Trader Joe's Vegan Turkeyless "Burgers" Are Arriving in Stores
Tofurkey is no longer the only poultry pretender. After the successful January launch of Trader Joe's beef-like Protein Patties (which we assume was designed to be their answer to Beyond and Impossible plant-based meat), the popular supermarket is set to release Turkeyless Protein Patties vegan burgers.
Spotted on shelves early this week at a Trader Joe's location near Instagrammer @healthyhippie67, the latest mock-meat burger is made to taste like a turkey burger.
"Great texture, smell and taste! I like these much better than the 'beef' protein patties. They don't squish when you take a bite. Way to go Trader Joe's," @healthyhippie67 said after sizzling her patties up in a skillet.
At $4.99 for two quarter-pound patties, these are an inexpensive meal option for vegans, vegetarians or those wanting to try something new. The original plant patties have 18 grams of protein, while the turkeyless ones boast 23 grams of protein (thanks to pea protein).
We're keeping our eyes peeled for the rest of the nutritional information and ingredient list, but if these turkey-ish burgers are like their beef-like buddies, they'll have around 300 calories each.
As with the other plant-based meats, think of these as an equal nutrition trade—rather than an upgrade—to 80/20 ground beef or ground turkey. These plant-based swaps often contain about the same amount of calories and fat. The vegan versions win on the dietary cholesterol front (since they're not made with animals, they usually contain no cholesterol), but often contain more sodium than regular ground meat.
"Always read labels and don't assume something is better for you just because it's vegetarian or vegan," says Lauren Harris-Pincus, M.S., R.D., founder of NutritionStarringYOU.com and author of The Protein-Packed Breakfast Club.
The tukeyless and original protein patties do come out as a clear winner on the environmental front, however. Taking Impossible as an example, the plant ingredients required to make a 4-ounce portion use 87 percent less water than is needed to create a 4-ounce ground beef burger. Now that's pretty great news as we head into grilling season!