I grew up in the South of an Appalachian mom and in a very modest home. Spam, and to a lesser degree its competitor Treet, were often on the table. As an adult, I stopped eating meat and was eventually a strict vegan for 11 years, modifying to pescatarian just in the last few. But there has always been this part of my comfort food memory associated with the deliciously greasy, salty, slightly sweet canned luncheon meat that has never been satisfied by anything else. Until now.It is gratifyingly salty but not so much as Spam, having only 34% of the sodium per serving. It has enough fat to stand on its own in the frying pan, but 6 grams less. And 50 fewer calories to boot, although to be honest I don’t think many buying this would be primarily interested in how it’s a healthier alternative.What matters to most consumers including me, is the flavor, texture and versatility. So far, I have used it just fried for sandwiches, cooked “Hawaiian style” with pineapple and teriyaki, diced into chef salad, in potato soup, as a side to eggs, and tossed into noodles. Basically I’ve recreated all those struggle meals that seemed so great to me as a kid. And it stands up to everything. It fills the intended niche almost perfectly.Nothing about it would make it deserving of a full star off but it’s always fair when comparing products to give downsides if applicable. It’s slightly more expensive than Spam. When frying, it doesn’t get as crispy, although it does quite well. And the reduced sodium could be a letdown for some, although for me it’s a plus for health reasons. Truly it’s one of the best meat substitutes I’ve ever used and I’ve tried a lot over the last 15 years.My photo is a whole loaf, baked for 30 minutes at 400°F in a frying pan.