FOODS Jumbo Smart Dogs, 13.5 OZ

Yummy

For anyone wondering about non-dogs, this is the one to try ... any topping are perfect. It's a great sub for those looking for a vegan or Halal version.

As far as vegan hot dogs go, they certainly aren't the best. They have a sort of bologna/baloney flavor. I actually think they resemble real hot dogs pretty closely in that sense. They don't brown very well and they tend to stick to whatever you're cooking them on. They're not terrible on their own, but they're pretty satisfying if you load it with sauerkraut, mustard, and other fixings. They're also relatively cheap as far as fake meats go.

My favorite vegan hot dogs! I love to make beans and weenies with these and yummy is one of my favorite go to vegan meals!

These are pretty good for a plant-based hot dog. The flavor is solid and they cook quickly, especially on a skillet or grill, and the jumbo size is nice for a regular bun. I am giving three stars because the texture is a little soft and slightly rubbery compared to what I prefer, and they can dry out if you overcook them. I will finish the pack, but I am not sure I would repurchase.

You really aren't giving up anything in terms of flavor and it's actually quite protein heavy, so it feels a lot more substantive than the typical vegan hot dog (which might have a gram of sugar for each gram of protein). It does have a gratuitous amount of salt, but that's just how Hot Dogs are. You can still make something healthy out of it by using it in the traditional sausage role and mixing it in with beans. Quick and dirty recipe: I use precooked, unseasoned bean flakes (which are effectively instant), canned diced tomatoes (perhaps with a little tomato sauce), vegan butter, TVP, vegetable stock/bullion, nutritional yeast, and vegan cheese (we're spoiled for choice). Any sort of additional meat substitute can be added to that, and there's plenty of good choices, but these particular hot dogs diced and cooked in olive oil are one of the best things to add due to the intense flavor. And if you're careful, it'll probably be about 30+% protein and you can avoid making it a salt bomb by regulating the amount of stock. Perfect with quinoa, brown rice, or any other grain.

Delicious

I've eaten many vegetarian dogs and sausages in the past, including Lightlife Jumbos, but the pack I received with my order were... wrong. I forced myself to finish two and I regret both thoroughly. While neither I nor my elderly grandfather got sick after eating, we are haunted by the intuitive fear that we've eaten something not fit for human consumption. I know of nothing remotely like these dogs, but the best comparison I can think of is what it might be like to chew on a packing peanut. Maybe you could give it a couple bites out of curiosity, but a healthy mind and body should react in a way that informs you that no, this packing peanut is not food. That's the feeling I got almost immediately from these hotdogs. Call it fight or flight. I fought, but I should have fled. I suspect the flavor is also similar, although I have never tasted a packing peanut. Texture? Absent. Flavor? Plasticy. Would I recommend? NO.