A friend of mine recently asked me what some of my vegan products were. And even though she’s not even vegan, she wanted a resource to be able to reference in case she ever wanted to try some new products. And since I’m always warning people which vegan butters or cheeses to stay away from (old-school Daiya shreds, I’m lookin’ at you here), I decided to compile a list of all the companies and items that are absolute winners in my eyes! I’ll touch upon some other meat/dairy replacements the next post, but for now, focusing on the core items!
CHEESES
For SURE, the hardest to replicate as vegan, and the one item most dairy-free people miss the most. There are some super disgusting ones out there, but over the last year or so, some really incredible ones have also surfaced.
GOLD: Miyoko’s mozzarella is hands down, the best vegan cheese you can find in grocery stores. It melts, stretches and bubbles like the real deal, and it’s taste is spot on. No gumminess, no gross ingredients-all organic and mostly just cashews. I use it constantly and have even been known to drive around for hours trying to find some, as it’s biggest issue is that it sells out fast at more stores. Well worth the heavier price tag and effort to find it. I am forever using it on pizza, in lasagnas, on pasta and stuffed into Beyond Meat meatballs.
SILVER: ANY product from Violife. Newer to the game, the Parmesan block from Violife, smells, tastes and shreds just like the real stuff. Their cheddar and feta are also super legit, and I am willing to bet ANY non-vegan would never know the different. I truly adore them and highly recommend any of their stuff!
BRONZE: Field Roast Chao cheese is impeccable, both for it’s unique flavors (try the Tomato Cayenne) and it’s melt-ability. Their clean ingredient list also makes me super happy and I’ve been using it for grilled cheeses, sandwiches and burger toppings for years now.
HONORABLE MENTION: The Follow Your Heart slices and the Cutting Board shreds from Daiya are both pretty melt-y and not overly gummy, and are typically found in most grocery stores. So points for convenience. But MAKE SURE you get the Cutting Board shreds only from Daiya, and as their other products are downright disgusting!
CREAM CHEESE
At times, equally as difficult to replicate as cheese, vegan cream cheese can be WAY better than I remember regular cream cheese being!
GOLD: Kite Hill is by far, the winner in this category. Even non-vegan friends I have who don’t like regular cream cheese adore this stuff. Minimal ingredients, amazing texture and flavor and fun variations make it the top contender for sure. I love their everything bagel, chive and jalapeno versions, although I typically always buy their plain flavor. I’m constantly using it on avocado toast or making jalapeno poppers. I also smear the plain versions all over pancakes. SO DAMN GOOD.
SILVER: Violife strikes again here! Great consistency and flavor that’s comparable to Kite Hill. It’s a MUCH better price, too. Only downside is, is that it melts quickly, so it starts to fade a bit in consistency once it’s put on something too hot.
BRONZE: Go Veggie! is a great option, in terms of flavor and consistency and price. The flavor isn’t as great as Kite Hill or Violife, but it’s cheaper price makes it ideal when used for cooking and it holds us well in the heat.
Whatever you do, STAY FAR AWAY FROM THE DAIYA CREAM CHEESE. It’s overly sweet, has horrible texture and tastes like plastic. The first time I tried it on a bagel, I had to throw away the entire bagel-and the entire container. Repulsive.
BUTTER
One of the easier items to replace, there are still some clear winners in this category.
GOLD: Miyoko’s strikes again. Their tub of butter or sticks are super legit, and have zero difference to regular butter in terms of flavors, spread-ability and texture. And again, great ingredient list!
SILVER: Earth Balance! Though I don’t love it’s mostly oil-base, it’s ideal for cooking and baking and the butter flavor is spot on.
BRONZE: Melt is similar to Earth Balance, though the ingredients are slightly better. It’s got a slight coconut taste to it though, which is still delicious, but just not as great with savory items. It’s also got some probiotics in it, so it makes me love it even more!
ICE CREAM
Vegan ice cream flavors are UNREAL. There are endless options and almost every food brand has a non-dairy alternative these days. Some are life-changing…others will ruin your life.
GOLD: I gotta go with So Delicious on this one. One of the OG ice cream makers, they have so many insane options. Almond-based, coconut-based, cashew-based and not oat-based. They even have frozen, creamy mousses , as well. My all-time favorite are the cashew-based Salted Caramel Cluster and the Apple Pie AND the Peanut Butter and Raspberry oat-based ones. You can’t go wrong here, people!
SILVER: Archer Farms. Yes, the Target brand! So cheap, and so good, and so many awesome flavors. Vanilla Cake and Cookie Dough, Caramel Brownie, Mocha Almond Fudge-there are NO bad choices here.
BRONZE: Talenti. Yes, most of their flavors are not vegan. But their vegan peanut butter fudge swirl is downright life-changing. Super creamy and decadent, it’s the flavor I crave most. Their dark chocolate and their raspberry sorbetto are awesome, too.
Whatever you do, NEVER try any of the non-dairy Halo Tops. Likely, one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever put in my mouth in my life, I almost puked after just one spoonful. Saying it tastes like frozen chalk, is almost a compliment. It’s so bad, I really wonder how the hell they even stay in business. Another big loser is Ben and Jerry’s. Though they taste delicious and have great flavors, the ingredient list is absolute shit. I feel like I want to throw up even after a small amount, which I attribute to it’s insanely processed, high-sugar content.
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