There are so many plant-based meat substitutes now. Vegan products are on the rise. There are vegan sausages, hot dogs, cold “meats”, “chicken”, soy chorizo, burgers, nut loaves, and also smoky bacon vegan pork rinds and some jerky.
Why not stick with the real meat products? Why would you want to eat something that tastes like meat but is not meat? I get that question sometimes. Well, there are several answers. If you’re eating a plant-based diet for health reasons, then you’re probably not going to add many vegan sausages and burgers to your meals (although they are obviously much healthier than the ones made from animals).
Many vegans, though, gave up animal products not to improve their health but for ethical reasons. They did not want to continue sponsoring the animal cruelty anymore. Let me quote Gary Yourofsky here. Gary is a vegan activist and he has given speeches in many schools and universities.
In one of his speeches, he said: “Meat? Love it! Guilty as charged.” But will he eat it? No! I’m the same way. I used to love it too. I gobbled up my grandmother’s fried blood sausages, I loved steaks that were medium or rare. I ate it all and loved it, not once thinking about where it came from and not making the connection to the living animal this piece of meat came from.
A few years after I left my parents’ home, my eyes were opened, and I could no longer give my money to such cruelty. The taste or how much I loved it did not influence my decision at all. After witnessing animal slaughter (for real, not on videos), hearing their screams, and seeing their suffering, their desperate attempts to stay alive and escape slaughter, I could no longer eat them. Their screams rattled my bones and tore through my soul, and they accompanied me everywhere I saw meat.
And this is the wonderful thing about the plant-based meat substitutes. First of all, no problem with cholesterol here; second, no animal had to spend its life locked up and had to die a horrible death for it; third, they taste amazing!
Yes, there are always some products that are good and some that are not that great, but the same can be said for non-vegan products. Some are excellent and others are just … not so good. So, you just have to find the brands that you like. The ones that I’m sharing here are outstanding. They have received glowing 4 and 5 star reviews on Amazon and some have even won awards.
So, you can be assured, that the ones I recommend here are of good quality.
Can Plant-Based Substitutes Taste Like Bacon?
The taste of bacon is achieved through seasoning, which creates that addictive flavor. You can use that seasoning on other products and make basically anything taste like bacon. It isn’t that hard to re-create it; you can even do it yourself. So, yes, plant-based substitutes can taste like bacon.
Smoky Bacon Vegan Pork Rinds, Vegan Chicharrones
This snack is not only vegan, but it has low carbs, is low on calories, keto friendly, and Atkins friendly. Without the high dose of cholesterol which the animal based bacon would dump into your body, this is a tasty and crunchy treat.
These chicharrones have received plenty of 4 and 5 star reviews; a few 3 stars, but I guess that everyone has different tastes and expectations. There are no 1 or 2 star reviews, however, and that means that the flavor is indeed very satisfactory 🙂
Primal Spirit Vegan Jerky, Most Popular Flavors Pack
Thai peanut, hot and spicy sweet and flavory, hickory smoked, mesquite lime, Texas BBQ, and Teriyaki flavors are all included in this delicious pack.
Primal Spirit Foods are sustainably sourced, non-GMO, and cruelty-free. This healthy snack contains no preservatives or artificial ingredients. Moreover, this popular flavors pack was voted Best New Vegan Snack by PETA and VegNews.
This snack is not gluten-free.
Reviews about this product are mixed between 5, 4, and also a few 1 stars. I noticed that some reviewers didn’t like the mesquite lime flavor, but that other flavors were better. I included one 3 star and one 5 star review here.
Noble Jerky, Vegan Jerky Variety Pack
This brand has plenty of 4 and 4 star reviews, so it looks like this one may be the big winner, but again, that is based on personal tastes and expectations.
Noble Jerky offers the following flavors: original, teriyaki, sweet BBC doux, and chipotle. The BBQ flavor is artisan crafted. All flavors are gourmet quality, non-GMO, and they provide a nice meaty texture and flavor.
The reviews are all excellent, between 4 and 5 stars, nothing lower than that. All reviewers rave over the meaty texture and rich flavor. A a few people commented that some flavors may have been laid on too thick, but in general this looks like a fantastic product. You could even fool non-vegans with it 😉
Final Thoughts
These are some great alternatives. There are some plant-based versions that taste so much like meat that you wouldn’t even know the difference. Seitan can be prepared in such a way that you think you’re eating meat – if meat flavor is something you really don’t want to go without.
I never missed meat when I went vegan. Yes, I know, that sounds weird, because I admitted that I used to love it. I never ate much of it, though; for sure not every day. When I went vegan, something else happened too, something that I was not really worried about anyway, but it still took me by surprise. I discovered so many culinary delicacies that there was nothing to miss from non-vegan food.
