On Monday night, the last day of my 30-day whole food-based NEURO meal plan, I wanted to treat myself with something ridiculous. So I got the KFC Beyond Chicken nuggets! I had serious FOMO a few weeks ago when they first launched nationwide and all of my vegan friends were trying them. But I waited patiently until my meal plan was over.
I tried these when they were testing them out in Nashville KFCs a few years back, and I couldn't wait for them to launch nationwide. It took long enough! But I'm so glad they're finally here. These crispy little nuggets are the best vegan chicken nuggets I've ever had. I've heard mixed reviews from vegans, but I think they're amazing. Crispy, flavorful, meaty. And cruelty-free!
I got the fries as a side. I don't typically eat a lot of fried food, and when I do, I always get a tummy ache. But sometimes, it's worth it. I made sure to eat this meal several hours before bed, because I sleep terribly if my body is still digesting fried food. But this time, I gave it plenty of time to digest.
Oh, and one important note: None of the KFC dipping sauces are vegan (come on, KFC!! Fix that!). Even the BBQ sauce has honey. So I made my own agave mustard dip, and I also dipped some in Imagine Vegan Cafe's ranch.
I know some vegans don't feel comfortable eating these because they're prepared in shared grease. And I get that. Personal purity is important to some vegans who wish avoid consuming any animal products whatsoever. But the way I see it, no additional animals are harmed by shared grease or shared grills. My sole mission as a vegan is to do the least harm, and I believe putting your money behind plant meats is a way to do just that. Just think of all the non-vegans who will try these out of curiosity. Some of those people may even go vegan one day, and the rest, hey, that's one meat-free meal in their day. Every little bit helps.
I got these at the Union Avenue KFC in Memphis — the same KFC where my animal rights group used to protest once a month with PETA KFC Cruelty signs back in the early 2000s. Of course, KFC still supports cruelty. But the fact that they're taking a chance on plant meats is a step in the right direction, and it makes me feel like all of our protests back in the day weren't for nothing. How times have changed for the better!
My husband and son are very excited about these (although they haven't tried them yet.) They don't sound appetizing to me because I'm just not a fan of meat-like foods. But I agree with you- it's a huge step in the right direction for KFC to have a plant-based option, so I count these as vegan-friendly. But you're right- get a vegan sauce KFC!
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