An Answer

In her comment on my last post about the sausage-less sausage, Judy said: "I have wondered for a very long long time why people who don't eat meat want their food to look like meat anyway.  It  puzzles me."

Although I am a "meat eater" I think I have somewhat of an answer to the puzzle. 

For the same reason dog treats are shaped to look like bones: marketing. 

Vegans and vegetarians would probably buy the product just as readily, perhaps even more so, if it was shaped in cubes and called "Italian Seasoned Soy." 

By calling it "sausage-less sausage" and shaping it like sausages, it catches the eye of people who are looking for something different and possibly thinking about reducing their meat consumption.

For me it is the taste, shape and texture.  I really like Italian sausage, be it pork, chicken, or sausage-less! For the sake of my cholesterol levels and my arthritis, I am trying to eat less meat.  I will enjoy these on a bun or cut up along side a couple of eggs. 

I will never be a vegetarian, but I'm intrigued by a recipe I saw recently that was for Baked Shiitake Mushrooms that end up looking like and tasting like bacon bits.  BLTs may be back on my menu.

Now if they could just come up with a substitution for a good baked potato with butter and sour cream I'd be all set!

Any added thoughts?

From Craig: one of these sausage-lesses showed up in our evening meal tonight, and it was very good!