MATR (natural plant foods from Denmark)

MATR is a climate-friendly plant food from Denmark, made from just five organic ingredients. Unlike some meat alternatives that are based on fake ingredients and palm oil, this is made from oats, split peas, potatoes, beetroot and lupins from Nordic farms, along with natural fungi spores.

Lupin is a common allergen. Avoid fermented foods for pregnancy/nursing, children and weak immunity. Read more on food safety for people and pets (don’t feed leftovers to pets, garden birds and wildfowl – due to fungi, salt, onion, garlic, spices, mushrooms etc).

Most councils now recycle soft plastic packaging. If not, pop it in the supermarket plastic packaging bin, next time you’re passing.

Fermented fungi may not sound very appetising, but it creates umami flavour (something that only a few foods have – Parmesan cheese which is not even vegetarian, is one example).

The brand was founded by a team of experts in various fields: chefs, microbiologists and food entrepreneurs, who wished to create a food that goes beyond the usual ‘beetroot patties’ or ‘meat made from soy or peas’.

Mycelium (fungi) transforms the five base ingredients into a nutritious food that releases tasty amino acids and starches, that also brown beautifully (like meat) when cooked.

Not just organic, but this process also helps to use up vegetables that don’t meet ‘supermarket standards’ if they don’t look perfect. So the brand is also helping to reduce the huge problem of food waste too.

The range includes:

• MATR Patty is just fried for a few minutes on each side, for the perfect burger. Also works well on the grill.
• MATR Mince can replace beef mince in sauces, soup or stew. Ideal for a spaghetti bolognese or lasagne. Or a vegan shepherd’s pie.

Why Choose Vegan Meats?

Often people are criticised for choosing vegan meats, saying they are ‘not natural’ and we should ‘support our farmers’. In fact, England has 60 million meat so we don’t have enough free-range land to eat meat in its present quantities, without resorting to horrible factory farms.

So if you eat meat, choose free-range (and pay a little more). And some of the time, choose vegan meats (these are fine if made without palm oil, and you recycle the packaging). No cholesterol too!