This week we explored plant-based meat created by scientists and backed by venture funding. In the kitchen classroom, we watched an ad for the latest product from California-based company Beyond Meat, Beyond IV. Students noticed the high-quality visuals, the arresting orchestral and choral music, and the naming of the product like a new iPhone release, but felt the video didn’t give much information about how the meat is made or how its adoption would actually impact the environment. We read the ingredients of Beyond IV and agreed that most of the ingredients were things we had heard of as food (e.g. water, pea, avocado, brown rice, red lentil, fava bean, apple, pomegranate, vinegar, beet).
In the kitchen we made Beyond sliders with pretzel buns and a seasonal side salad. The burger meat had a paler color than beef and smelled like tuna, even though it does not contain fish. After the meat was seared in a skillet and encased in a toasted bun with condiments, lettuce, tomato, and red onion, many fourth and fifth grade chefs enjoyed the taste and said they would choose a Beyond burger-type product at least some of the time over a beef burger!