When meat substitutes came on the market, I tried them out. There were many I liked and some I did not enjoy that much. Brands like Gardein and Morningstar Farms are among my favorites. There are many more, but in my hometown few brands are imported (I live on a peninsula). I have started ordering some online now, and there are still so many great flavors to be discovered.
Disclaimer: as an Amazon associate, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase from any of the Amazon links I provide through the product’s photos, at no extra charge to you. This helps me maintain my website 🙂
Thank you for your post. It is useful for me. I have belly fat and would like to reduce it as much as possible. Right now I eat vegetables most of the time. However, I love meat and occasionally miss it.
Your article gives me some inspiration. The idea of using plant-based meat substitutes may help my addiction to meat. Smoky bacon vegan pork rinds are certainly good choice for me. I love bacon and pork rind. Particularly, pork rind is a good keto diet, high in fat and protein, low in carbohydrate.
It is kind of you sharing the useful information with us.
Hi Anthony,
I’m glad that this post was useful to you. The vegan pork rinds look delicious and I will most probably order some soon as well 🙂
Thank you for your comment!
Good morning, Christine! Excellent article! As someone who is determined to get away for meat (for ethical and health reasons), you have provided an excellent list of tasty and filling alternatives! You must have known that both sides of my family were from the South, because we all LOVE pork rinds, myself included, and those Smoky Bacon Vegan Pork Rinds look delightful (and to die for!)! Haha. I also enjoy jerky as a summertime snack, so why not go vegan and enjoy it even more? Haha. I have saved your article and will definitely be back! God bless you!
Hello 🙂
It sounds like those Smoky Bacon Vegan Pork Rinds are perfect for you then 😉 They surely look delicious, they will be on my order list soon too.
Thank you for your comment!
Hi Christine,
Thanks for this article sharing many alternatives of meat for vegan all over the world. Before I read this article, I have no idea that we have so many choices that we could choose if people miss it. The best part about it is that we can order from Amazon, which is convenient.
Among all, I found the Noble Jerky took my heart. The four flavors, the package design, and the average 4-5 star ratings on Amazon, all these mean that this is an excellent product. Looking at the review that you attached for Noble Jerky Chipotle makes my mouth watering!
Thanks again for this article, people should avoid reading it before bed.
Matt
Hi Matt,
The Noble Jerky looks indeed delicious and it has excellent reviews. That’s a good tip, not to read this article before going to bed, haha. 😉
Thank you for your comment!
Now this is what I am talking about. Having to make a vegan snack has really eluded me a lot. Though I actually learnt to make some very basic ones which I actually do not fancy a lot but actually seeing something like this here is really great because it gets me really excited and I cannot wait to actually give a trial to something like this
Hi Kimberly,
I am glad you are going to try some of these. They are really good. If you have doubts or are unsure about vegan recipes, feel free to check out my website, there are many easy and delicious recipes to try out 🙂
With a family background coming from the Caribbean pork is a meat that is not used around me or even growing up so while I may not be vegan I am still able to take a lot from this website.
the advice and cookbooks are something I will defiantly look further into
That’s great, I’ve shared some wonderful cookbooks on my site 🙂
Thank you for your comment!
A lovely website and a great article Christine. There is undoubtably so much correctness in going vegan. And your article has brought out so many different varieties of vegan food that will be great substitutes for meat. For those like me who love their meats, this is a wake up call and also a gentle persuation to changee and be more environmentally conscious.
Thank u for a lovely article Christine.
Aparna
Hi Aparna,
Thank you! I am glad that you found my article inspiring 🙂
Have a great day!
Hi there,
What an insightful article, thanks for sharing this. I didn’t even realise such products exist! I really want to try them now. The Smoky Bacon Vegan Pork Rinds sound particularly appetising. It’s definitely a growing trend, I’d be curious to see how sales of vegan foods has increased over the past few years, it seems to have exploded in popularity.
Hi Sharon,
Sales of vegan foods are increasing a lot, and many vegan companies are now producing more varieties, which is great. The more choice the better 😉
Thank you for your comment!
Hi Christine ,I always wanted to try plant based meat ,i have always been hesitant to do so .However ,after reading this article ,i think i am going to give it a try after all .These Smoky Bacon Vegan Pork Rinds look delicious even if i havent tried them yet .I think i am going to start with this and see how it goes ,i will let you know .Thank you for this nice article Christine
You’re welcome 🙂 Feel free to check out other articles on my website too. I talk about more meat substitutes there, vegan cheeses, and I have some great, easy vegan recipes as well. Have you tried Beyond Meat? It tastes really good too!
Thank you for your comment!
What a great alternative to meat recipe. Plant based food and recipes are definitely on the rise for the past few years. They are obviously healthier and kinder alternative. I shall try the recipe out. The picture looks super yummy.
I’m glad I’ve checked out your website to find a tons of amazing gluten and vegan food ideas.
Thank you
Thank you, Habib! You’re welcome to check back any time 🙂