What are your favorite plant-based foods/brands?
January 5, 2022 10:58 AM Subscribe
I'm am compiling research/inspiration on current trends for some plant-based food packaging I'm working on. I want to open up my research beyond my region, so I'm turning to you! What plant-based foods/brands have you tried*?
I want to learn about what average people are currently responding (or not responding) to. Are you vegan, just limiting your meat intake, or you just like the product? Looking forward to hearing all about the products you've tried and trying them myself. :)
TIA!
*Besides Beyond and Impossible, please.
I want to learn about what average people are currently responding (or not responding) to. Are you vegan, just limiting your meat intake, or you just like the product? Looking forward to hearing all about the products you've tried and trying them myself. :)
TIA!
*Besides Beyond and Impossible, please.
Best answer: My partner and I have been slowly incorporating more plant-based foods into our meals over the last couple years with sustainability (and curiosity) as our main motivation. We still consume animal-based products but are trying to work plant-based into our lives more and more. We've secondarily discovered we prefer the lighter taste of plant-based substitutes in certain dishes as well.
Things we've tried and enjoyed:
Unreal Deli (sliced deli meats)
Oat milk (my preferred brand is Minor Figures, mostly cuz I love the packaging)
Core & Rind (cashew cheese sauce)
Bitchin' Sauce (dips)
Any of the jackfruit carnitas brands when we find them
Pan's mushroom jerky
Oh- and the only plant-based substitute I actually really hated was NotMilk.
posted by blueberrypuffin at 11:39 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Things we've tried and enjoyed:
Unreal Deli (sliced deli meats)
Oat milk (my preferred brand is Minor Figures, mostly cuz I love the packaging)
Core & Rind (cashew cheese sauce)
Bitchin' Sauce (dips)
Any of the jackfruit carnitas brands when we find them
Pan's mushroom jerky
Oh- and the only plant-based substitute I actually really hated was NotMilk.
posted by blueberrypuffin at 11:39 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
you should check out snaxshot- it looks like
some of the trend wrapups on their website might be paywalled but they have a lot of highlights on their socials
posted by wowenthusiast at 11:47 AM on January 5, 2022
some of the trend wrapups on their website might be paywalled but they have a lot of highlights on their socials
posted by wowenthusiast at 11:47 AM on January 5, 2022
Our vegetarian 17-year-old daughter is stuck with what her dad (that's me) buys at the grocery store, and that's typically the "big food" meatless brands. She loves Aldi's "Earth Grown" meatless line, and particularly their Meatless Meatballs. She eats Lightlife burgers and Smart Dogs and Dr. Praeger's veggie burgers and protein burgers. Almost all of these are choices for her as a substitute for a similar meat offering that the rest of the family is eating so she doesn't have to make herself an entirely different meal (we just separately prepare a veggie main option for her and she eats the same side dishes.)
Oh, and our whole family prefers Dandies marshmallows to the real thing.
On preview: it's really interesting (and encouraging) to see a whole bunch of brands I've never heard of!
posted by AgentRocket at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Oh, and our whole family prefers Dandies marshmallows to the real thing.
On preview: it's really interesting (and encouraging) to see a whole bunch of brands I've never heard of!
posted by AgentRocket at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Omnivore here. I'll eat pretty much anything. Not actively reducing meat intake, but happy to have meals without meat.
I like the Morningstar Sausage Patties. They're nice to keep in the freezer for an easy addition to breakfast.
Quorn pieces are a nice addition to a stir-fry
Dr. Praeger's stuff actually tastes like vegetables (which I like).
posted by hydra77 at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
I like the Morningstar Sausage Patties. They're nice to keep in the freezer for an easy addition to breakfast.
Quorn pieces are a nice addition to a stir-fry
Dr. Praeger's stuff actually tastes like vegetables (which I like).
posted by hydra77 at 11:51 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I'm a Hungry Root subscriber so I have gotten a lot of stuff I hadn't heard of before: Lightlife, Yves, Hodo, Foodies Vegan, Fabalish, Actual Veggies, Abbot's Butcher. Hungry Root has some own-branded Braised Lemongrass Tofu Nuggets and Five-Spice Tofu Nuggets that I'm sure are rebranded from somebody but I can't figure out who - the lemongrass ones are a staple for quick meals for us.
I also love Aldi's Earth Grown brand.
We are omnivores but starting to lean closer to flexitarian, and I really like meat substitutes that skew lower on the carb scale.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:54 AM on January 5, 2022
I also love Aldi's Earth Grown brand.
