As the 80s and 90s wore on, there were advances in regard to satisfying sudden vegeburger cravings at home: First, the arrival of cheap microwaves (how did we heat them before?) and second, the marketing of Worthington's nearly perfect fake-burger patty as "Grillers" under the "Morningstar Farms" label. This went along with much wider availability, including the freezer of our local grocer (the regional chain Hy-Vee). Fast-forward to our vege-enlightened day and age, and you can walk into any Walmart or Target and pick up a pack.
Of course, the normal course of inflation has done its thing, so a box of these artificially flavored wonders of the post-space age can now easily run four dollars and change. Still . . . a buck a puck isn't bad when you consider what even the cheapest commercially sourced sandwich goes for these days. Walmart typically has them a bit cheaper, but Target may now become my favorite source for vege-meats with what I'm calling their VFVW (Vege-Food Value of the Week!) deal:
Check the freezer case at your local Target ASAP--Not sure if it's true throughout the country, but our KC-area Target currently has every Morningstar product in the regular size for $3.29 right now. Now that's a good solid value, but it gets even better . . .
Right beside the normal Griller Original four-packs (and don't get me started on the "Grillers Prime" variation--blechhh!) is a brand-new Grillers Original EIGHT-Pack, also for $3.29! That's 41 cents a patty. It looks like a classic "loss leader" to me, so if you like these highly processed little soy-based discs as much as I do once in a while, stock up now!
(Yes, I like black-bean burgers, and garden burgers, and lentil burgers at home and in restaurants, and am glad to see options like these becoming almost universal in mainstream eateries. It's also true that there's nothing quite like home-made vegeburgers if you have a good recipe and the time to make them. But once or twice a week I like a regular Grillers Original on a toasted soft bagel with mayo, hot mustard, ketchup, and chopped onions and jalapenos!)
What kind of vegeburgers do you like, and how do you prepare them? Leave your comments below.
I, sadly, do not care for vegeburgers. Never have. I will eat them if they are served but I never care to make them for myself (although your version on a bagel sounds intriguing). Sounds like you have pretty good deals on them though. Our tiny albertsons grocery store here do not carry them at all. At our old grocery store in Glendive they carried them--for a high price. Guess everything is better in Kansas City :) By the way, I highly recommend (in the way of veggie food) anything made by Gardein. (www.gardein.com) their products are delicious, even my dad likes them!
ReplyDeleteI like the old fashioned Grillers too, and I fix them just like a good old fashioned Hamburger---lettus, tomato, pickle, onion, mustard and mayo on a grilled bun! Think I'll run to our Target and see if they have the same special here.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy most Morningstar Farms products, Original Grillers and Chik Patties being my favorite burgers. I like to prepare my burgers either in the oven or in a skillet, these methods lead to a juicer burger that's not as likely to get mushy in my opinion. My favorite way to have them is actually in a sandwich, before I remove the burger from the oven I place a slice of American cheese on the burger so it can melt to the patty then I put it on whole wheat with mayo lettuce tomato.
ReplyDeleteI do not like Boca burgers, I find them like cardboard in consistency and stale and do not buy them myself.