Bacon goes well on everything, even a veggie burger

"What is the point of eating a veggie burger if you are going to put bacon on it?"

Good question if you are a pure vegetarian. The vegetarians with bacon benefits are asking "Why didn't I think of putting bacon on a veggie burger?"

For the majority of us omnivores, the question is worth pondering. Are you better off eating a veggie burger with bacon on top than eating a regular burger or a regular burger with bacon on it?

If we are talking about health, a bacon burger made with a veggie burger reduces your red meat intake, increases your vegetable output, and gives you substantial protein. Though if health is really your goal, maybe we can come up with something other than bacon to top the burger.

If we are talking about taste, the bacon can overcome any issues you would have with consistency or taste of the veggie burger, encouraging you to eat more veggie burgers. And bacon tastes good.

This alleged hypothetical actually happened. I needed to use up some precooked bacon from Trader Joe's and I was in the mood for a veggie burger. These are not the soy-dominant kind in the frozen section. The mushroom farm people up in Wisconsin have a mushroom-based veggie patty that is rather good. The only problem is that the patty isn't very filling.

This is the hidden trap with eating well. If dinner isn't filling enough, your stomach is stirring for a snack far too early in the evening. Then again, if your stomach is set to eat a lot, any alternative will seem "less filling."

Spices can add flavor, but don't add bulk. Adding vegetables normally found on a sandwich (roasted red peppers, sliced mushrooms) can help, but they don't add much bulk to a regular burger.

Bacon adds flavor and bulk, but has its obvious drawbacks. Cheese adds flavor and some bulk, but is usually high in fat, and needs to be free of animal rennet for vegetarians.

The precooked bacon added some nice flavor, though the TJ slices were rather thin. And I was pretty hungry a few hours later, a drawback that still needs to be corrected.

This latest experiment is a way for me to find alternatives for omnivores to eat a little healthier while not feeling too deprived. I might try this with thicker slices of bacon, or I could try it vegetarian Whopper style by adding lettuce, tomato (in season), and onions to give it more bulk.

Comments

[Jillian]

There is really this advantage in eating healthier and this is good as long as you are not letting yourself think that you are depriving yourself.

[Shane]

The question made me think and I found myself smiling. After reading the article, I realized that it would sound better if there is bacon on a veggie burger. :)

[Insong]

Hilarious, where is the sense putting bacon on vegge burger. Well im not so conscious on my diet. I'll try this one :D