Must-try Plant Based Brands

By Fran DeNunzio

Over the past several years, the number of plant-based brands has skyrocketed, creating so many more options for plant-based alternatives and vegan substitutes. If you are interested in incorporating plant-based food products into your diet, but don’t know where to start, it can be a little bit overwhelming looking at all of the different choices available. I am not vegan, but when I have the opportunity, I love eating plant-based foods and trying out new vegan products. Over the past few years, I have discovered some incredible plant-based brands and products that I always like to keep stocked in my fridge and pantry. If you are looking for good plant-based products and are wondering where to begin, start by trying these brands out! 

1. Beyond Meat

Beyond Meat is probably my favorite vegan food brand. They produce plant-based meat substitutes for a variety of different meat products using ingredients such as plant proteins, plant-based oils and butters, and beet and apple juice extract for coloring. They offer alternatives to meats including burgers, sausages, ground and regular beef, breakfast meats, and meatballs (their newest product!). I have eaten many Beyond Meat products over the past few years, and I am an avid supporter of this brand. Their plant-based meats genuinely taste and look like real meat. They are delicious, easy to store, and even easier to cook. 

My recommendation: Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage Original Brats

2. Oatly

Oatly is a vegan brand that produces oat-based dairy alternatives. Their products consist of oat milks, yogurt, and ice cream. Oat milk has become increasingly popular over the past year, and for good reason, as it tastes delicious and is much more environmentally friendly than cow’s milk. Oatly is my favorite oat milk brand. It’s super creamy, has the perfect consistency, and just tastes so good. Oatly offer multiple types of oat milk, including their own versions of whole milk, 2% milk, skim milk, and chocolate milk. They even have a barista version of their oat milk, made specifically for coffee. As for their yogurts and ice creams, they have a variety of different flavors that are also super delicious plant-based dairy alternatives. All in all, Oatly is an amazing plant-based brand that is a perfect staple for your kitchen.

My recommendation: Oatly Oat Drink Semi and Oatly Oat Drink Chocolate Deluxe

3. Miyoko’s Creamery

If you are looking for vegan cheeses, this is a great brand for you! Miyoko’s offers several kinds of cheeses, including classic cheddar, pepper jack, and mozzarella cheeses. They also have cheese wheels in a variety of flavors, which are perfect for creating charcuterie boards. Miyoko’s even sells a vegan cream cheese option and a few different vegan butters, both very reliable and tasty vegan products. Their cheeses are made using plant-based milks and through a culturing and fermentation process. I love this brand, as I have found that their cheese products taste so good and are simple to cook with!

My recommendation: Miyoko’s Classic Fresh Italian Style Vegan Mozzarella Cheese

4. Bitchin’ Sauce

This brand offers a line of vegan savory and sweet sauces made from almonds. They have ten flavors of savory sauces and three flavors of sweet sauces. Their savory sauces are perfect for dipping vegetables or crackers in, using them as marinades or spreads, and even putting them over pastas or salads. Their sweet sauces are a great topping for any dessert. Whether you are looking for a creamy sauce, an herb sauce, a spicy sauce, or even a chocolate sauce, this brand has it all! Bitchin’ Sauces are delicious and an amazing plant-based brand to keep in your fridge. 

My recommendation: Chipotle Bitchin’ Sauce

I hope that you feel inspired to try some new plant-based products and switch out some of your day-to-day foods with vegan alternatives! These brands have awesome products that taste amazing. And most importantly, they are all more sustainable for the environment. Happy eating!