Lily O’Shea and Freya Coombes explore five vegetarian meat options perfect for your Christmas dinner, putting each to the test and delving into the ethics behind the brands. With their thorough reviews, you will be ready to impress this Christmas and for any roast dinner to come!
Now that it's Christmas, you may be looking for a plant-based alternative to the usual turkey main.
Photo Credits: Pixabay
Now the festive season is upon us, many of us are making plans and preparations for the all-important Christmas dinner. A 2024 survey estimated that around 16.2% of UK adults, or 8.6 million people, currently follow a meat-free diet. Sainsbury’s released their ‘Future of Food’ report in 2019, in which they estimated that ‘vegetarians (including vegans) look set to make up a quarter of British people in 2025, and flexitarians just under half of all UK consumers’.
Consequently, many Britons find themselves wondering what the best choice for their meat-free Christmas meal around this time of year is, especially with the growing variety of options now available. Here are five options available from major UK supermarkets this Christmas to give you an idea of which dish is best, in terms of taste and texture, cost and manufacturer ethics, to help you make an informed decision when you are getting your Christmas groceries.
The Vegetarian Butcher's 'Impeckable Chicken Breast'
Photo credits: The Vegetarian Butcher.
General Information:
First up on our list is a soy-based ‘chicken’ fillet from the Vegetarian Butcher, available from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrison’s, Waitrose, and Co-op. This is not strictly a festive product and is available year-round - but works well as a Christmas main. It is important to note that this is not gluten-free, so is not suitable if you are coeliac. This is a relatively cheap option, as it costs £3.15 and serves 2 people, so the price per portion is £1.58!
Taste and Texture:
It comes much like you would expect a real chicken breast to come, so you can season it as you’d like, making it versatile, but this is a consideration to make if you’d rather not have to add an extra step to the cooking process.
The finished result, using 'Impeckable Chicken Breast'.
Photo Credits: Lily O'Shea
These cook up quickly and easily, ready to enjoy after seasoning to your preference. While slightly chewy, the texture is impressively like traditional meat, making them a solid choice if you're aiming for a meat-like alternative. The flavour is mild, leaning toward bland, so proper seasoning is essential. We opted for a blend of olive oil, salt, pepper, dried sage, parsley, and garlic granules, finishing with a refreshing squeeze of lemon.
Company Ethics:
The Vegetarian Butcher is a completely plant-based brand, owned by Unilever, which aims to replicate the taste and texture of meat in a more environmentally friendly way. However, the Good Shopping Guide’s Ethical Vegan & Vegetarian Foods Rating scores it only 36/100, falling very short of their Ethical Accreditation Benchmark of 75.
This stems from the practices of the parent company, Unilever, which has faced criticism for its use of animal testing and GMOs. Additionally, Unilever only recently reduced its operations in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, and that too, under significant pressure from activist groups. The company also sources palm oil from a distributor implicated in the destruction of indigenous communities and violations of environmental and human rights. These factors may influence your decision when considering this option!
Summary:
Cost per portion: £1.58
Taste & Texture: 6/10
Company Ethics: 35/100 on Good Shopping Guide
Quorn's 'Vegetarian Roast'
Photo credits: Quorn.
General Information:
This gluten-free, vegetarian (not vegan!) roast is a fantastic budget-friendly choice this Christmas. Priced at just £3.75 and advertised to serve five, it works out to an incredible 75p per serving, making it the best value on our list. However, in our experience, it was the ideal portion size for three people, so be sure to keep this in mind when planning your portions!
Much like the Vegetarian Butcher’s chicken breast, it is available year-round, so it can remain a firm favourite in your household, even after Christmas. You can find it in most major supermarkets, including Asda, Morrison’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
Taste and Texture:
At first glance, the uncooked appearance didn’t leave us feeling optimistic, and our expectations were low. However, it turned out to be a delightful surprise and our top favourite overall! The taste and texture closely resembled chicken, with even a meat-eater on our team giving it a thumbs up. Packed with flavour, it exceeded all our expectations.
Photo Credits: Freya Coombes
Company Ethics:
The Good Shopping Guide rate Quorn at 69/100 for their ethics, just shy of the benchmark for official ethical accreditation. This is due to a few minor issues, but mainly the lack of an Organic certification, which would increase their score to above the accreditation boundary.
Summary:
Cost per portion: £0.75
Taste & Texture: 10/10
Company Ethics: 69/100 on Good Shopping Guide
THIS isn't 'Roast Chicken and Stuffing'
Photo Credits: THIS.
General Information:
THIS offers a slightly more up-market version of a vegan chicken breast, this time filled with a herby stuffing. It comes to £5.95, available from most major supermarkets including Tesco, Morrison’s, ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose. It serves three, so comes out to £1.98 per serving, making it the most expensive option on the list.
Taste and Texture:
We enjoyed this product overall, though the portions felt a bit small, particularly given its higher price point. The flavour was pleasant, complemented by the delicious garlic and herb butter. While the texture was drier compared to the Vegetarian Butcher’s chicken breast, the stuffing provided a nice contrast and added to the overall experience.
Photo Credits: Lily O'Shea
Company Ethics:
The Good Shopping Guide gave THIS a score of 73/100, very nearly at the accreditation cut-off of 75. They were marked down based on their lack of vegetarian and organic certifications, and some vague details on its own ethical report on the THIS website.
Summary:
Cost per portion: £1.98
Taste & Texture: 8/10
Company Ethics: 73/100 on Good Shopping Guide
Sainsbury's Plant Pioneer's ‘Meat Free Wellington’
Photo credits: Sainsbury’s.
General Information:
This is the only Wellington on the list and as such is a good choice if you fancy something a bit different to a traditional roast. It costs £5.00 from Sainsbury’s (or £4.00 with a Nectar card) and serves four people, making it a bargain at £1.25 per serving (or just £1.00 if you’re a member). Due to the pastry casing, this is not gluten-free, so is not suitable for coeliacs.
Taste and Texture:
This option stood out from the others, with the pastry adding a delightful and festive touch. The 'meat' filling was flavourful without being overly meat-like in texture - a bonus for vegetarians and vegans who may not prefer hyper-realistic substitutes. While the mushroom duxelle was tasty, it did spill out during cooking and had a slightly overpowering flavour. That said, it was still enjoyable, especially given its budget-friendly price. However, if you're not a fan of mushrooms, this might be something to keep in mind!
Photo Credits: Lily O'Shea
Company Ethics:
While not rated on the Good Shopping Guide, Sainsbury’s was ranked joint-third out of the major UK supermarkets for sustainability by Which?, taking into account plastic waste, food waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
Summary:
Cost per portion: £1.25 (or £1.00 with a Nectar card)
Taste & Texture: 8/10
Company Ethics: Third out of 11 major UK supermarkets for sustainability
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference 'No Turkey Crown'
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