Vegetarian Meat Alternatives
Lean proteins should be a part of every meal. If you are a vegetarian, it will take some searching to find a variety of meat alternatives that suit your palette. Stores now stock a variety of meatless products. These products simulate the taste and texture of meat, but have less fat and fewer calories. Some meatless products, such as tofu or tempeh, are made from soybeans. Others are made from textured vegetable protein, or other sources. Tastes vary, and if you don't care for one product, keep trying.
View our video on soy protein, Slipping in Soy.
Locating Meat Alternatives
Stores carry the items in different aisles — don’t be too shy to ask for help. To find the meat alternatives listed in this section, look in the following areas of your grocery store:
- Produce aisle: fresh edamame, tofu, luncheon meat and "hot dogs"
- Cheese section: for cheese, tofu/tempeh and luncheon meat alternatives
- Freezer case: breakfast links/sausages (breakfast section); Patty/ground types (near entrees); edamame (vegetable section)>
- Produce/bulk bins or bakery area: nuts and seeds
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Meat Alternative Brands Table
Breakfast Meats | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Sausage links | Morningstar Farms, Boca , Litelife | 4 each |
Sausage patties | Morningstar Farms, Boca, Trader Joes | 2 each |
Sausage, tube | Gimme Lean | 2 each |
Canadian bacon style | Yves/Veggie Cuisine | 2 slices |
Burger/Patty | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Meatless patty — vegan | Boca, Burger Nouveau | 1 patty |
| Chicken style - Herb-crusted cutlet - Charbroiled — vegan | Garden burger, Morningstar Farms Garden burger | 1 patty 1 patty |
Chunks | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Vege stewed beef chunk | Vegefarm, Worthington | 2 oz |
Chick'n Strips | Lightlife | 1/2 pkg |
Meat free nuggets | Quorn | 3-4 each |
Textured vegetable protein | Bob's Red Mill, bulk bins, Nutrela | 1/4 c dry |
Veggie buffalo wings | Morningstar Farms, Trader Joes | 5 each |
Tuno | Worthington | 1/2 cup |
Deli Slices | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Turky, ham, salami | Tofurky, Ives, Litelife | 5 slices |
Hot Dogs | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Smart dogs (small size) | Litelife, Worthington | 2 each |
Veggie dogs | Yves Veggie Cuisine | 1 each |
Soy, ground | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Crumbles | Yves Veggie Cuisine, Lightlife, Morningstar Farms | 1/2 cup 1/2 cup |
Soyrizo/vegan chorizo | El Burrito/ Mexican | 1/2 cup |
Taco filling | Fantastic | 1/2 cup |
Tofu | ||
Type | Company | Portion |
Fresh | Various Brands | 1 cup |
Marinated, pressed tofu | Wildwood, Trader Joes | 3 oz or 1/2 pkg |
Aseptic/shelf stable | Mori-nu or Kikoman | 1/3 box |
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Cheese, Tofu, Tempeh
Cheese (choose lower-fat versions when available) | |
Type | Portion |
| Hard Cheese - Parmesan, Romano | 4 Tbsp |
Medium cheese | 2 oz |
| Farmer's Cheese - Cottage cheese/ricotta/paneer | 1/2 cup |
| Soft Cheese - Bleu, gorgonzola, brie, camembert | 2 oz |
Eggs | |
Type | Portion |
Whole regular or omega fortified | 2 each |
Egg substitute, Eggbeaters, or other | 1/2 cup |
Egg whites | 1/2 cup or 4 |
Legumes and Beans (Note: all choices count as a starch) | |
Type | Portion |
Black-eyed peas, garbanzo, black bean, soybeans, kidney, etc. | 1 cup cooked |
Split peas, lentils, mung beans, dals (thick) | 1 cup cooked |
Nuts & Seeds (Note: all types are high fat/calorie) | |
Type | Portion |
Walnut, almond, pistachio/pista, pecan, peanut, etc. | 1/2 cup |
Pumpkin, sunflower, pinole/pinenut | 1/2 cup |
Soybeans, fresh (Edamame) | |
Type | Portion |
-Fresh or Frozen shelled soybeans | 1 cup |
-Fresh or Frozen unshelled soybeans | 5oz or 1/4 pkg |
Tempeh | |
Type | Portion |
White Wave or other brands | 3 oz or 1/2 pkg |
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