As we deck the halls and prepare for the festive season, a growing consciousness nudges us toward more sustainable choices. Amidst the holiday merriment, a Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Christmas feast emerges as a thoughtful and planet-positive option. Christmas feasts have long been associated with indulgent spreads featuring traditional meats. However, in the spirit of a more eco-friendly Christmas celebration, many are turning to sustainable alternatives. Enter mock meat —a conscious choice that reduces our carbon footprint without compromising on flavor.
Understanding Mock Meat
Mock meats, also known as meat substitutes or plant-based meats, replicate the taste and texture of traditional meats without the environmental toll. They’re crafted from various plant-based sources like soy, wheat, or pea protein. This innovative approach allows us to enjoy the festive indulgence of meat without the heavy ecological impact. Below are a few examples of different mock meats prevalent these days:
Tofu: A centuries-old Asian delicacy, tofu is among the most prevalent and successful meat replacements made of soybeans.
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP): It is frequently referred to as textured soy protein usually made with soy flour. While tasteless, this vegan meat alternative, like tofu, will acquire the flavors of the fluids used to prepare it.
Tempeh: It is soy-derived fake meat prepared from whole, somewhat fermented soybeans, as opposed to tofu, produced from soy milk.
Seitan: It is well-known for its meaty texture. This fake meat is made from Wheat gluten. It is created by mixing water and wheat flour to make sticky threads of gluten protein.
Jackfruit: Jackfruit has fast acquired appeal as a plant-based substitute for meat in vegetarian communities. This tropical fruit has a medium texture and flavor, making it an excellent meat substitute.
Pea Protein: As the name suggests Peas protein is extracted from peas, and food producers are very keen on utilizing this protein for various foods like energy bars, veggie burgers, and even cereals.
Why Opt for Mock Meats?
The traditional meat industry is a significant contributor to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and water pollution. Meat production accounts for 57 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire food production industry. For food production every year they raise and slaughter Over 88 billion land animals . In fact, Producing 1 kilogram of beef requires 25 kilograms of grain and 15,000 liters of water. By choosing mock meats, we make a positive step towards reducing our environmental impact. They often have a lower carbon footprint and employ sustainable practices for production.
Top Mock Meat Brands for your Green Christmas Feast
1. Imagine Meats
Started by bollywood couple Genelia D’Souza and Ritesh Deshmukh, Imagine foods is a plant-based mock meat brand that has a goal to remove the tussle between taste and sustainability. Imagine Meats is the brand to choose if you intend to forgo meat but yet enjoy some meaty treats without having to eat non-vegetarian food. They currently offer 11 products ranging from kababs, nuggets to biryani. Their chicken nuggets can be a great starter for your christmas feast.
2. Urban Platter
Enjoy pork chops and chicken tikka sans meat. Chirag Kenia and Dhaval Kenia started the online meal delivery service Urban Platter in 2015. It has debuted a line of ready-to-eat mock meat made with jackfruit and soya beans and flavored with various sauces. It’s ready to eat and just needs reheating in a pan or in the oven.
3. Wakao Foods
Wakao Foods, founded by former lawyer Sairaj Dhond, offers versatile plant-based options like Raw Jack for various dishes. Ready-to-eat choices include teriyaki and barbecue-flavored jackfruit, even burger patties. Dhond’s aim was to create convincing meat substitutes, leading to the establishment of the brand. After a year of experimentation, Goan jackfruit emerged as the best meat alternative. This brand takes pride in its diverse range of mock meats, providing a variety of options for those seeking a sustainable yet savory Christmas feast.
4. Good Dot
Co-founders Abhishek Sinha and Deepak Parihar started Good dot in 2016 to transform the world into a better place for animals. Their ready-to-eat Vegetarian Bytz sits alongside boneless mutton, while Proteiz mimics the feel of chicken. They also sell ready-to-eat Thai curry, biryani, and aachari tikka that contain faux meat derived from soybean, wheat, and pea protein. Known for their commitment to sustainability, Good Dot offers a range of mock meats made from non-GMO soy and peas. Their products are not only delicious but also contribute to a greener planet.
5. Vezlay Foods
Vezlay Foods, a Delhi-based firm started in 2011, is the major provider of soya foods. They serve nutritious and tasty soya-based foods such as seekh kebabs, shammi kebabs, nuggets, drumsticks, and lollypops produced from processed soya beans. Offering a blend of traditional flavors with a modern, sustainable twist, Vezlay foods brings mock meats that are sure to satisfy your festive cravings.
6. Blue Tribe
Blue Tribe Foods aspires to revolutionize meat consumption, acknowledging the dual love for the environment and meat. Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, who recently invested in the brand now endorse their plant-based alternatives, including Chicken Nuggets, Smoked Chicken Sausage, Chicken Darjeeling Momos, and Spicy Pork Sausage. These meat-like bites promise to become a regular addition to your pantry and will work wonders in your green christmas dinner snacks!
7.Vegeta Gold
Vegeta Gold is a Chennai-based company that produces high-quality, healthy goods manufactured from shiitake mushrooms, soya, and textured vegetable proteins. Vegeta Gold contains everything you require for your meat replacement, whether fish fillets or prawns.
8.Unived
Unived is a health and fitness firm that offers vegan foods and supplements to improve nutrition and physical health. They entered the faux meat market as one of only a few companies using jackfruit as a plant-based substitute for animal meat.
The classic old, slightly stinky Kathal has steadily become an excellent stand-in for formerly meat-eaters due to its unique meaty feel that is thought to be the most similar to chicken. Mock meat made from jackfruit is a better option for soya-sensitive folks or have thyroid concerns.
Image Source: Unived
9. Veggie Champ by Ahimsa Food
Yasmin Ahmad Jadwani’s affection for animals inspired the creation of Ahimsa. You can consume guilt-free salami, hot dogs, fish fillets, mutton, chicken drumsticks, and prawns. Veggie Champ mimics these foods using soya beans, vegetable fibers, textural soya, seaweed, milk, sauces, and other ingredients. In 2008, it was among the initial few brands to join the mock meat market.
10. Mister Veg
This firm delivers not only plant-based meat but also seafood. It was formed in 2018 by Rupinder Singh and Simarjeet Singh to save the environment by offering its customers cruelty-free meat and seafood at cheap rates.
Aside from that, the Faridabad, India-based firm provides prepared foods consumed by the consumer and includes no additives. Customers are drawn in by plant-based seafood and meat products. These goods have a shelf life of more than a year and can be left at room temperature without issue.
Image Source: Mister Veg
Conclusion
In embracing mock meats for our Christmas feasts, we not only delight our taste buds but also contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly celebration. These brands not only offer delicious alternatives but also represent a step towards a greener future. So, this Christmas, let’s savor the flavors of joy while making choices that resonate with the well-being of our planet. Cheers to a mock-meat filled, low-carbon footprint celebration!
