— Skylar Ratledge

You know, I think it's kind of the same a conversation as the pouches. I feel like these meat substitutes, um, they definitely have a role and I think think it depends on your goals. So if you are primarily approaching this from a health standpoint, if you are someone who has, um, existing heart disease or type two diabetes or you know, clear health issues that you're dealing with, um, I think you definitely wanna limit these products. Mostly a lot of these meat substitutes are gonna be much higher than in sodium. The custodian content's gonna be pretty high, so that's something you wanna sort of, um, pay attention to. On the flip side, I will say that in my own family, um, I went, uh, plant-based fully, you know, I, uh, as I mentioned, I sort of gradually faded into being plant-based, but, um, the rest of my family was not plant-based for, you know, quite some time. Um, and they've gradually all sort of moved to a plant predominant vegetarian type of a diet. And I think the meat substitutes, um, created a, an immense amount of success and ease for them. So I would say if you're health conditions permitted, including some of these products from time to time can help to increase enjoyment. Um, some of these products actually have a great, a good amount of protein. And so for growing kids, especially for athletes, um, it can be a great, you know, substitute. And I also think it can help to create a greater sense of belongingness. Um, I think when kids are growing up more than anything, they just wanna fit in. They wanna feel like everybody else. So if everybody else is having a hamburger and they have the alternative to have like a, you know, a, an impossible burger or something like that from time to time, um, I think in general it, it, these kinds of products have, can have a role. Um, and it's gonna be different for every family. In my family. I don't have a problem, uh, you know, keeping these products around, especially for my, I think my husband and my son would not have been as plant-based as they are without the availability of those products. 'cause it helps them to feel, you know, they may not have the same incentives around health, um, that I do. But if they can, if they can eat an impossible burger and still be, you know, mostly plant-based, um, it's a win-win in our family and I think each family is gonna have to sort of find what works best for them. I think that, uh, as I look at this question from Skylar, that her partner is an avid consumer of beef jerky, steak, cheeseburgers, deli meats, et cetera, that she might want to start with one small change. So maybe making a portobello burger or you've mentioned Impossible Burger. I happen to be a fan of actual veg veggie burgers, but I think if you put it on the same roll with the same lettuce and tomato and the same pickled onions and everything else, not that you're totally disguising it and you're letting the person know what they're going to eat, that you may start with one special food at a time. Uh, I think that it, you know, I believe that food is very personal, so you can't, oh, I have learned that you cannot always put your food values on other people because people have their own food beliefs. So, um, I think that it's a huge gigantic area to explore. And Skylar, if I were you, I would do what feels best and right for you at this time, but make something delicious and nutritious and let that other person, going back to what Dr. Shah spoke about earlier is engaging the children in the process. Maybe engage your partner in the process as well. We can never be preachy. We just have to be warm, kind and sincere. And that's how I think you can help to implement change. So, um, I Hearted agree and you can also use the technique of fading for adults too. So if you're making a, oh, if they're used to having like a chili with beef or something, um, you could do half beef and half beans. And um, I think especially early on when you feel like you have seen the light and you want your whole family, your heart and your intentions are in such the right place 'cause you want them to enjoy good health and you want to be contributing in a positive way, um, to the climate and environment and certainly to animal suffering. Um, but I think that, you know, people don't like to be told what to do. And in my own family, the when I felt when they could feel pressure on my end, it never went well. And I think learning, this is where Rouxbe comes in. Learning to cook good food is your best tool in your toolbox because if it tastes good, they'll be excited to eat it. I think. Well, I think you're right, and I'm not embarrassed to say this, but I never ate tofu till I was a Rouxbe student and I did that baked tofu recipe and now it is a regular go-to. I make it all kinds of ways because the texture is perfect, the flavoring is perfect, and one of the newer techniques out these days with the tofu is taking a potato peeler and shaving the, uh, tofu and it gets nice and thin and you can put it in the air fryer and then cover it with some barbecue sauce and it has a wonderful texture. So I think that, uh, that willingness and that open openness is also, um, a very, very helpful.