Is it ethically suspect to eat even lab-grown meat?

I have a plot for a novel. An armada of alien space ships is heading to Earth. They were traveling at a great speed but are now braking as they enter the solar system. It will take them months (or maybe years) before they reach Earth orbit. Up until now, they have not been able to intercept our TV and radio broadcasts. and even now they are struggling with a translation (hindered because they think that we all speak the same language). But they have sent a message to us. We have not translated it yet except we believe their intentions are peaceful and that they are friendly. However, the transmission includes images of the aliens. there are many different species. Some look like cows, some look a little like pigs, and then there is one that appears to be a large chicken.
 
Plant Eater,

Similiar to the plot of the Twilight Zone " To Serve Man" episode, from the early '60's, except they didn't use lab grown meat....didn't need to.
 
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I know it sounds funny but animal rights feminists had this figured out a long time ago. Essentially the consumption of flesh of living beings fetishized is like human sexual objectification of women and capitalist exploitation of people of color and white working class bodies. Seen in this light, it's all the same. This isn't a new idea it dates back to the 19th century.

But from a practical and environmental standpoint it's better than stubborn meat eaters eating live animals. Just like watching porn is better than raping live women.

I am able to hold the two things as important simultaneously. I'm an ethical vegan but I also understand human nature well enough to comprehend that in a world where people ignore the homeless, torture their own children, and hate people for their ethnicities, it's just fine that some people will be vegetarian or eat lab meat so that our planet will survive and significantly less animals will be harmed.