We are omnivores but starting to lean closer to flexitarian, and I really like meat substitutes that skew lower on the carb scale.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:54 AM on January 5, 2022
The MorningStar Farms Veggie Buffalo Chik Patties are a staple in our freezer -- I actually like them better than actual chicken patties. (We're a household that eats meat once in a while but most of our meals are vegetarian but not vegan.)
posted by jabes at 12:20 PM on January 5, 2022
posted by jabes at 12:20 PM on January 5, 2022
Also, Field Roast is a brand that I do not like at all. I think their corn dogs are especially awful.
posted by FencingGal at 12:34 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by FencingGal at 12:34 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I can't do soy protein (due to intolerance not allergy; but it's still best for me to avoid), so that limits my options. I'm an omnivore but will take minor steps to reduce my meat consumption because of the environmental costs of meat production.
Currently, most plant-based foods I eat just dishes that are "naturally" vegetarian (there's a veggie pot pie from Joy of Cooking that I like, and I got a veggie white chili off Mefi some years ago that's excellent and easy; all the foods in those are plants but obviously so, like corn.)
As for more meat-replacement-ish things, in the past I have tried Quorn (I do like it but it doesn't work as a meat replacer in recipes I have that are meat-based, and I'm not really in need of "meat-like" things like nuggets; also while it works well for me some people report allergies to the fungus it's based on) and seitan (various brands; not easy enough to find in a readily useable format; would definitely be happy to have e.g. frozen meals that are seitan-based for times when cooking isn't an option). I can't try Impossible since (at least last I looked) their formula is soy-based. I can have Beyond, (and love their brats; their ground version works in some recipes but not others). Many of the other meat replacement products (e.g. Morningstar) are immediate no-gos for me due to their soy content.
Oh I guess I also drink plant-based-beer (but so does any beer-drinker).
posted by nat at 12:43 PM on January 5, 2022
Currently, most plant-based foods I eat just dishes that are "naturally" vegetarian (there's a veggie pot pie from Joy of Cooking that I like, and I got a veggie white chili off Mefi some years ago that's excellent and easy; all the foods in those are plants but obviously so, like corn.)
As for more meat-replacement-ish things, in the past I have tried Quorn (I do like it but it doesn't work as a meat replacer in recipes I have that are meat-based, and I'm not really in need of "meat-like" things like nuggets; also while it works well for me some people report allergies to the fungus it's based on) and seitan (various brands; not easy enough to find in a readily useable format; would definitely be happy to have e.g. frozen meals that are seitan-based for times when cooking isn't an option). I can't try Impossible since (at least last I looked) their formula is soy-based. I can have Beyond, (and love their brats; their ground version works in some recipes but not others). Many of the other meat replacement products (e.g. Morningstar) are immediate no-gos for me due to their soy content.
Oh I guess I also drink plant-based-beer (but so does any beer-drinker).
posted by nat at 12:43 PM on January 5, 2022
Best answer: I've been vegan for 22 years and I honestly believe that I've tried every meat and cheese analogue available in the US (and more than a few in the UK and western Europe, if you need location-specifc data). Some of the best in my opinion:
VioLife cheese (especially their parmesan, OMG)
Miyoko's Kitchen cheeses and butter
Chao cheese (the tomato and cayenne is excellent on crackers)
Daiya cheese is my "weekday cheese" and it works well in burritos and on nachos
Field Roast sausage (all varieties)
Quorn makes a good spicy chick patty but my son actually prefers Kroger's private label "Simple Truth" meatless patties to them
Garden (all varieties)
I recently tried "Nuggs" and was impressed.
posted by mezzanayne at 1:02 PM on January 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
VioLife cheese (especially their parmesan, OMG)
Miyoko's Kitchen cheeses and butter
Chao cheese (the tomato and cayenne is excellent on crackers)
Daiya cheese is my "weekday cheese" and it works well in burritos and on nachos
Field Roast sausage (all varieties)
Quorn makes a good spicy chick patty but my son actually prefers Kroger's private label "Simple Truth" meatless patties to them
Garden (all varieties)
I recently tried "Nuggs" and was impressed.
posted by mezzanayne at 1:02 PM on January 5, 2022 [3 favorites]
Omnivore who loves lots of foods and variety and tries to be eco-conscious in my meat and food consumption.
