Buying meat free food is no big deal nowadays. For one, you will be able to find umpteen number of choices, thanks to your vegetarian and vegan friends while on the other hand, the health problems related to consumption of flesh have made people much more cautious. Of course, being diagnosed with meat allergy is also likely to make you stay away from such products. You need to go into a supermarket armed with a shopping list of alternatives and take your pick. Check out a few tips about buying the right products here.

How to Buy Meat Free Foods

It is mandatory to check out your alternatives before you decide to part with your money. It will certainly not be a good idea to consume just about any kind of  fruits and vegetables that you come across. You need to make sure that the alternatives are rich in protein and capable of compensating meat in your diet. Meatless products can be divided into two broad categories. They are:-

Meat Alternatives ( Grain or Vegetable Based)

• Seitan- Whole wheat chunks prepared by boiling them in a soy based broth. It is considered to be ideal for vegetarian stir-fries, stews, casseroles, and roasts. They are available as mixes and chunks, often marinated or packaged in broth.
   
• Tempeh- A soy based, fermented product with a living culture. This makes an excellent alternative to meat and can be sautéed in oil or grilled like a meat item. It can also be shredded and used as a sandwich filling. Most of the tempeh products are made with millet or rice.
   
• Tofu- This is soy curd, available as chunks. It is considered to be a versatile food as it imbibes the flavor of other ingredients making it ideal to be cooked in different ways. Plain as well as flavored varieties of tofu are available in grocery stores and supermarkets throughout America.

Meat analogues (Imitation or Faux Meats)

• Textured Vegetable Protein- It is a dry form of bulk protein derived from soy concentrates.
   
• Mycoprotein Foods- These are branded products marketed as Quorn which uses eggs as a binder.
   
• Surimi- A fish based product used to prepare imitation meats. Turkey and poultry meat are also used to prepare Surimi occasionally.

We hope that with this blog you will find the task quite easy as you get accustomed to buying meat free food items on a regular basis.

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