We recently visited the Worlds Fair Nano in Brooklyn, NY, a two-day festival that celebrates all things future and innovation. While searching for snacks, we were treated to a Beyond Meat burger, served by the folks over at The Economist. This plant-based, "clean meat" burger is made entirely of peas and has the effect of being cooked rare thanks to the addition of "meat juices" derived from beets. We thoroughly enjoyed it and felt that the flavor and texture were surprisingly similar to beef.

While we would personally prefer a real, all-beef burger, it was totally fun and exciting to try an example of the meat alternatives that will be shaping our culinary future. In a time when providing enough meat to feed the world's rapidly increasing population is coming into question, different kinds of meatless meat are popping up everywhere and it seems inevitable that alternative proteins will become more a part of our daily diet. In fact, it was recently revealed that Amy's Drive Thru, the country's first meat-free fast food restaurant, is getting ready to expand!

    Photo: courtesy Amy’s Drive Thru