Tofu sales skyrocket during the pandemic, as consumers search for affordable meat alternatives

[mucifer]

American grocery store shoppers became accustomed to limits on certain household staples during the first half of 2020. The quest for toilet paper, ground beef and hand sanitizer sparked panic buying and supermarket aisle scuffles, while overzealous bread bakers desperately searched for flour and a drop in carbon dioxide supply threatened the soda industry.

But the biggest surprise of this year’s covid-19 public health crisis may be a sudden outpouring of love for tofu.

Since U.S. coronavirus shutdowns began in mid-March, tofu shortages have been reported from Seattle to Washington, D.C., with manufacturers struggling to keep up with demand even as grocery stores rationed sales to customers. Nielsen data shows tofu sales 40 percent higher in the first half of 2020 as compared to last year, while Pulmuone Brands — owner of Nasoya, the nation’s No. 1 tofu brand — was forced to ship an additional 1 million packs from South Korea, the world’s biggest consumer of tofu, to the United States this summer while their American plants caught up with demand.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/09/21/tofu-sales-skyrocket-during-the-pandemic-as-consumers-search-for-affordable-meat-alternatives/?utm_source=reddit.com

[underpants]

1. This has soylent green written all over it.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Curious if hummus sales are up, too.

[procon]

3. OK, I gotta ask, as someone who has never

Tasted tofu, what do you do with it? I see there are different types, and I'm curious to cook something tried and true rather than get something off the internet that will be inedible.

[mucifer]

5. Tofu has been around for a few thousand years. It's bean curd. It doesn't have flavor really you

have to put sauces on it or sometimes marinate it.

You can use soft tofu for a tofu scramble.

For a more meaty texture extra firm tofu is best and if you really want the meat texture freezing it and defrosting it gives more texture. I don't bother because I like it a little soft. There are lots of recipes online. I mostly marinate it in soy sauce and make a stir fry with other veggies and seasonings. I use garlic, ginger, mustard and balsamic vinegar.

Since it has so little flavor to me the brand doesn't matter unless you buy products that are already marinated.

Here in Chicago we have a local tofu company Phoenix Bean https://www.phoenixbean.com/products.html

Trader Joes has a teriyaki tofu that's already marinated. : https://traderjoesrants.wordpress.com/2019/01/15/trader-joes-organic-baked-tofu/ it's pretty good.

Aldi sometimes has one, too.

Most grocery stores have tofu these days.

[RicROC]

4. Seitan meatloaf

I make a vegan meatloaf from cooked beans and vital wheat gluten. Makes a quick burger, too.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

6. You all can have my share of tofu.

Not at all fond of it.

[mitch96]

7. WaPo also had a bunch of tofu recipes to go with the article..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2020/09/23/9-of-our-best-recipes-for-frying-roasting-smoking-and-savoring-tofu/?itid=hp_food

M