Bacon. It’s everywhere. From cookbooks and cooking shows to blogs, it seems people just can’t get enough. But what many people never consider is the unconscionable cruelty that’s involved for pigs slaughtered for bacon and pork on factory farms.
Pigs are as intelligent and friendly as the dogs and cats we all know and love. Yet pork producers are allowed to mutilate, confine, and abuse millions of pigs in ways that could warrant felony-level animal cruelty charges in most states if the victim were even one dog or cat. Additionally, many pork producers confine female pigs in cruel gestation crates for almost their entire lives.
Luckily, those that like the salty, smoky taste of bacon don’t have to give it up in order to show compassion for animals.
Lightlife’s Fakin’ Bacon and Smart Bacon are cruelty-free, plant-based versions of bacon that will satisfy anyone’s cravings without harming pigs. Look for Lightlife’s veggie bacon in your local supermarket. These bacon alternatives taste great and in addition to being free of all animal products, are free of cholesterol and trans fat. If your local market doesn’t carry Lightlife products, ask them to start.
Want to add some flavor to your salad? Try WayFare’s Pig Out Bacony Bits. They can be ordered online and they taste amazing. Surprisingly, Bac-Os, which can be found in any supermarket, are also vegan!
For the chefs out there, vegan bacon is easy to make from tempeh, tofu, mushrooms, or eggplant! Renowned vegan chef Isa Chandra Moskowitz was right when she tweeted, “Vegans will make bacon out of anything.”
Leaving pigs off of our plates can have a huge impact for the animals, the environment, and our health. Find more meat-free recipes and information on making the switch to a vegan diet at ChooseVeg.com.