These startups hope “blended” food will cut our appetite for red meat

In fall 2025, Jeff Dodge set up a taste-test table at Cane Bay High School in Summerville, South Carolina, serving marinara and meatballs to about 150 students. The event is part of a push by startups promoting blended food — products mixing plant-based ingredients with meat — to cut red meat consumption. Kids' reactions will shape the products' school rollout.