At the urging of my wife and my coworkers, I decided today to try the “Impossible Whopper,” a new supposedly vegetarian offering on Burger King’s menu.
Those of you who know me well might remember that I have been a dietary vegetarian since 1989, and my ears always perk up when I hear of another vegetarian lunch option.
Our local Burger King has offered a Morningstar Farms vegetarian burger for years, but I don’t get it very often because it is expensive and, honestly, not particularly nutritious. Well-heeled vegetarians know that vegan and vegetarian foods can unhealthy, and it takes some effort to design a legitimate diet no matter what restriction you place on it: low carb, low sugar, no meat, no dairy, no wheat.
A healthy diet is composed of balance, and, in my opinion (which is not without merit), is composed of whole foods, vegetarian foods, and foods that have been vetted through history as good for the human body as well as the environment. The best meal I had this week was a bowl of Anasazi beans I cooked in my Instantpot. They were amazing, and amazing for me.
So what did I think of the Impossible Whopper?
- It might have tasted a little like meat, but that means little to me, since it’s been so long since I had meat, and I neither crave meat nor miss it.
- It was a good sandwich, but mostly because of the mayonnaise and onions.
- It was very expensive. The “meal” with fries and an unsweet iced tea was $9.49.
- It was too many calories. Vegetarian or not, I am certain that the average American eats too much food, and this meal was about 40% more food than I like to have at lunch.
- The sides (chicken strips, mozzarella sticks, chilli cheese bites, fries, onion rings, and hash browns) are tasty, but not at all good for me. Fast food restaurants are all about profit margins, and as a result they serve sides that are super-cheap to make. I would love sides like fruit or steamed vegetables, but like everyone else, I don’t want to pay $3 for 14¢ worth of green beans and carrots.
About 30 minutes after eating the Impossible Whopper I felt kinda ooky, probably because I ate too much. My conclusion about this item? Meh.
Yeah, I’ve had the Impossible Burger twice now and I’m a little meh, too. Didn’t know it contained so many damned calories. And I too am convinced that I, at least, am eating way too much food. I think a good salad with lots of colors and an unsweet tea or just a water should suffice for lunch. It might even suffice for dinner, too. The IB was just another gimmick with way too much bread wrapped around it.
Finally! I have been waiting forever for your review.
Send me your Anasazi beans instant pot recipe please. I have an underused instant pot. I’ve never been good at making things in crock pots and apparently not in instant pots either.
Geez that is expensive! FWIW, Chik Fil A has a nice fruit cup, but alas no vegetarian entree option. And then there’s their politics.
I’ve been wondering about them. I saw the raw “burgers” in the grocery store a few days again and they were like $7 for 2 patties. I have wanted to try them, but not for that much.
I tried one, without the meal, just the burger, and only ate half of it. The taste was okay, but I won’t miss it when I’m not having it.