With the launch of A&W’s veggie burger, we are seeing the trend that has been forecasted for the past few years come to fruition. Yes, vegetarian and vegan choices are popping up not only in specialty shops but in traditional burger joints and grocery stores. I write this as a bacon-loving, steak eating, fishing enthusiast. My interest has always been to research food trends and plant based meals have been on the rise.
The topic to eat meat or not is a heated one. Some livestock ranchers are annoyed with it as it can affect their livelihood. Vegetable farmers run into some resistance too, people only want organic, GMO-free or pesticide-free and are very vocal about it. I tend to lean towards an omnivore lifestyle with locally produced products but think about my grandparents who did not eat animal products three times a day. Sure they had eggs and dairy often but that is a far cry from every meal with a hunk of meat.
There are the concerns that vegetarians consider such as the well-being of an animal. I am all for that as well and argue that most small scale livestock farmers treat their animals humanely and care for them. However, growing up in the Northwest Territories where the agricultural industry is slim to none, but wild meat and fish are plentiful, I never thought about how animals were treated. Most hunters or fishermen I known are intelligent enough to know that they cannot over harvest anything. That the cycle must continue.
I believe if we eat seasonally, know our farmers both livestock and plant based, that we can maintain a balance and support the fact that vegan or vegetarian choices are becoming more mainstream and there is nothing surprising about it. We need vegetables as a daily food choice, so let’s keep it interesting.
There are new protein flours on the market too. Superstore is carrying ‘cricket flour’ insect protein now available and many trend researchers are commenting on insect protein becoming more popular in the future. I’ll pass on that thank you very much. New plant proteins are on the market as well, grown right here in our Canadian prairies. Take ‘Prairie Fava’ for example, a young farm family taking fava beans and using the bean for flour in baking or pasta choices. Fascinating enough, it has more protein than chickpeas, nor does it have allergens such as soybean and can replace soy as a filler in many products. It’s healthy and Canadian made.
The beloved Canadian celebrity Jillian Harris, raised in Peace River, has adopted a vegan lifestyle but also eats animal protein once and a while. She and her nutritionist cousin, Tori Wesszer, are soon to release a comfort food cookbook but made with all plant based ingredients.
As for myself, I will continue to eat wild meat, fish, locally raised beef, turkey and chicken, but enjoy many of the new vegetarian products on the market as well. I choose to eat what feels best for me, what supports not only the community but Canadian Agriculture, and local farmer markets. I believe whatever protein I choose should not be politicized or hold any guilt. Let’s not use food, one of the last things that can bring people together during good and bad times, as an argument. Try something new, try a vegan burger, a bean noodle, a locally made bone broth, or an egg straight from the farm. Who knows, you just may enjoy it and stop arguing.
Sharlyn lives in Red Deer and is a foodie with a gypsy soul. You can find more on social media and the web as Market Gypsy.