meat locker.

I do like Quorn and some things people might call a meat substitute even if I don't think of them as that way such as rice or potato patties and bean cakes.

Also, when I was complaining about just that sort of thing regarding substitutes at a vegan restaurant where the menu seemed to be nothing but regular food remade with little or no food that wasn't just a veggie version of meat (Reuben Sandwich, Fake Fish and Chips, sort of things) and was told it was a place vegans could take their meat-eating friends (since restaurants that don't cater to vegans usually have only that damnable gardenburger sustitute option... which isn't even vegan) and the friends didn't feel culture shock (plus the food was supposedly very good so helped open minds).

Finally, when we get invite to a BBQ we've found the hosts are quite happy to grill up a veggie burger or dog if we bring them but very uncomfortable if we only eat the veggie-based "sides" without having some sort of "main event" on our plate even though we would be quite happy without (as long as there is something to eat not tainted by meat).

One also doesn't need to be vegetarian to eat a meatless meal.

I think there are different reasons to be a vegetarian or a vegan. Are you really asking why, or are you just saying you don't like it?

Anyway, I can think of one reason to be a vegan and eat imitations--not contributing to animal cruelty. Am I right, vegans? (I am a "vegiagnostic." See the post by that name, if you want an explanation.) If I do decide to be a vegan, I'll happily eat anything that tastes good to me. (Oh, I do love cheese pizza. And eggs. And bacon...)

See, that's where I have the disconnect. I would really and truly prefer it if my vegetarian friends would just cook what they always do. Seriously. A well-presented vegetarian meal is a beautiful thing. None of us need meat at every meal, those that claim they do are just obnoxious.

I commented earlier to a few people that felt odd about their hosts making them a special entree if they were coming over for dinner. They shouldn't worry about it. I have no issues with a meat-free dinner at my home, neither should they. It would be rude, in fact, for anyone to invite someone to dinner only to have them go home hungry.

I won't ever get around the soy milk thing, though. I'm lactose intolerant too, but if milk is cooked (as in a latte), it's perfectly safe. Heating breaks down the sugars that make us sick. It's a matter of degree, anyway. Most lactose intolerant people can handle a bit of dairy. Some can only have cream in their coffee. I'm ok with milk on cereal, but then that's it for the day.

I really truly believe that people worry too much about this nonsense. I'm a perfectly healthy omnivore. You're a perfectly healthy vegetarian. It is what it is.

I'm a vegetarian, and I really appreciated the article. There are a lot of militant vegetarians/vegans out there; there are also lots of us who view it as a personal choice. My husband doesn't eat meat and I'm more than willing to cook it for him, he in turn doesn't care that a lot of our meals have tofu or are meatless.

But in responce to your post, I think you are having a hard time getting it because you don't understand the reasons behind many people's choice to go meatless. Not vegetarian is against meat because it kills animals. Some people are vegetarian for health reasons, others because it is more environmentally friendly (and economically sound as well; part of our current food crisis is due to increased demand for meat around the world.) I for one became a vegetarian after I learned the world cannot support the Western diet. So I don't find the idea of eating meat repulsive.

People also don't think they are kidding anyone when they eat vegetarian substitutes. No one sits and eats veggie bacon and tries to convince themselves that they're actually eating real bacon. But we all grew up with a particular diet and sometimes it's nice to participate in our family's American culture. If everyone is sitting around eating bacon and eggs for breakfast, I like to be able to cook up my own bacon and be a part of that instead of sitting in the corner eating grapefruit. No one is trying to pretend soy milk is real milk, but milk does play a big food role in the US and I don't think I should have to give up cereal, hot chocolate, ice cream, or eggnog just because I've given up animal products.

And I would like to call your bluff when you say you would rather be served "real" vegetarian food (whatever that means.) I have yet to find a non-hippie American who enjoys being served lentils, though they are consumed quite often in Europe and India. Most Americans also have a problem with tofu.

...And in this house, we use a LOT of lentils. They're what we serve with the lamb curry, and they're great in various soups. Indian cooking is a favorite for us, and there's a brilliant restaurant here in Chicago called Marigold that has some of the best Indian food I've ever tasted, bar none.

However, much of my previous experience with vegetarian cooking has been less than inspiring. I have often been served dishes of unidentifiable brown legumes and melted veggies that are bland beyond belief. I've looked at so called "serious" vegetarian cookbooks and the first thing I notice is that nothing is seasoned. I just don't think it has to be that way.

I think that in a culture where we can make beef tripes taste like heaven and the humble pork belly beautiful, we desperately need vegetarian restaurants, cooks and cookbooks that take the food to the next level. Why shouldn't we have vegetarian meals that are worth getting dressed up for? The only exception that I've found is another restaurant here called Green Zebra. Take a look at the reviews and see what I mean. It's brilliant.

Now, my other concern is that people keep insisting that no one can be healthy if they eat meat. That's a crock and you know it. As for the ethical concerns, well, The Boy and I are farm kids. We are well aware of where meat comes from and what's involved in getting it.

Why? Because it tastes good, yet is still vegetarian. Many of us were raised on meat and have a fondness for the cuisine of our youth, yet we no longer want to eat the flesh of animals. Hence, fake meats, which I enjoy -- whether you do or not.

Four different people have evaded my original question by focussing on the smaller issues, so I have my answer.

It really is threatening for many vegetarians to admit that anyone can be healthy and eat meat at the same time. They do indeed find it frightening to acknowlege it.

The scales are off, it really is about a doctrine that's as specious and inflexible as anything a fundamentalist preacher can come up with. Thank you for proving my point.

Sure someone can be healthy and eat meat, and someone can be vegan and be unhealthy. However, being vegan and eating healthy will keep someone much healthier than if they eat animal products. I can assure you that anyone who eats meat will have higher cholesterol than I have, and will at some point in their life have higher blood pressure no matter how much they work out.

The problem is that a preachers doctrine is based on religion. Veganism is based on scientific fact that animals feel pain, animal products are bad for the human body, and that animal agriculture is the single largest contributor to destruction of the environment. Eating animal products is actually far more like religion because it is based on tradition and has no benefits for anyone except for the comfort it gives the consumer. Religion and consuming animal products are greatly intertwined and together have caused more death and suffering than any other human action.

You might want to analyze your own selfish actions before you attack people who are trying to better the world for everyone.

You make no sense. I provided you with my answer to your question. I eat fake meat because I still have a fondness for the food I was raised upon, but no longer like the idea of eating flesh. How is that evading the question? Further, it makes no sense for you to demand an answer to your question that applies to all vegetarians. One size does not fit all.

Huh? Why does this make you so angry?

You seem to be the most upset and illogical one here. People brought up health because some people like meat in theory but their body can't handle it.

I eat fake meat because I like the way it tastes and can know that I'm not eating dead animal. Also, it can be quick and easy to prepare, depending on the product.

Right. Like I said. You have to eat the fake stuff because what you really want is the real stuff.

In essence, there's no integrity in your kitchen. Instead of embracing the vegetables and making them beautiful in and of themselves, you still feel the need to pretend that you've got the whole McGilla on your plate.

So it's all about what you can't have, and not about the cooking. You need to go eat at Green Zebra.