Update: Misfit Foods is now called Phil’s Finest.
Misfit Foods are for “flexitarians” (aka semi-vegetarians). Not that flexitarians are misfits. The name of the company is carried over from when it produced juices from “misfit” fruit and vegetables—the ones not pretty enough to go to the supermarket or produce stand. The mission of the company at that time was to reduce the six billion pounds of produce that is wasted every year.
Through their research and experimentation, the founders, environmental entrepreneurs Phil Wong and Dave Betts, realized that meat has more of an impact on the environment than plant-based foods. They then redirected the company to produce meat and vegetable sausages that are about 50% tasty, nutritious vegetables and 50% humanely raised meat.
The mission is to offer flavorful, quality sausages that will help cut down on meat consumption and increase vegetable consumption and position the company to meet the needs of consumers who are becoming more interested in plant-based alternatives but still want ethically sourced meats.
Misfit Foods Chicken Sausages
The sausages are crafted by 5th-generation sausage makers with ± 50% humanely raised chicken and ± 50% nutritious vegetables and tasty spices. Also, the sausages do not have a casing, so that they are within the guidelines of a variety of diet regimens.
- Sweet Potato Andouille Chicken Sausage has a smoky, sweet taste with a bit of a kick from paprika.
- Kabocha Squash Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage is rich, creamy, and a tad sweet from the kabocha squash and topped off with the traditional Italian flavors of fennel and garlic.
- Citrus Kale Chimichurri Chicken Sausage is seasoned with herbs, such as parsley, oregano, garlic and chili pepper, the same as the original Argentinian chimichurri, and the unmistakable tang of citrus.
- Curry Carrot and Chicken Sausage combines the richness of herbs, the warmth of chili and the sweetness of carrots.
Misfit Foods Ground Beef Mixes
The mixes are ± 60% grass-fed, grass-finished beef and ± 40% vegetables and spices.
- Curry Carrot Ground Beef tastes like charred and marinated grilled meats rich with herbs, sweetened with carrots and warmed with chili.
- Beet Gochujang (Korean BBQ) Ground Beef has a umami base and the earthy, floral, sweet flavors of beets.
Misfit Foods Farms
Freebird Chicken supplies the chickens that have been raised with no antibiotics and fed a 100% vegetarian diet. Freebird is a certified partner of the Global Animal Partnership (GAP), a nonprofit that promotes the welfare of farmed animals and sets the standards for compliance.
Home Place Pastures, an award-winning farm in Mississippi, supplies the beef that is raised humanely on pastures and prepared for market right there on the farm. Home Place maintains healthy soils, raises healthy animals and sustains a healthy rural economy.
Misfit Foods Health Benefits
Research shows that markers of health improve when you eat more vegetables and less meat. Plant-based foods provide the vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants that protect you from any number of triggers that accelerate the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, as well as the signs of aging and mood disorders.
Herbs and spices are known for their nutrient density, meaning that there are a lot of nutrients in a small amount of calories. You are not consuming “empty” calories and, therefore, are more able to manage your weight.
Misfit Foods Environmental Benefits
By cutting down on our consumption of meat, we can help reduce its ever-growing threat to our planet.
- Cattle emit significant quantities of methane, a greenhouse gas much more harmful than CO2. The livestock industry is responsible for more man-made greenhouse gases than all the cars, planes and ships in the world.
- Animal waste from factory farms, with its harmful bacteria, leaks into local water supplies.
- Meat has a significantly higher water footprint than vegetables and fruit. By reducing meat consumption, we can reduce our own impact on our diminishing fresh water resources.
- The demand for meat is one of the major causes of deforestation, particularly of the Amazon rain forest, due to the need for land to raise livestock and the land needed to grow soy to feed the livestock.
Also, Misfit Foods boxes and liner bags are recyclable, and the liner insulation is compostable and water-soluble.
Misfit Foods is a registered Public Benefit Corporation, which legally binds it to their mission of fighting climate change.
Update: Misfit Foods is now called Phil’s Finest.