I currently have:
Quorn chik'n fillets
Ben & Jerry's almond milk cherry garcia non dairy ice cream
So Delicious vanilla bean coconut milk frozen dessert
WestSoy unsweetened soy milk
I like Quorn, WestSoy, and So Delicious. The Ben & Jerry's is decent but the overall mouthfeel is a bit off to me and it's too sweet for my tastes.
I like the quorn stuff because it's easy to throw in a pan and heat up for dinner as an alternative to, say, sausages or frozen meatballs or chicken breasts (which I try to limit but are really convenient). I like the So Delicious as an alternative for my milk allergic sister-in-law and as an option for serving after meat meals (we keep meat and dairy separate as part of keeping kosher). WestSoy also helps with keeping kosher (replacing milk in cornbread to eat with meat chili, for example). I also like it when I want to cut down on fresh dairy since I have a mild lactose intolerance. I'm more likely to purchase brands like WestSoy, So Delicious, Quorn that are whole-ingredient types of things. I haven't tried impossible/beyond and am not really interested.
I also cook tempeh and tofu regularly because I love the taste, texture, and versatility, though I'm not sure if you're including those in your survey? Rhapsody is my favorite tempeh brand; they have traditional as well as a few different marinated flavors. Lightlife is fine if I can't get the good stuff. My favorite tofu used to be Bridge, but they've either disappeared or my local coop is always sold out. Current favorite is Heiwa Tofu. If I can't get the good stuff, I usually end up with Nasoya organic, which is fine for cooking.
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:04 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I currently have:
Quorn chik'n fillets
Ben & Jerry's almond milk cherry garcia non dairy ice cream
So Delicious vanilla bean coconut milk frozen dessert
WestSoy unsweetened soy milk
I like Quorn, WestSoy, and So Delicious. The Ben & Jerry's is decent but the overall mouthfeel is a bit off to me and it's too sweet for my tastes.
I like the quorn stuff because it's easy to throw in a pan and heat up for dinner as an alternative to, say, sausages or frozen meatballs or chicken breasts (which I try to limit but are really convenient). I like the So Delicious as an alternative for my milk allergic sister-in-law and as an option for serving after meat meals (we keep meat and dairy separate as part of keeping kosher). WestSoy also helps with keeping kosher (replacing milk in cornbread to eat with meat chili, for example). I also like it when I want to cut down on fresh dairy since I have a mild lactose intolerance. I'm more likely to purchase brands like WestSoy, So Delicious, Quorn that are whole-ingredient types of things. I haven't tried impossible/beyond and am not really interested.
I also cook tempeh and tofu regularly because I love the taste, texture, and versatility, though I'm not sure if you're including those in your survey? Rhapsody is my favorite tempeh brand; they have traditional as well as a few different marinated flavors. Lightlife is fine if I can't get the good stuff. My favorite tofu used to be Bridge, but they've either disappeared or my local coop is always sold out. Current favorite is Heiwa Tofu. If I can't get the good stuff, I usually end up with Nasoya organic, which is fine for cooking.
posted by carrioncomfort at 1:04 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Fan of fake meat here! Vegetarian but not vegan.
Quorn meatless pieces are the most useful and tasty chickenesque foods I've had, but my local stores don't carry the plain ones any more, and I really don't like or need sauce packets. I think they may contain egg though?
I like the Field Roast sausages, (apple and sage flavor only, please,) but the Beyond sausages are so many miles better that I rarely buy them anymore.
I like Morningstar's breaded buffalo chicken nuggets as a treat, and now I can buy them again since the Kellog's strike is over! It is the only good brand of facon (pretend bacon) in my opinion, but it still has an uncanny resemblance to Beggin' Strips.
Most processed fake beef products I've had range from "acceptable " to "Oh wow no thank you." This is not counting seitan, which is great.
I also dislike every frozen veggie burger, although homemade ones are often really good. The trick is to just make a falafel patty!
Although I do eat regular cheese, I sometimes buy Daiya's mac and cheese and quite like it. It is very comforting and velveeta-like in a good way.
(Truly though: I really can't overstate how good the Impossible and Beyond products are, though. So much better than any if the ersatz meats on my list. I would be thrilled if they made fake chicken or bacon or salmon or lamb...)
posted by prewar lemonade at 1:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Quorn meatless pieces are the most useful and tasty chickenesque foods I've had, but my local stores don't carry the plain ones any more, and I really don't like or need sauce packets. I think they may contain egg though?
