Eating healthy can be hard work, especially if you’re trying to cut down your meat intake. It’s just so yummy! And so easy to cook.
Starting soon, the Commissary will be adding more plant-based meat-replacements in varieties that even the pickiest of kids (or soldiers) can enjoy!
Commissaries Expand Meatless Meat Offerings
Meatless, plant-based proteins are all the rage as many Americans work to cut their animal protein consumption. Moving toward a diet with a higher percentage of plant-based foods can help cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve your personal health!
Commissaries around the world have been stocking some varieties of plant-based meat products for a few years. Stock has been added based on demand in various locations.
“Many commissaries have long sold vegetarian and plant-based meat products in keeping with consumer demand,” said Tracie Russ, DeCA’s sales director. “But demand has grown for more of these options, and so we’ve expanded our offerings in our worldwide network of stores.”
Now the Commissary is prepared to meet the needs of its customers with more options!
“The demand for these products is through the roof,” said Daniel Clary, DeCA’s meat and seafood category manager. “Whether it’s for health, convenience or taste, our patrons have demonstrated that they want plant-based meat. We are definitely looking at expanding our inventory of meat alternatives to match what our patrons want.”
To meet demand, four new additions, produced by Beyond Meat, will be added to Commissaries worldwide. Look for Beyond Burger, Brat Sausage, Hot Italian Sausage and Plant-Based Ground on shelves near you soon!
“Every month we are seeing double-digit increases in sales; the plant-based products are in very high demand and our stores are excited to be able to offer this stock assortment to their shoppers,” said Andrea Coyle, store operations perishable team member.
These options should be rolling out in the very near future, joining products already on the shelf in many locations.
Allergen-Friendly, Meatless Meat Products
Many are seeking plant-based proteins due to dietary restrictions, like allergies or sensitivities. All of the Beyond Meat options are:
- Certified Kosher
- Vegan
- Non-GMO project verified
- No soy or gluten
- 20 grams of plant protein per serving
- 25 percent less saturated fat than ground beef
- Cholesterol-free
That makes these products a great choice for people who are trying to stick to a strict diet.
“It’s exciting to see that the commissary is working diligently to increase offerings to meet the multitude of lifestyle and dietary preferences of our military community while saving our patrons money in the process,” said Health and Wellness Program Manager Deborah Harris, MPH, RD, CDE.
Why “Fake” Burgers & Brats?
You might be shaking your head and rolling your eyes, wondering why anyone would willingly eat these “fake” meat replacements. And yes, these items aren’t for everyone.
But they can also help you to have a more balanced diet with increased fiber – something many Americans lack in their diets.
“With an increased focus on the benefit of protein in the diet, plant sources of protein help meet protein needs as well as offer a different nutritional profile than animal sources,” said Harris. “For example, plant-based protein sources also provide fiber, which most Americans lack in their diets.
However, for individuals who need to eat less meat for medical reasons or are choosing to do so as part of a lifestyle shift, having plant-based proteins can be an easier transition.
Using a plant-based protein to use in place of meat allow those making this dietary transition to:
- Cooking familiar recipes
- Eating familiar foods
- Easing resistant family members into the new diet
- Appeasing reluctant or picky eaters
- Sneaking “healthier” foods into typical meals
All of this can make the switch from meat to, well, not meat simpler and more seamless.
How Do You Cook Meatless Meat?
Generally, these plant-based products should cook similarly to the real deal! Throw Beyond Burgers on the grill or cook in a skillet. Same with the sausages and ground “meat” products.
Use these as you would animal-based proteins.
Meatless burgers and sausages can be served at your next BBQ, with all the regular fixings! Serve with buns and all the fixings for a vegan or lower meat feast that everyone can enjoy.
Combine the ground “meat” with bread crumbs and eggs for a vegetarian meatball. Add these on top of pasta and sauce for a delicious, hearty meal.
Other options include:
- Meatloaf
- Chili
- Brats & sauerkraut
- Pasta dishes + sausage
- Burgers
- Casseroles
- Hamburger helper-type sides
Often, these meat-like products are so similar in taste and texture to their real-deal counterparts that it may be challenging to distinguish between meat and not meat.
With demand going through the roof, hurry in soon to ensure that you can snag some Beyond Meat options ASAP.
I tried using the Beyond Meat in place of ground beef in my meat loaf recipe. I used the Beyond Meat mixed with turkey sausage and ground turkey and it made a wonderful meat loaf!