image: Impossible Foods
The Best VEGAN, Alt-MeatS You Need To Try
Whether you’re vegan or are simply trying to cut back on meat for your health or the planet, don’t worry — there are a ton of plant-based meat alternative options out there that are sure to satisfy those meat cravings.
Available in most grocery stores, there’s a vegan option for pretty much any meat out there: From the OG plant burgers and sausages, to bacon, salmon, and even caviar. To make your lives easier, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite alt-meat brands that will have even the staunchest of carnivores asking for more. Get ready to impress your friends and families at cookouts this summer — pull out your aprons and get cooking. Happy eating!
Why should you eat vegan alternative meat?
At this point, it should come as no surprise that switching to a more plant-based diet has numerous benefits, both for your health and the planet’s. Here are some of the top reasons to choose that alt-meat option the next time you’re at the grocery store:
Plant-based meat production releases up to 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than conventional meat production does. In fact, we can reduce our personal carbon footprints by up to 73% if we eliminate meat and dairy from our diets.
Vegan foods also require less energy and water to produce.
Animal agriculture is a major cause of deforestation. If everyone in the world became vegan, we could potentially save up to 75% of the world’s farmland.
It’s a total myth that vegan diets aren’t rich in protein. Most of the alt-meat options we’ve listed below are high in both protein and fiber, and plant-based diets tend to be more balanced overall, providing us with antioxidants, potassium, magnesium, folate, and several vitamins.
Going vegan can also help with heart health, lower your blood sugar, and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
It tastes fantastic!
What to look for when shopping ALTERNATIVE Meat
While alt-meats in general are better for the earth than standard meats, there are certain things to look out for when choosing a brand. Go for brands that use whole, natural ingredients — the less processed, the better it is for both you and the planet. Look for products that use minimal packaging, and of course, go plastic-free where possible. Finally, don’t skimp on taste! If you’re forcing yourself to eat something you don’t like, chances are you won’t be able to stick to your no-meat resolutions. Try out different brands (there’s no shortage of choices out there), and choose your favorites.
OUR TOP PICKS FOR ALTERNATIVE MEAT BRANDS THAT ARE THE REAL DEAL:
1) Beyond Meat
For: Burgers, sausages, meatballs, ground “meats”
Aka the alt-meat OG. This is one we’re sure you’ve all heard of, and for a good reason. The Beyond Burger is pretty much indistinguishable from a traditional beef patty and is super juicy, meaty, and flavorful. It’s made from pea protein, coconut oil, and beetroot, amongst other plant-based ingredients. The brand also stocks ground “meats,” sausages, and meatballs.
2) Impossible Foods
For: Burgers, sausages, nuggets, ground “meats”
Impossible Foods is another plant-based meats OG. Its product range is similar to Beyond Meat (it stocks all the classics — burgers, sausages, ground meats, and more), but this one uses soy and potato proteins for its patties. It recently launched its Impossible Pork. In a blind taste test carried out in Hong Kong, participants actually preferred the taste of Impossible Pork over regular! Now that’s when you know it’s the real deal.
3) Quorn
For: Burgers, steaks, chicken strips, nuggets
Quorn is a global alt-meat brand that stocks burgers, steaks, chicken strips, and nuggets. It has third-party certifications for its carbon footprint figures. For example, the carbon footprint of Quorn Grounds is more than 95% lower than that of beef. It’s also better for your health — Quorn’s Spaghetti Bolognese has 90% less saturated fat than a beef version! You can read more about its sustainability initiatives here. Note: All Quorn products are not vegan. Some do contain egg or dairy, but this is clearly marked. All products are vegetarian.
4) Hooray Foods
For: Bacon
Hooray Food’s plant-based bacon looks, cooks, and tastes like the real deal — now that’s what we call a game-changer. The vegan “bacon” is non-GMO, soy- and gluten-free. It’s made from coconut oil, rice flour, and tapioca starch, topped with a delicious umami seasoning made from shiitake mushrooms. The bacon gets its signature smoky flavor from liquid smoke.
5) Daring Foods
For: “Chicken”
Daring Foods is all about chicken. Choose from amongst the Original, Breaded, Cajun, and Lemon & Herb ($45 for 6 8ounce packets). The chicken is soy-based, and the protein content is comparable to that of frozen chicken. Check out their website for delicious recipes, including gochujang chicken, buffalo wings, and a coconut cashew chicken curry.