I like the Field Roast sausages, (apple and sage flavor only, please,) but the Beyond sausages are so many miles better that I rarely buy them anymore.
I like Morningstar's breaded buffalo chicken nuggets as a treat, and now I can buy them again since the Kellog's strike is over! It is the only good brand of facon (pretend bacon) in my opinion, but it still has an uncanny resemblance to Beggin' Strips.
Most processed fake beef products I've had range from "acceptable " to "Oh wow no thank you." This is not counting seitan, which is great.
I also dislike every frozen veggie burger, although homemade ones are often really good. The trick is to just make a falafel patty!
Although I do eat regular cheese, I sometimes buy Daiya's mac and cheese and quite like it. It is very comforting and velveeta-like in a good way.
(Truly though: I really can't overstate how good the Impossible and Beyond products are, though. So much better than any if the ersatz meats on my list. I would be thrilled if they made fake chicken or bacon or salmon or lamb...)
posted by prewar lemonade at 1:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've tried more different things than I can remember but some things I like are:
Soyrizo
Wegmans Don't Be Piggy Meatless Sausage Style Crumbles (I hate their naming and packaging, haha)
Wegmans Don't Have a Cow Meatless Beef Style Crumbles (ditto)
Chilli Man Vegetarian Chilli With Beans
I buy tofu just because I like tofu and because it's delicious in Chinese/Japanese/Korean recipes, and paneer because it's delicious in Indian recipes. I definitely serve both as proteins/entrees, but not swapped into other things as meat substitutes per se. (Same goes for lentils, legumes, etc.)
We aren't vegetarian, just low-meat for a whole host of reasons, from environmental to moral to just not caring that much about eating meat frequently to not enjoying preparing raw meat at home.
posted by wintersweet at 1:12 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Soyrizo
Wegmans Don't Be Piggy Meatless Sausage Style Crumbles (I hate their naming and packaging, haha)
Wegmans Don't Have a Cow Meatless Beef Style Crumbles (ditto)
Chilli Man Vegetarian Chilli With Beans
I buy tofu just because I like tofu and because it's delicious in Chinese/Japanese/Korean recipes, and paneer because it's delicious in Indian recipes. I definitely serve both as proteins/entrees, but not swapped into other things as meat substitutes per se. (Same goes for lentils, legumes, etc.)
We aren't vegetarian, just low-meat for a whole host of reasons, from environmental to moral to just not caring that much about eating meat frequently to not enjoying preparing raw meat at home.
posted by wintersweet at 1:12 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've been a vegetarian/vegan for (over) 15 years now. I have tried many fake meat products.
The only one I love and could eat every day is Tofurky Italian sausage.
They make a bunch of things but that's my favorite.
posted by freakazoid at 1:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
The only one I love and could eat every day is Tofurky Italian sausage.
They make a bunch of things but that's my favorite.
posted by freakazoid at 1:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Incogmeato nuggets!
Gimme lean sausage!
Sweet earth fake bacon!
Alpha brand fake chicken patties!
posted by atomicstone at 1:45 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Gimme lean sausage!
Sweet earth fake bacon!
Alpha brand fake chicken patties!
posted by atomicstone at 1:45 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Oh, I should also say that I figured out I've got a soy protein problem back in grad school when I subsisted on tofu, soy milk, and clif bars for a while. Of those I actively miss tofu and would be very interested in a product that was tofu-like but not soy based! (Tofu fried with peanut sauce is the best). Something not terribly expensive, with very long fridge life, that soaks up flavor and is easy to cook (to me tofu is all of these), but made of a protein I can eat -- I'd try that for sure.
posted by nat at 1:53 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nat at 1:53 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
We've had good experiences in the past with Vedgeco (dot com); they carry a lot of the rarer things you find in vegan restaurants, such as the sugarcane-based drumsticks (extremely good). In the past they've done some more home-buyer-focused combo deals at lower quantities; right now, it's pretty much all bulk quantity but solid products you don't see at the grocery store.
posted by runehog at 2:08 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by runehog at 2:08 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Fuckin' Burger Patch are going to be the death of me.
posted by agentofselection at 2:12 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by agentofselection at 2:12 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Omnivore with a dairy and soy sensitivity (among others). Favorites are Kite Hill cream cheese, Oatly ice cream, Coolhaus ice cream sandwiches, and Miyoko’s butter. I’m not sure I’d ever go back to dairy ice cream and butter in my home cooking, even if I suddenly stopped having symptoms.
