Photo courtesy of the Whitefish Bay Farmers Market
Whether you’re a vegetarian or a flexitarian, it’s easier today than it was a decade ago to find quality meat substitutes. However, some of the hottest new fake meat products on the market are loaded with artificial preservatives or sodium. Peggy Hallett, founder of Wow Meatless Meatballs, saw a need for a more healthful meat alternative and got on the ball to make it happen.
Hallett, a widowed senior who was living on a fixed income, had worked part-time doing store demos and sampling for Rosina Food Products. Customers had frequently asked her if Rosina made a meatless product. She suggested it to them, but they told her they didn’t have a recipe.
In the meantime, Hallett’s sister, Barbara Gruenwald, a vegetarian and co-owner of Milwaukee’s own The Simple Soyman, best known for their tofu and tempeh products, had invited Hallett and her family over for Christmas and served them meatless meatballs. “We tried them and told her those are really good. I suggested that she sell them. She says ‘I’ve got enough to sell. I’ve got 35 products already!’ so I asked, ‘well, can I sell them?’” Hallett laughs.
Hallett, a meat-eater, spent nine months tweaking Gruenwald’s recipe to get the texture and flavor just right. Once she had a product that she would regularly eat, she, along with family friend Zak Ulsberger (who is no longer with Wow) launched Wow Meatless Meatballs in December 2015. The name of twofold; people exclaimed “wow!” after sampling them at Metcalfe’s on State Street, and it’s an acronym for the main ingredients, “With Oats and Walnuts.”
Hallett started selling Wow Meatless Meatballs at Metcalfe’s in Wauwatosa, and she eventually got her product into their two locations in Madison. She then started selling at farmers markets. After updating her packaging, she got her product into all four Outpost Natural Foods locations.
Versatility for Any Meatball Recipe
Hallett chose to use walnuts and oats as a base for Wow Meatless Meatballs because some people either don’t like soy or have allergies. She also does not add any gluten. Each serving has just 260 milligrams of sodium. She does note that the balls are not vegan because they contain eggs and cheese. Every ingredient listed on the bag can be pronounced and is recognizable.
“The spices I use are very generic, so they can be cooked with anything,” Hallett says. “They go with barbecue sauce. I’ve made them with breakfast gravy. My favorite is serving them with brown gravy over buttered garlic noodles. Or can just chop them and cook them in with chili. They don’t have to be cooked separately—just heat and eat.”
Wow Meatless Meatballs can be used in traditional comfort food recipes like Swedish meatballs, stroganoff or sweet-and-sour sauce. Hallett also takes large quantity orders for special occasions or events. She makes Wow Meatless Meatballs in the kitchen at The Simple Soyman.
In recent years, she’s seen an increased demand for meat substitutes, either due to health, animal welfare or environmental reasons. For the rest of the farmers market season, look for Wow Meatless Meatballs at the Greenfield Farmers Market. Hallett is ready to appear again at the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market, but it has yet to be confirmed if the market will again take place at the Mitchell Park Domes’ greenhouse annex. They’re available for retail sale at Metcalfe’s and Outpost.
For more information, visit wowmeatlessballs.com.
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