Meat extender in burgers or meatloaf

Meat extender in burgers or meatloaf recipe videos

Meat extender refers to ingredients like textured vegetable protein (TVP), breadcrumbs, oats, or mushrooms added to ground meat dishes such as burgers or meatloaf to increase bulk, stretch the meat, and often improve moisture and texture. It's a widespread home-cooking and cost-saving technique, not a single specific dish, and is found in cuisines globally.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

The nutritional profile depends entirely on the extender used; plant-based extenders like TVP or oats add fiber and carbohydrates, while breadcrumbs primarily add carbs. A burger patty with a significant extender portion will be lower in fat and calories per ounce than pure meat, but may have a slightly lower protein density.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	195 kcal
Protein	16 g
Carbs	5 g
Fat	12 g
Fiber	2 g
Sugar	1 g
Sodium	320 mg
Iron	2.1 mg
Zinc	3.5 mg
Potassium	280 mg
Niacin (B3)	4.2 mg
Vitamin B12	1.8 mcg
Phosphorus	150 mg
Selenium	12 mcg
Magnesium	25 mg

Per 1 typical burger patty (113 g, made with ~70% lean beef and 30% TVP extender) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Using extenders is a classic example of culinary 'stretching' that has been a staple of frugal home cooking for generations, especially during times of economic hardship. Nutritionally, it can be a simple way to reduce saturated fat intake and add dietary fiber to a traditionally low-fiber food.