posted by bananacabana at 2:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by bananacabana at 2:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
May Wah brand vegan prawns and Fridas brand Soyrizo are the only fake meats I've bought more than twice. I'm not sure the packaging has much to do with it. (I'm a "fish sauce with tofu is close enough" style non-vegetarian who mostly avoids meat.)
posted by eotvos at 2:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by eotvos at 2:13 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I eat all the food. The only fake meat product I use is smart ground. I use it in chili and it's delicious. Better than beef IMO. I would absolutely not attempt to make a burger with it but it's great for sauces/stews and the like. I actually had no idea what the brand name was until I just googled it so maybe the packaging isn't the best for that but it's never offended my eyes or anything. My only complaint is that I loathe the way it's sealed up in plastic with no little corner things to pull on so I am reduced to hangrily stabbing at it until I can tear it open.
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 2:25 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by RobinofFrocksley at 2:25 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Our favourite thing is Fry's Polony "slicing sausage", which we are absolutely flat-out finding in stores any more.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:00 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:00 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I'm not at all vegan but have been getting vegan ready meals from allplants for more than a year now and still enjoy them (in the UK).
I started in lockdown when I saw someone on reddit say they were a meat eater but had been getting them and really liked them, so I tried them, and my experience has been the same. I get one box (12 meals) a month, the rest of the time I cook for myself and eat omnivorously.
The meals taste good, I like that they reduce my meat intake (I like that for both health and environmental reasons), I like that they increase my vegetable intake, I like that they're not too high calorie compared to a lot of Hello Fresh-style boxes. I like that the ingredients list is made up of recognisable food. I like that they're super-easy - just require heating and no prep - I don't get any pleasure from cooking as a process, I just love eating. They have a good range of choices. And because I'm just cooking for one, I like that they have some "Buddha bowl"-style meals which might have six or more different items on one plate - it's hard to buy small enough portions for that for one person, so if I tried buying all that for myself from scratch, some of it would go off before I got through it all.
Their website is easy to use, customer service has been good. I get mild pleasure from the nice design of the boxes. I like that I can return the insulating packaging to them for reuse. It's a little spendy but worth it for me. And I'm probably skating on thin ice, but since I have also answered the question I can maybe get away with it - I do have referal codes, if anybody wants any, Memail me :) Promise I'm just a genuine satisfied customer and not in anyway involved with the company.
posted by penguin pie at 4:22 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I started in lockdown when I saw someone on reddit say they were a meat eater but had been getting them and really liked them, so I tried them, and my experience has been the same. I get one box (12 meals) a month, the rest of the time I cook for myself and eat omnivorously.
The meals taste good, I like that they reduce my meat intake (I like that for both health and environmental reasons), I like that they increase my vegetable intake, I like that they're not too high calorie compared to a lot of Hello Fresh-style boxes. I like that the ingredients list is made up of recognisable food. I like that they're super-easy - just require heating and no prep - I don't get any pleasure from cooking as a process, I just love eating. They have a good range of choices. And because I'm just cooking for one, I like that they have some "Buddha bowl"-style meals which might have six or more different items on one plate - it's hard to buy small enough portions for that for one person, so if I tried buying all that for myself from scratch, some of it would go off before I got through it all.
Their website is easy to use, customer service has been good. I get mild pleasure from the nice design of the boxes. I like that I can return the insulating packaging to them for reuse. It's a little spendy but worth it for me. And I'm probably skating on thin ice, but since I have also answered the question I can maybe get away with it - I do have referal codes, if anybody wants any, Memail me :) Promise I'm just a genuine satisfied customer and not in anyway involved with the company.
posted by penguin pie at 4:22 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Omnivore here, but trying to cut out meat. A lot of the time I'll just make vegetable forward dishes, but sometimes I just want something meaty without actually eating meat - in a pasta sauce, say, or a chili. I'm already avoiding egg/dairy due to dietary issues.
I love, love, LOVE Violife and Miyoko's for cheese replacements. Milk? Eh. I've never been big on that and I can do without, but for those rare occasions where I do need something milk-like I just go with whatever unsweetened/non-vanilla cashew or oat milk is available and inexpensive. I particularly like the "full fat" oat milks that have been available in my area lately as they really mimic the unctuousness that a lot of plant based milks don't have.
