My Favorite Vegan Products
Most of the time, our meals are made of unprocessed ingredients like whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and clean plant-based protein like nuts and beans.
Eating this way is usually easy (thank you meal prep), and always satisfying and delicious.
But, there are definitely times when we’re out of groceries and need a quick meal, or I’m craving a nostalgic meal from my childhood, or there’s simply a new product I spot at the grocery store that I want to try and we dive head-first into the ever-growing world of vegan meat and dairy products.
When I first started following a plant-based diet over a decade ago, there were very few options at the grocery store for vegan cheese or burgers, and those did exist were far from tasty. These days, I’m constantly blown away by all of the new plant-based products I see when I’m shopping! I love seeing the huge range of vegan ice cream in the freezer section because it means that more people want plant-based options- and that’s amazing!
After I posted the photo below on Instagram of our dinner last week, which consisted of store-bought vegan mac n’ cheese and hot dogs, I was totally blown away by all the comments from people recommending their favorite their favorite products and asking about mine.
I decided that I would finally round up all of my favorite vegan products from the grocery store! The following is a list of all the convenient plant-based meat and dairy products that I recommend. Let me know in the comments if you agree with my favorites or have other recommendations!
My Favorite Vegan Products
Fancy Cheese
Miyoko’s– This cheese is an honest-to-goodness treat! It’s on the pricier side, but it’s seriously so tasty that I think it’s worth every penny. The mozzarella is truly unreal on pizza. All of the cheese wheels are so flavorful (the double cream chive is my very favorite) that I think they’re best enjoyed simply on crackers or bread.
Treeline– Treeline is another brand of cheese that’s perfect for a cheeseboard situation since the flavors are so strong and delicious. I especially love their aged nut cheeses.
Cheezehound– I honestly have no clue how they make their incredible products! Cheezedound makes some of the most creative and authentic vegan cheeses that I’ve ever seen (like their blue cheese and brie). I think their products may only be available in New York for now, but I have a feeling that will change since their cheese is just too darn delicious.
Riverdel– Riverdel is an all vegan cheese shop in Brooklyn. They stock their own homemade fancy vegan cheeses, as well as a bunch of other local brands. It’s 100% worth a visit if you live in New York or are visiting! I just noticed that they have a Cheese of the Month club, which could be an amazing gift for someone who doesn’t live near the store!
Everyday Cheese
Daiya– I know this is a controversial pick since people seem to have varying opinions of Daiya cheese, but of the few brands found at most stores, I think it’s the best option for melty cheese. It wouldn’t be my first pick to include on a cheese board, but I love to use it in grilled sandwiches, pasta and pizza because it really melts well. I keep a bag of the shredded mozzarella in my fridge, and I just recently found out that Baby V is a major fan of their smoked gouda!
Kite Hill– Their ricotta is AMAZING for lasagna! I also love their dill and chive soft cheese (which probably belongs in the fancy cheese section) on crackers. I haven’t seen it at any stores a while, so I’m not sure if it’s still available, but their brie cheese was also out of this world for fancy cheeseboards.
Chao Cheese– Every once in a while I get their Coconut Herb Slices to melt in sandwiches and the flavor is really tasty.
Follow Your Heart– Ross and Baby V love eating their American Cheddar slices straight out of the package. For my purposes, I just don’t find their cheese melty enough! I feel like this is worth mentioning because so often when I say Daiya is my melty cheese of choice, folks tell me they prefer Follow Your Heart!
Yogurt
Anita’s– If you haven’t tried this coconut yogurt yet, you’re missing out in a major way! This yogurt is truly the creamiest, dreamiest I’ve ever tasted. I believe it’s made from the cream of coconut milk, which is why it’s so thick (without added thickeners). It’s a little pricey so I don’t buy it all the time, but when I do it feels like an even more special. I like it best with a little maple syrup and granola.
Forager Project– I always keep a container of their plain cashew yogurt in my fridge. It’s well-priced, the ingredient list is clean, and the plain unsweetened flavor is the perfect canvas for adding whatever fruit, etc. I want. They also make a drinkable yogurt that Baby V LOVES.
GT’S Cocoyo– From the same folks who make all the kombucha, this coconut yogurt is SO good! It’s almost bubbles on your tongue and it feels so fresh that you can practically taste the probiotics. The tiny 2-serving jars are quite expensive so I only buy it when it’s on sale, but I highly recommend it as a special treat.
Burgers
I usually opt for gluten-free veggie burgers and faux meat products since most of the non gluten-free ones are made with seitan or vital wheat protein which upsets my stomach. Ross, on the other hand, seems to have a stomach of steel and is a major seitan lover so I’ll have to do a separate roundup of his favorites soon!
Amy’s Sonoma Veggie Burger– Call me old fashioned, but this has been my burger of choice for years. It’s gluten-free, unlike Amy’s other burgers, and it tastes more like veggies than meat.
Dr. Praeger’s Mushroom Risotto Burger– Again, I like this burger because it isn’t trying to taste like a traditional hamburger. I like all of Dr. Praeger’s burgers because the ingredients are simple and straightforward, but this flavor is my very favorite.
Beyond Meat Burger– As you can tell from my first two picks, I don’t usually like burgers that try to taste like meat. Even when I ate meat as a kid, I never really liked hamburgers, and now I’d much rather have a delicious veggie-packed burger then one trying to imitate a hamburger. That said, I think the Beyond Burger is an incredible innovation! It’s an amazing option for someone who doesn’t want to eat meat, but craves the taste and texture. Plus, it’s huge and looks like the real deal. We buy it mostly in the summer when we can throw it on the grill!
Faux Meat
Yeah Dawg– These hot dogs are a major favorite in our household! They don’t taste like traditional hot dogs per say, but instead, they have their own unique savory-smoky flavor. Also, the ingredient list is super clean! We first started to see Yeah Dawgs at various pop-up food events in NYC a few years ago, and since then it’s been really excited to see them get into more and more stores and expand into more states! They may not be available everywhere, but you can order them on their website.
Smartdogs– You can find these hot dogs at just about every grocery store. They may not be the most flavorful, but I think they got the job done when they’re fried up on the grill and topped with kraut, ketchup and pickles.
Gardein Chick’n Scallopini– This is my go-to if we’re looking for a faux chicken. I like to add it to pasta dishes for a pop of texture, and honestly it’s just a really easy protein option to keep in the freezer since it takes just a couple of minutes to prepare.
Other Favorites
Ice Cream: Coconut Bliss is my go-to, Ben & Jerry’s nondairy flavors are my favorite if I want a really sugar-packed indulgent treat, and Van Leeuwan is my favorite local NYC spot for vegan flavors.
Cream Cheese: Kite Hill!! The dill & chive flavor is out of this world. If you haven’t tried it, you should run to the store right now!
Mayo- Sir Kensington’s. Hands down. I’m a major fan of their Fabanaise (vegan mayo made from aquafaba), especially their chipotle flavor. I’ve collaborate a few recipes with them, which you can see here.
Milk- I make homemade almond milk a lot (the recipe is in my cookbook), but we (meaning Baby V) also loves Califia Farms, especially the unsweetened and toasted coconut flavors. I LOVE their coffee creamer too! I also give Baby V unsweetened Ripple Milk since it’s packed with protein.
Ok, I think that’s it for now! I’ll update this list as other favorites come to mind and I try new items. In the comments, let me know if we have the same favorites or you have other recomendations!
