Celebrating Independence Day With Style and Great Flavors... Or Were They?

Time to fire up the grill and celebrate freedom! In America, we have Independence Day - a day to remember getting our independence from British rule. To celebrate it this year, my family had a cookout with my mother and sister-in-law in attendance. We were given the opportunity to also try some new products (new to us at least) by Beyond Meat. 

*Disclaimer: I was sent the products free of charge in exchange for hosting a party. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are mine or my party goers.*

Beyond Meat is an alternative option for those looking to get away from meat products without losing that meat-like texture or taste. 

Planning for the party!

Before all else, planning has to take place. I wanted to make sure that the food list was made and I knew what I might need ahead of time. Being that the Red, White & Blue theme is usual for such a holiday, I thought a refreshingly cool drink in a vibrant color should be included. So I found this recipe for a Virgin Blue Lagoon Mocktail. I loved the color! Sadly, I couldn't find the blue curacao syrup at a store near me. Next time I'll have to check the liquor store or order online ahead of time.

Beyond Meat provided the burgers and meatless sausages. So we took our free product coupons and went to find them. Locally, I found these at our HEB. They had more of a variety than I expected to see. We were told to serve burgers and sausages at our party, so I grabbed a 4 patty pack that were $7.98 each and a 2 patty pack of burgers that were $3.98, as well as the hot Italian links and the original links for $6.99 each. 

Continuing in the holiday color scheme, we grabbed some skewers and made fruit kabobs with strawberries, blueberries and bananas.

And then my husband really wanted a Peach Dump Cake for dessert. I had no idea there was something so simple, yet so delicious. Especially when we topped the warm cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

How did the meatless options stand up to our test?

My in-laws have meatless meals more often than we do. They have a little more experience in various brands. My husband is a total skeptic about meatless products. The following are reactions from those who tried them.  

For the burgers, there was a unanimous agreement that the texture was like that of the cheap burgers served in American public schools. Flat, with a question of what they found to make them with. The taste was good enough. My husband seasoned them just like he would with beef-made burgers. Not everyone was willing to have seconds on them, but everyone said they were good enough to finish a whole burger. When it came to cooking them on the grill, my husband had a hard time with them sticking to the grill. He said it would have been better to cook them a different way. 

Now we come to the sausages. All I really want to say is, no. But I have to keep going. Never again. Why not? Well, these were definitely not something that we could stomach. No, seriously. Two of my party goers couldn't even swallow their bites. Others were gagging. Words that were used to describe them included, "gritty", "chewy", and "lumpy". We couldn't get over the lumps in them. What on earth made them lumpy? We have no idea. But it was like chewing gristle. Some of my dinner guests had to cover their eyes when others were attempting to chew them as it made them sick to see the reactions of others. That is really saying something! And for the rest of the night, some of us were burping the smell of those sausages. Not a pleasant evening. The original ones had a really strong herb taste and smell. I'm thinking sage?? And the hot Italian ones... well, at first I thought the spice would make it bearable. But it didn't. As much as I tried, I couldn't stomach them. 

Important note: I need to add a note before I post... Stomach problems over night and into the next day were abundant. My guests reported upset stomach, stomach cramping, indigestion, heartburn, and even diarrhea after eating.

Bottom line is, these are made with more fruit and veggies product than I thought possible. The burgers were passable for some of us. The sausages.... well, there were no leftovers because the ones not eaten were tossed in the trash.