Meat-wise, I don't need to replace everything. I don't expect to eat certain things, like bacon, in meat form. However, I do eat a lot of Beyond Meat (more readily available at the grocery store I pick up from/more often on sale), both in patty and crumble form. Morningstar burgers and crumbles have been favorites for a long, long time as well, though I don't consider the burgers replacements so much as vegetable patties. (I prefer the vegetable/black bean patties though.) I've also had Lighthouse, Impossible, and grocery store brand fake burgers in the Beyond/Impossible vein and have been quite impressed with how closely they mimic actual meat.
Also I really need to second(?) Nuggs. I bought them on a whim because they were on sale and I liked the packaging. Gardein is OK too when it comes to fake chicken, but dang those were on another level.
Finally let me sing the praises of JUST Egg. Yes I suppose I could go through the trouble of sourcing everything I'd need to create it from scratch, but that's a lot of work for times when all I want is some egg on toast with a bit of avocado and salt. It's the first egg replacement for actual eating (rather than baking) I have truly enjoyed.
More on the packaging front - I don't really respond to packaging so much as cost, with the exception of Nuggs. I'm sure if I was shopping in store it would be different, but if I'm online looking for things to add to my cart, I'm looking at coupons and sales. I do like being able to see texture for fake meat products though.
posted by daikaisho at 6:37 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
I love, love, LOVE Violife and Miyoko's for cheese replacements. Milk? Eh. I've never been big on that and I can do without, but for those rare occasions where I do need something milk-like I just go with whatever unsweetened/non-vanilla cashew or oat milk is available and inexpensive. I particularly like the "full fat" oat milks that have been available in my area lately as they really mimic the unctuousness that a lot of plant based milks don't have.
Meat-wise, I don't need to replace everything. I don't expect to eat certain things, like bacon, in meat form. However, I do eat a lot of Beyond Meat (more readily available at the grocery store I pick up from/more often on sale), both in patty and crumble form. Morningstar burgers and crumbles have been favorites for a long, long time as well, though I don't consider the burgers replacements so much as vegetable patties. (I prefer the vegetable/black bean patties though.) I've also had Lighthouse, Impossible, and grocery store brand fake burgers in the Beyond/Impossible vein and have been quite impressed with how closely they mimic actual meat.
Also I really need to second(?) Nuggs. I bought them on a whim because they were on sale and I liked the packaging. Gardein is OK too when it comes to fake chicken, but dang those were on another level.
Finally let me sing the praises of JUST Egg. Yes I suppose I could go through the trouble of sourcing everything I'd need to create it from scratch, but that's a lot of work for times when all I want is some egg on toast with a bit of avocado and salt. It's the first egg replacement for actual eating (rather than baking) I have truly enjoyed.
More on the packaging front - I don't really respond to packaging so much as cost, with the exception of Nuggs. I'm sure if I was shopping in store it would be different, but if I'm online looking for things to add to my cart, I'm looking at coupons and sales. I do like being able to see texture for fake meat products though.
posted by daikaisho at 6:37 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Vegan for at least 5 years. Many of my favorite foods just naturally lack animal ingredients, but as a previous omnivore, sometimes I have food itches that need to be scratched.
With regards to packaging, all things being equal, I will chose an item with the least amount of packaging or the most potential for reuse/recycle (although we are running out of room to put perfectly good empty jars) or the most likely to eventually biodegrade packaging. But with packaged foods, most things are not equal and I will go on taste! I chose veganism for personal ethics reasons rather than health reasons, so mentions of healthiness on packaging will not sway me positively and I might assume it doesn't taste as good as the item that doesn't tout it's healthiness. Even if not marketed as plant-based, do appreciate a little note indicating vegan-ness somewhere on the packaging near the ingredients, to save me the time of reading all the ingredients.
Many of the packaged foods we eat are "normal" and just happen to be vegan, so I'm not going to talk about my chips and salsa habit.
**Tofu/tempeh** (all of these I would eat even I was not vegan)
-Tofu - I pick from one of two local-ish brands if I'm at the right market, otherwise I like the texture of House Foods
-Tempeh - there is usually only one choice in the store, so I get whatever that is (Lightlife, usually I think). I would love larger packages of tempeh.
**Fake meats**
-Soyrizo is good but we don't get it as much because I don't always want spicy
-we eat a lot of Field Roast sausages, usually Italian flavor
-also Field Roast burger patties. No, you will not mistake them for meat, but I like the texture and they are soooo umami (left some at an omnivore friend's house and they texted the next day know what those delicious veggie burgers were). I might eat these even if I was not vegan.
