[Plant-Forward Future] Blending mushrooms or other plant-based ingredients with ground meat reduces the total meat in a dish while improving its flavor.
Blending is not just for burgers. Mushrooms can be blended with other dishes such as meatloaf, meatballs, and chili. Or chefs can blend greens, grains, and other ingredients with their favorite protein. Blending meat addresses the health risks associated with meat over-consumption and helps to reduce the environmental impact.
"The incredible blendable burger"
The hamburger is an American tradition but health care 
Practice Greenhealth is bringing this strategy to the health care sector as a complement to our Plant-Forward Future approach. By serving blended burgers you can address the health risks associated with meat over-consumption and reduce your facility’s environmental impact.
Resources
- Sources of meat raised without antibiotics.
- Blended burger recipe (Mushroom Council)
- Blending resources for food service (Mushroom Council)
- A study of four hospitals
- "The Incredible Blendable Burger" poster (Health Care Without Harm) Download with the button below.
Why serve a blended burger?
Taste
Blending beef with mushrooms improves its taste due to the savory “umami” flavor in mushrooms. Mushrooms also retain moisture for a juicier burger.
Health
Blended Burgers reduce meat in the diet and add vegetables. One serving of mushrooms contains three grams of protein, one gram of fiber, and nutrients such as vitamin D, antioxidants, B vitamins, and potassium. Enhancing the flavor of meat with mushrooms also can reduce the need for salt.
Climate
Livestock contributes 18 percent of the global greenhouse gasses which cause climate change. Eliminating meat for one day per week could reduce emissions having an equivalent impact to taking 273 million cars off the road.
"How the blended burger can help solve our emissions crisis" from Epicurious
Cost
Reducing the amount of meat in a burger can lower the cost and can make it more cost effective to utilize meat with sustainable attributes such as local beef raised without routine antibiotics
Patient care
For patients on restricted diets but that are craving their comfort foods, blending meat with mushrooms may help align nutrient profiles with their health needs.
Get creative
Blending is not just for burgers! Try blending mushrooms with other dishes such as meatloaf, meatballs, and chili. Or try blending greens, grains, and other ingredients with your favorite protein. Blending goes a long way to help improve our health and the health of the planet.
"How to make a blended burger" from the James Beard Foundation
