Plant Based Meat Guide: 5 Best Burgers

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Plant based lifestyles are popular, but navigating plant based meat is tricky. The easiest place to start is with burgers, and these are the 5 best burgers around!

 

Long before I thought of becoming fully vegetarian, which I am now, I started eating veggie burgers. What a welcome change they were! I liked the patties packed with veggies and I enjoyed trying all of the different kinds. They are healthier, offer more variety, and are simply tasty. But now the choices are borderline overwhelming.

There are so many different kinds of plant based meat burgers, so how does anyone choose which to eat? With Beyond Meat and Impossible being all the rage, even more options have popped up to compete! These two companies helped open up the market and my taste buds are loving it.

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Because there are so many plant based meat options, I decided to try as many as possible, starting with burgers. The one thing that I don’t like about many of these of burgers is that they have a lot of fat. They use oil to give the “meat” its texture and taste, but some have found healthier alternatives. My guide begins with the 5 best burgers. Stay tuned for sausage, bacon, chicken, and even more plant based meats!

 

Plant Based Meat: The Burgers

365 Plant-Based Burger

This is my FAVORITE plant based burger because it balances taste with healthiness perfectly. While I love going out to eat for an Impossible or Beyond Meat burger, as noted below, they both have a lot of saturated fat. They’re higher in calories and overall fat, meaning your veggie burger is not healthy. The 365 burger comes in a pack of four in the freezer aisle and is super tasty. Plus, it’s low in fat, high in protein, and low in calories. One patty has just 130 calories.

These burgers are soy based, but I think soy gets a bad wrap. I don’t eat these type of products every day and suggest you don’t either, but when I’m craving a burger at home, I love this. You can make it traditional and melt cheese on top, add delicious condiments, and have yourself a great burger. I also like topping it on salads, or without a bun or bread.

 

Uncut Roasted Turkey Burger

Uncut is the first brand that I tried touting a different style plant based meat burger, in this case a turkey burger. Their burgers are super tasty. They are a bit heavier in calories than the 365 burger and contain some saturated fat, but I find them lighter than the beef burger alternatives. When I made these I split each patty in half and they were perfect.

Uncut has a variety of different burgers beside turkey, offering beef, chicken, and breakfast sausage. The breakfast sausage is amazingly delicious! I’ll spotlight them in a future guide and update once I try their beef burgers to let you know how they stack up as well. For a turkey burger, or lighter burger in general, you cant beat Uncut.

 

Beyond Meat Burger

Let’s face it, Beyond Meat pushed the plant based meat revolution to the forefront. Thank you. Touted as “bleeding” like real burgers, they are heavier and “meatier” like a traditional beef burger. Partnering with fast food restaurants and numerous chains has made this brand so accessible. It is very good, but know that you may be getting a different version of their “meat” at different places. Personally, I like Impossible better for this reason.

The first time I bought Beyond Meat patties at the store, I was unhappy with the way I cooked them. They are thick and large and it through me off. I don’t like pre-made patties and prefer the ground “meat” because I like smaller and thinner patties. The Beyond Meat patties are the opposite, but definitely have that “meat” feel. The hype is warranted, even if they aren’t by top choice.

 

Impossible Burger

When eating out, the Impossible Burger is my first choice. At one of my favorite veggie burger restaurants in Los Angeles, HoneyBee Burger, they offer the option of an Impossible patty or Beyond Meat patty. There is no decision for me. I enjoy the taste of Impossible better, but wish the saturated fat content of both burgers was less. They add a lot of coconut oil to them which adds to the sizzling and taste. These are great burgers, although not healthy by any means.

 

Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burger

If you would have asked me a year ago, I would have told you Dr. Praeger’s was my absolute favorite veggie burger. This patty is low in fat, low in calories (130 per patty), and super tasty. It does use soy flour, but is loaded with veggies. I’ve been eating this one for years and keep coming back.

I prepare these exactly how I make the 365 veggie burgers, sometimes with bread or on a bun, but often on a salad. Its great as a standalone protein with veggies as a side. When I started eating these burgers, I switched my mindset of how I looked at a “burger patty.” Once I did that, I was more open to plant based alternatives and found myself wanting a veggie burger of some kind every time.

 

Even before I became vegetarian, I replaced my meat burgers with plant based meat alternatives. Then I transitioned off meat entirely and started exploring all of my options! Whether you’re vegetarian, veggie friendly, plant based, or veggie curious, there are so many great burger options at your finger tips. This is the first edition of my plant based meat guide, focused on burgers. I’m trying every variety of plant based meat I can find and will share all of my favorites!

 

Meet Our Writer:

Mandi Mellen is Lead Editor, Staff Writer, and Featured Host at BuzzChomp. She’s an Actress, Writer, Director and Producer. Get lost in her Youtube comedy channel PillowTalk TV. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo Credits to: Beyond Meat, Uncut, Dr. Praeger’s, Impossible, and Whole Foods

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