-I have only had Impossible/Beyond burgers in restaurant/cafeteria situations and have never been impressed
-I've had satisfying chicken-y things, but don't buy them often enough to remember brands
-Ikea Veggie balls are not even remotely meat like but are a good freezer staple
**Sliced/shredded vegan cheese** (I would never bother with vegan cheese if I was not vegan)
-Miyoko's Farmhouse cheeses are the best for hot and cold sandwiches. Not as melty as some others perhaps, but the best flavor.
-Chao (made by Field Roast) is a solid middle of the road sliced cheese.
-Same with Follow My Heart cheese (this is what our neighborhood pizza place uses)
-Vevan is extremely low on flavor (think weak American cheese slice flavor) but melts incredibly well. I've only ever seen it at restaurant supply store. Good for casseroles and extra melty grilled cheese.
-I don't particularly care for Violife flavors and textures
-I would rather skip the cheese than eat something with Daiya
**Soft vegan cheese**
-Kite Hill ricotta is a favorite
-I don't like Tofutti cream cheese. It's too sweet.
-Vtopia is good
-Cultured Kindness is good
-Miyoko's is good
-NuCulture is good
-HeidiHo had a good nacho cheese sauce but I think they are no longer in business
-fortunately, The Honest Stand vegan cheese sauce is very good
**Other random stuff**
-we eat a horrifying amount of Earth Balance Buttery Spread sticks in lieu of butter (have not tried Miyoko's butter yet because habit)
-Toby's Plant Based Dip and Spread (formerly called Pate) is good on toast for lunch
-Hippeas Cheddar Chickpea puffs are yummy
-Follow Your Heart Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing are pretty good, although always a shadow of the dairy based stuff
-The Higher Taste packaged sandwiches are a godsend for a quick dinner (would eat if I wasn't vegan). Snackrilege sandwiches are ok, but not a staple.
posted by Advanced_Waffler at 10:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
With regards to packaging, all things being equal, I will chose an item with the least amount of packaging or the most potential for reuse/recycle (although we are running out of room to put perfectly good empty jars) or the most likely to eventually biodegrade packaging. But with packaged foods, most things are not equal and I will go on taste! I chose veganism for personal ethics reasons rather than health reasons, so mentions of healthiness on packaging will not sway me positively and I might assume it doesn't taste as good as the item that doesn't tout it's healthiness. Even if not marketed as plant-based, do appreciate a little note indicating vegan-ness somewhere on the packaging near the ingredients, to save me the time of reading all the ingredients.
Many of the packaged foods we eat are "normal" and just happen to be vegan, so I'm not going to talk about my chips and salsa habit.
**Tofu/tempeh** (all of these I would eat even I was not vegan)
-Tofu - I pick from one of two local-ish brands if I'm at the right market, otherwise I like the texture of House Foods
-Tempeh - there is usually only one choice in the store, so I get whatever that is (Lightlife, usually I think). I would love larger packages of tempeh.
**Fake meats**
-Soyrizo is good but we don't get it as much because I don't always want spicy
-we eat a lot of Field Roast sausages, usually Italian flavor
-also Field Roast burger patties. No, you will not mistake them for meat, but I like the texture and they are soooo umami (left some at an omnivore friend's house and they texted the next day know what those delicious veggie burgers were). I might eat these even if I was not vegan.
-I have only had Impossible/Beyond burgers in restaurant/cafeteria situations and have never been impressed
-I've had satisfying chicken-y things, but don't buy them often enough to remember brands
-Ikea Veggie balls are not even remotely meat like but are a good freezer staple
**Sliced/shredded vegan cheese** (I would never bother with vegan cheese if I was not vegan)
-Miyoko's Farmhouse cheeses are the best for hot and cold sandwiches. Not as melty as some others perhaps, but the best flavor.
-Chao (made by Field Roast) is a solid middle of the road sliced cheese.
-Same with Follow My Heart cheese (this is what our neighborhood pizza place uses)
-Vevan is extremely low on flavor (think weak American cheese slice flavor) but melts incredibly well. I've only ever seen it at restaurant supply store. Good for casseroles and extra melty grilled cheese.
-I don't particularly care for Violife flavors and textures
-I would rather skip the cheese than eat something with Daiya
**Soft vegan cheese**
-Kite Hill ricotta is a favorite
-I don't like Tofutti cream cheese. It's too sweet.
