‘First Dates’ star proves Brits wrong about vegan cheese in ‘surprising’ blind taste test

From veganfoodandliving.com 

Many Brits claim they know the difference between vegan and dairy cheese, but this blind taste test proved otherwise

It turns out that for all their talk of adventurous eating, many Brits still aren’t quite ready to embrace certain foods with a fully open mind, especially when it comes to plant-based options.

A new survey commissioned by Boursin Plant-Based has revealed that six in ten adults admit to turning their nose up at foods they’ve never actually tasted, with vegan cheese high on the list of unfairly rejected ingredients.

As vegans, we’re used to hearing the same old assumptions, like ‘I could never give up cheese’, or ‘tofu tastes weird.’ However, this research reveals just how widespread and unfounded these prejudices may be.

It transpires that the average Brit has written off up to eight different foods, five of which they’ve never even tried. Alongside vegan staples like tofu, dairy-free cheese and plant-based milk alternatives, the list includes sushi, Brussels sprouts, kimchi, and kale.

To challenge these snap judgments, Boursin invited First Dates maître d’ Fred Sirieix to put sceptics to the test with a blind tasting. And the results speak for themselves, as most couldn’t tell the plant-based cheese from the original.

Do plant-based alternatives face unfair bias?

Despite years of plant-based products being normalised on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus, many people are still hesitant to give them a proper try. In the Boursin study, two-thirds of respondents believed they could confidently tell the difference between dairy cheese and plant-based versions. However, when put to the test, fewer than one in ten actually could.

The blind tasting, led by Fred Sirieix, revealed just how powerful food bias can be. ‘Many ingredients, especially plant-based alternatives to cheese, face huge negative preconceptions,’ Fred said, in a statement sent to Vegan Food & Living.

‘But even the most discerning foodies were fooled by Boursin Plant-Based when we let taste do the talking.’

Dairy-free cheese and milk, mushrooms and olives were named among the top 20 most rejected foods, despite being staples for many of us. Encouragingly, over half of the sceptics who eventually did try these foods said they changed their minds. There’s hope yet.

Brits admit to judging food before tasting it

If you’ve ever served up a lovingly made vegan recipe, only to have someone reject it on sight, you’re not alone. According to the study, 65 per cent of Brits admit to forming negative opinions about foods before trying them. And while just 17 per cent consider themselves to be fussy eaters, nearly a third said they would flat-out refuse unfamiliar dishes.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. The research also found that many people are open to being persuaded, especially if they can learn more about the health benefits of new ingredients or take part in blind tastings where flavour speaks for itself.

‘Food is meant to be an adventure,’ Fred said. ‘Often, the things you’re sure you won’t like end up surprising you the most.’

https://www.veganfoodandliving.com/news/fred-sirieix-boursin-vegan-cheese-blind-taste-test/