In the late 1940s, most people in America were eating meat. Diets weren’t quite as meat-heavy as they are now (rationing led people to eat a lot more fruits and vegetables), but they were meat-centric. Vegetarianism as a lifestyle choice was unusual, and veganism was practically unheard of. It’s not surprising—plant-based options were limited. There were no juicy Beyond Burgers or Quorn nuggets to feast on, for example. But it’s important to note that there were some choices, and one of them was a veggie dog in a can.
Thanks to Worthington Foods (which now has evolved into Morningstar Farms), vegetarian hot dogs first hit the shelves in 1949, some research suggests. Founded by Seventh-Day Adventist George Harding III in 1939, Worthington Foods was one of the first brands in the US to offer plant-based meat choices. Its first product, the meat-free Choplet Burger, was…