-Vtopia is good
-Cultured Kindness is good
-Miyoko's is good
-NuCulture is good
-HeidiHo had a good nacho cheese sauce but I think they are no longer in business
-fortunately, The Honest Stand vegan cheese sauce is very good
**Other random stuff**
-we eat a horrifying amount of Earth Balance Buttery Spread sticks in lieu of butter (have not tried Miyoko's butter yet because habit)
-Toby's Plant Based Dip and Spread (formerly called Pate) is good on toast for lunch
-Hippeas Cheddar Chickpea puffs are yummy
-Follow Your Heart Ranch or Blue Cheese dressing are pretty good, although always a shadow of the dairy based stuff
-The Higher Taste packaged sandwiches are a godsend for a quick dinner (would eat if I wasn't vegan). Snackrilege sandwiches are ok, but not a staple.
posted by Advanced_Waffler at 10:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [1 favorite]
nat - check out chickpea based tofu. I learned about it at Burmese restaurants, although have never seen it commercially
posted by Advanced_Waffler at 10:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Advanced_Waffler at 10:10 PM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you all so much. You named a lot of stuff I have never heard of! :)
posted by miss lynnster at 10:35 PM on January 5, 2022
posted by miss lynnster at 10:35 PM on January 5, 2022
Hope I’m not too late but below are a few of my favorites. I’mma use this list as a reference for future shopping!
Good Seed burgers - LOVE the wild mushroom and cauliflower version
Sweet Earth entrees - I like the Borderless enchilada
Hilary’s
posted by SomethinsWrong at 6:36 AM on January 6, 2022
Good Seed burgers - LOVE the wild mushroom and cauliflower version
Sweet Earth entrees - I like the Borderless enchilada
Hilary’s
posted by SomethinsWrong at 6:36 AM on January 6, 2022
On and off vegan/vegetarian. The most important thing for me is knowing what’s in it. I don’t want a “veggie burger”, I want a “black bean and lentil burger”. I don’t want “vegan sausages”, I want “tofu” or “seitan.” (I am skeptical of animal replacement products that have a crazy long ingredient list that I can’t pronounce.) I love vegan vegetable dumplings, ravioli, pancakes, etc. (egg free dough!). To be honest I mostly prefer food that is inherently vegetarian rather than replacement/imitation animal products.
posted by amaire at 10:19 PM on January 6, 2022
posted by amaire at 10:19 PM on January 6, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
Engine 2 (no longer carried by Whole Foods: currently only available on their website) is great if you're avoiding oil and added sugar. Miyoko's butter is amazing, but I haven't tried the cheese. Earth Balance is better for frosting because it comes in sticks. I like Amy's brand of frozen dinners and canned foods, though I'd call the vegan pizza OK but not great (Amy's has both vegan and ovo-lacto vegetarian foods). The Platinum Chef and Avalon are good for rolls and cake, but they might be local to me. Greystone makes a good vegan brownie. I like Edensoy soy milk. Sweet Earth's bacon is good (though it's more like pastrami), and I also like their ham. Gardein makes some good meat substitutes. It's surprisingly hard to find vegan bread if you don't want French or Italian - Dave's Killer Bread is my favorite brand. Ezekiel brand is popular, but it doesn't taste as good to me. Back to Nature has a lot of cookies that are vegan. Beanfield's Nacho Chips are vegan Doritos, but I'd say they're just OK. Pascha makes the best vegan chocolate chips now that Ghirardelli has started adding milk. Ben & Jerry's was my favorite brand of non-dairy ice cream until Oatly came along. The Oatly strawberry frozen dessert is incredible. Just Egg is astonishing - best vegan pancakes I've had were using that, and I've also used it for breakfast burritos. Just Mayo was also great, but it seems to have disappeared from stores. Veganaise is a decent substitute. I've heard good things about Kite Hill, but haven't tried it myself.
This article lists Black-owned vegan businesses that ship nationwide. The only one I've tried is Southern Roots, which was excellent.
Reading this list, I feel like it looks like I'm on a junk-food diet, so I want to point out that most of this is food I eat rarely because it's not healthful. Also, the term "plant-based" was originally meant to indicate vegan and a lot of vegans use it to me "health-oriented vegan," but if I see it on a packaged product, I assume it has no meaning whatsoever.
Feel free to MeMail me if I can be of more help.
posted by FencingGal at 11:38 AM on January 5, 2022 [2 favorites]