Vegan Meatless Burgers

1 star rating

April 3, 2008

Jenn A. 378 reviews Send Message | Add to Friends

If you miss high school cafeteria burgers...

then, by all means, please purchase some Boca burgers. These are rubbery and not very tasty. They remind me of the thin, overcooked, rubbery and flavorless things that passed for "hamburgers" in the high school cafeteria. Dozens of patties would end up flung across tables or around the room.

Most Boca burgers contain egg and dairy - there is a vegan variety. They are full of "textured soy flour" - not a primary food source like tempeh, or grains and veggies like Gardenburgers.

But - Wait! What is "Textured soy flour"? Why should I care? Textured soy flour is also known as "textured vegetable protein." It's a highly processed food -- first, the soy is turned into flour, then it is "defatted", then it is cooked and extruded. Then it's chopped into different sizes and dried or packaged, sometimes turned into flour and then rehydrated and reprocessed and cooked some more to turn it into things like Boca Burgers.

Don't forget about all the natural resources and power consumed to create this stuff -- the water and fuel in the farming & harvesting process, the fuel and labor in the process... it's a lot of overhead for such a cheaply priced product.

Wouldn't a plate of quinoa and some carrots be better for you and the planet? Yeah, I thought so, too.

Here's a link to the process: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein

In a word: yuck. Your mileage may vary.

Jenn A.'s keywords: tvp, textured vegetable protein, soy protein, meat substitutes, textured soy flour

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2 star rating

May 8, 2007

Abendigo R. 286 reviews Send Message | Add to Friends

vegan meatless burgers don't deliver for me

Flavor- and texture-wise, Boca meatless burgers can't hold a candle to Gardenburgers, IMHO. Still, I can see the purpose they serve, in providing vegans with an organic soy burger that's free of eggs and cheese, both of which are in most veggie burgers and give them that richer experience. I'm a meat-eater and when I've had my share of meat and go for a veggie burger, I'll stick to Gardenburgers. Boca burgers taste like fried soy and their texture is kind of crumbly. Also, they easily stick to your frypan or baking sheet, so don't be surprised if chunks get torn off.

Abendigo R.'s keywords: boca, burgers, meatless, soy, veggie, vegan

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4 star rating

January 12, 2007

Penny P. 7 reviews Send Message | Add to Friends

I like this stuff! Put into chili, you really cant tell the difference. I use this in chili, spaghetti ,,, anywhere ground beef is called for. I can't tell the difference, as a matter of fact, I now prefer it to burger!!

Penny P.'s keywords: Burger substitute

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3 star rating

October 15, 2006

Sarah S. 1 review Send Message | Add to Friends

Burger that fills you up but not so yummy

I wouldn't call them delicious but they do the job. My son and husband LOVE them but they're not my first choice for a snack. On the other hand I love their chicken products, especially their spicy chicken patties.

Sarah S.'s keywords: burgers, soy

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