I've been trying out Textured Vegetable Protein in these "burrito bowls" I do (literally just rice + beans + protein and some seasoning/sauce) and I don't think it's for me. Sawdusty vibes tbh.
Out of the three other meat alternatives I put in the title what would you recommend? I'm leaning towards tofu because it's somewhat familiar but the whole "pressing" situation seems annoying
You can press tofu by hand in a minute if you're careful. It's the only way I do it these days. Freezing it is supposed to be a good alternative but I haven't tried it (I know Kenji has talked about it).
That said I think seitan is a good option, but IMO it's not worth the price of buying it. You can make it from powdered wheat gluten, or AP flour with a little more effort.