Since attempting to make my diet more environmentally friendly, I’ve dropped meat. In its place I eat tons of beans, tofu and tempeh, but I do like to have the occasional plant-based meat product.
A classic staple for my college self was heat up some classic pre-made chicken nuggets or hammer down a 40 piece at McDonalds, so it’s safe to say I’m and expert. They were just super quick and easy to make. Flash forward 10 years and now I’m exploring a replacement.
In my attempts to replicate I’ve narrowed it to two solid chicken nugget substitutes: Quorn and Raised & Rooted.
To be clear: both taste good, one just has the edge.
Nutruonal Information
I know the key for a lot of people are carbs, calories and proteins. Below is the amounts listed per nugget. Follow that are the ingredients which make the nugget.
| Protein | 2.5 g |
| Calories | 48 cal |
| Carbs | 5.8 g |
| Sugar | <1 g |
Mycoprotein (43%), Wheat Flour, Canola Oil, Egg White, Yeast Extract. Contains 2% or less of Wheat Starch, Potato Dextrin, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Dextrose, Whole Egg, Pea Fiber, Milk Proteins, Calcium Chloride, Calcium Acetate, Turbinado Sugar, Black Pepper, Yeast, Onion Powder, Sage, Sugar.
Contains Egg, Milk & Wheat.
| Protein | 2 g |
| Calories | 50 cal |
| Carbs | 4.5 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
SEASONED PLANT PROTEIN PORTION: VEGAN FIBERS (WATER, PEA PROTEIN ISOLATE, CANOLA OIL, SODIUM ALGINATE, CITRUS FIBER, CALCIUM CHLORIDE), WATER, OAT FIBER, VITAL WHEAT GLUTEN, PEA PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, SEASONING [MALTODEXTRIN (FROM CORN), SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, YEAST EXTRACT, PALMOIL, CARROTFIBER, CITRICACID, MEDIUM CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES, ONION POWDER, TORULA YEAST, ONION JUICE CONCENTRATE, SPICE, CANOLAOIL], FLAXSEED, METHYLCELLULOSE, SALT, NATURAL FLAVORING (SUNFLOWER OIL AND ROSEMARY EXTRACT). BREADED WITH: WATER, WHEAT FLOUR, YELLOW CORNFLOUR, FOOD STARCH, SALT, LEAVENING (SODIUM ACID PYROPHOSPHATE, SODIUM BICARBONATE), SPICES, NATURAL FLAVOR. BREADING SET IN VEGETABLE OIL (INCLUDING SOY BEAN OIL).
Who Wins?
I prefer the Quorn brand Chicken-less nuggets on taste alone. If you look at listed ingredients and nutritional value and combine that with taste it’s a no brainer for me. What do you think? Leave a comment on preference or another type to try!
the climate consultant 