The Well-Intentioned Eater: Put A Faux Wing On It

One inquisitive omnivore’s journey towards healthier and more compassionate eating…

(Click here for why I started)

(MEATLESS/VEGETARIAN) Have you seen the latest KFC promotion on YouTube? The fast food chain is serving up chicken corsages for the prom.

Instead of the traditional flowers, the popular YouTube video shows an amorous teen giving his date a fried chicken and baby’s breath wrist corsage that also happens to sub as a late night snack.

KFC is selling drumstick corsages to prom-goers. The fast food chicken chain is offering a limited amount of chicken and baby's breath corsages for love-struck teens to wear and nosh on at one of high school's biggest nights./Photo credit: 9news.com — KFC is selling chicken corsages to prom-goers. The fast food chain is offering a limited amount of drumstick and baby’s breath corsages for love-struck teens to wear and nosh on while dancing the night away. Photo credit: 9news.com

That got me thinking…what about vegetarian students looking for a “finger-licken’ good” animal friendly alternative? They shouldn’t have to miss out on the popular trend just because they’re compassionate.

So instead, why not swap out the Colonel’s fowl with Gardein’s Crispy Tenders. As I’ve mentioned in earlier blogs, they’re as tasty as any chicken nuggets I’ve eaten and just as decorative as you’d expect a hunk of meat to be.

Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders are a healthy and delicious vegetarian alternative to chicken nuggets./Photo credit: Lisa Singer — Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders are a healthy and delicious vegetarian alternative to chicken nuggets. Photo credit: Lisa Singer

To make your Faux-Chicken Wrist Corsage, you’ll need:

Baby's breath, satin ribbon, pearl pins and a lace wristlet are all you'll need to make your own homemade corsage./Photo credit: Lisa Singer — Baby’s breath, satin ribbon, pearl pins and a lace wristlet are all you’ll need to dress up your own homemade faux-chicken corsage. Photo credit: Lisa Singer

2-3 sprigs of real or silk baby’s breath
1 wristlet
2 decorative pins
satin ribbon
2-3 Gardein Crispy Tenders

You can buy all of these items, except the Gardein, at any craft store.

Trim the baby’s breath stems, leaving them about 1/2” – 1” in length.
Bunch together a cluster of baby’s breath, then fan them out around the wristlet and secure with the metal tabs at its base.
Combine the Crispy Tenders at the center of the wristlet and secure with the ribbon and pins.

Now I’m not really all that crafty, but I think the faux corsage is as elegant as the KFC version, and it’s even less expensive. The whole thing cost about $16 to make, while KFC’s corsage kits are $20 plus shipping.

And like KFC, the young men can choose between various flavors—Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers or Teriyaki Chick’n Strips—whichever one goes better with the dress.

KFC's drumstick corsage commercial has had more than 250,000 views on YouTube. Now vegetarian prom-goers can also enjoy the unique trend with a meatless version to woo their dates with./Photo credit: Lisa Singer — KFC’s drumstick corsage commercial has had more than 250,000 views on YouTube. Now vegetarian prom-goers can also woo their dates with the popular trend by making their own meatless version with Gardein’s Crispy Tenders in a wreath of baby’s breath flowers. Photo credit: Lisa Singer

Now personally, I’ll take the traditional flowers over the meat ones any day—real or faux. But with more than 250,000 views on YouTube, I thought it was only fair to give the animal-friendly students a more compassionate way to spice up their prom date’s corsage. Bon Appétit!

— Lisa Singer, exclusive to Global Animal