6) Moku Foods
For: Jerky
Moku Foods’ vegan jerky is made from mushrooms, coconut, chickpeas, and maple syrup (plus other natural flavorings). We recommend starting with the variety pack ($20.49 for a pack of 6 bags), so you can try out all the flavors, which include Original, Sweet & Spicy, and Hawaiin Teriyaki. The jerky is high in protein and fiber, has a tender and meaty texture, and hits all the key elements of a tasty piece of jerky with its smokey, maple-y, umami notes.
7) Avafina Organics
For: Caviar
Plant-based caviar. Now that's a new one. Avafina Organic's Chiaviar ($59.95) is a delicate blend of chia, seaweed, and lemon. The Chiaviar combines the briney and buttery flavor profile of the seaweed with the nutty texture of chia seeds and finishes it off with some freshness from the lemon. The blend of superfoods means it's an excellent source of protein, Omega-3, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and micronutrients. Disclaimer: The website notes that the product may contain traces of crustaceans and fish.
8) Sophie’s Kitchen
For: Seafood
If you’re in the mood for some seafood but haven’t been able to find any plant-based options, Sophie’s Kitchen has got you covered. Its crispy breaded shrimp is sure to hit the spot — add it to homemade sushi rolls, tacos, or even a creamy curry, and you’re good to go. It also stocks crab cakes, fish fillets, smoked salmon (bagel brunch, anyone?), salmon and whitefish burgers, and tinned tuna.
9) Renegade Foods
For: Charcuterie
Get ready to get fancy — up your wine and cheese game with Renegade Foods’ all-vegan selection of charcuterie that is sure to impress. You can go for their Signature Charcuterie kits ($85 for a small, $140 for a large) which include a selection of plant-based salamis, organic sourdough crackers, an assortment of nuts, and dried fruit, spreads, olives, and chocolate. You can also choose from their selection of salamis to create your own grazing platter. These include a Smoky Salami Soppressata, a Sweet Salami Toscana, and a Spicy Chorizo (all $39.75 for a 3-pack).
10) Field Roast
For: sausages, hot dogs, burgers, roasts, pepperoni, deli “meats”
With its selection of hot dogs, burgers, appetizers, and roasts, Field Roast has got you covered, whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ or a nice roast dinner. We’re super excited about the brand’s latest collaboration with JUST Egg and Chao Creamery — an all-vegan sausage egg and cheese breakfast sandwich!
11) Ocean Hugger Foods
For: Tuna and eel
Ocean Hugger Foods brings to you plant-based “raw fish” — aka, tuna made from tomatoes and eel from eggplants. The brand is all about celebrating veggies, and the ingredients lists for their products are fresh and simple. Their Ahimi Raw “Tuna” is made from tomatoes, gluten-free soy sauce, sugar, water, and sesame oil, and their Unami “Freshwater Eel” contains eggplant, gluten-free soy sauce, mirin, sugar, rice bran oil, algae oil, and konjac powder. These are available in sushi restaurants across the United States.
12) Good Catch
For: Seafood (fish cakes, sticks, burgers, fillets, and tinned tuna)
Good Catch stocks all your favorite feel-good seafood classics, from breaded fish sticks to fish fillets to crab cakes. Their plant-based “fish” protein is made from a blend of six plant proteins: Pea protein, soy protein, chickpea flour, faba protein, lentil protein, and navy bean powder. They also stock three plant-based tuna options (Naked, Mediterranean, or Oil & Herbs), perfect for throwing in a quick and healthy salad, in a sandwich, or even with chips as a power-packed snack.
13) Meatless Farm
For: Plant-based beef, chicken, and pork
Whether you’re in the mood for beef, chick, or pork, Meatless Farm has got you covered. They make burgers, nuggets, meatballs, and ground meats and recently launched their plant-based “pork” Bratwurst sausages. Meatless Farm uses pea protein as its source of protein, as well as coconut oil for that juicy consistency, carrot fiber for binding, and beetroot, radish, and tomato extracts for color. You can find their full list of ingredients on their website.
About the Author
Jyotika is a writer based in New Delhi. She writes about sustainable living and eco-friendly brands, covering fashion, food, travel, and wellness. Previously, she was the fashion manager at her family's bespoke fashion business, where in addition to her other responsibilities she worked on improving textile sourcing from local artisans to encourage grassroots production, as well as conducting sustainability workshops with employees regarding the eco-friendly disposal of fashion materials.
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