Want to Veganize your Pantry?
Here are some of my recommendations to replace all those animal products! What I also love about vegan products; most come from small companies that are environmentally conscious and the ingredients are organic (mostly), always healthy, all natural and delicious. Not only are you saving the lives of animals but you are being healthy too!
Milk:
Options: Soy, Almond, Hemp, Rice, Multi-grain etc etc
Our Pick: Silk’s Brain and Bone Health (added omega 3’s, Calcium and Vitamin D)
Where to buy: Most stores but the best price in town – Costco.
Recs: Just plain awesome!
Eggnog:
YES Silk makes a soy egg nog!!!! Only in stores November to January!!! So hurry!
Butter:
Options: margarines (yuck!) or Earth Balance – come in tubs and sticks
Our Pick: Earth Balance Soy Free or the Whipped variety
Where to buy: TJ (only sells 2 varieties of the tub), WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts.
Recs: Can eat it on anything, melts perfectly and bakes amazingly!
Cheese:
Options: Many but most are horrible. Teese Cheese if you like Velveeta. Daiya for pizza etc
Our pick: Daiya!
Where to buy: Daiya (WFs) and Teese Cheese (Green in Tempe or online) Recs: For Daiya grate very thin so that it melts evenly or just buy it already shredded (comes both ways).
Sour Cream:
Options: 2 soy varieties on the market
Our Pick: Tofutti
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts (likely carried at other grocery stores? Might be more expensive though)
Recs: Not good plain. Spice it up with chipotle seasoning if using it in Mexican food. Otherwise is AWESOME for dips or baking or adding to mashed potatoes etc.
Cream Cheese:
Options: Several soy varieties on the market
Our Pick: Tofutti
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: Not good plain. Don’t plan on eating this on your morning bagel (yuck!). We eat our bagels with PB. However this is AWESOME in recipes; dips, cheesecakes, fillings etc
Parmesan Cheese:
Options: Two varieties on the market (soy and rice) It is a finely grated powder.
Our Pick: Galaxy’s Vegan Parm Cheese
Where to buy: WF’s. Maybe elsewhere?
Recs: Great on spaghetti or in recipes.
Cream:
Options: Canned coconut milk, soy milk or MimicCreme (nut milk)
Our Pick: All of the above, depends on how you are using them.
Where to buy: All stores sell canned coconut milk. MimicCreme is sold online or at WFs.
Recs: Would use the coconut or soy milks for ice cream or baking. We use MimicCreme for making alfredo sauce, soups etc.
Whipped Cream:
Options: Soy or rice
Our Pick: Soyatoo Rice Whipped Cream (the soy version is gross)
Where to buy: WFs
Recs: This is great fun for the kids. You can also make your own whipped cream from coconut milk.
Yogart:
Options: Soy or coconut
Our Pick: Silk or So Delicious
Where to buy: WFs or Sunflower or Sprouts
Recs: Different from cow’s milk yogart, may take awhile to get used to. Luckily taste buds are adaptable.
Eggs:
Options: Energy Egg Replacer (made from tapioca flour) or adopt your own hens
Our Pick: Both
Where to buy: Energy Egg Replacer is sold at WFs, Sunflower, and Sprouts
Recs: If you want scrambled eggs and you don’t want to adopt your own hens, try tofu scrambled eggs. The Energy Egg replacer is for recipes that require eggs… it works perfectly! AND you can lick the bowl without worrying about getting salmonella!
Mayo:
Options: The one, the only Vegenaise
Our Pick: Any variety of Vegenaise
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: Awesome and made with healthy oils. There is no reason for anyone to be eating mayonnaise these days
Salad Dressings:
Options: Many
Our Pick: OrganicVille Ranch Dressing.
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: If you read labels, most oil dressings are vegan. This Ranch dressing is great! Or make your own from scratch.
Hot dogs:
Options: Many types of soy dogs
Our Pick: Smart Dogs
Where to buy: TJs, WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: We have been eating them for 7 years and I don’t think I can remember what a cow-pig-hotdog even tastes like….
Gound beef:
Options: Soy crumbles made by Boca, Yves, Morning Star etc
Our Pick: Yves
Where to buy: TJs, WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: These are great for those who crave ground beef (not me). There is a taco, Asian, and “turkey” variety. They are all great and will even fool the most die hard carnivore. Also, if you like spicy there are soy chorizo types sold at TJs and WFs.
Chicken Nuggets:
Options: Many types (in the frozen section)
Our Pick: Gardein
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower
Recs: These are awesome!!! Some of the other types are mushy and not textured right. Be CAREFUL to read labels – even though some vege products are soy based – they might still add eggs or milk – so read the ingredients carefully.
Chicken:
Options: many types of patties, cutlets etc (in the frozen section)
Our Pick: Gardein!!!!
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower
Recs: All of Gardein’s products are awesome! The frozen “chicken” and “beef” are the best textured (according to my husband). Many varieties to choose from. WFs also sells Gardein “chicken breasts” in their prepared foods aisle – you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference! Awesome!
Burgers:
Options: MANY!
Our pick: Dr. Praeger’s Tex Mex Vege Burger
Where to buy: TJs, WFs, Sunflower, Sprouts
Recs: Try different types and see what you like. The soy varieties have a more meaty texture…Or you could always make your own from scratch!
Chicken Stock:
Why buy this? Vegetable Stock is better!
Gummies:
Options: Many types
Our Pick: Tasty Organic Gummies
Where to buy: WFs
Recs: All natural, yummy, and healthy! Why buy those gummies that claim to be fruit when they are just like candy!
Brownies:
Options: Only these two are vegan – trust me I read all the brownie boxes! Ghiradelli Dark Chocolate and Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate
Our Pick: Either one!
Where to buy: Any store
Recs: Use energy egg replacer and voila you made quick and easy vegan brownies!!!
Chocolate Chips:
Options: Dark chocolate varieties. TJs semi sweet chocolate chips are vegan!
Our pick: TJs semi-sweet chips
Where to buy: TJs
Recs: Awesome for everything! The white chocolate chips below you have to buy online from Food FIght in Oregon.
Chocolate syrup:
Options: Several fancy brands.
Our Pick: Ahlaska!
Where to buy: WFs, Sunflower
Recs: This is delicious and great for sundaes or milk!
Marshmallows:
Options: Only one – Dandies
Our Pick: Dandies
Where to buy: WFs or Green in Tempe Recs: Great for smores or rice krispie treats or rocky road brownies
Candy:
Options: Skittles, Laffy Taffy etc…but if you want Vegan Chocolate bars
Our Pick: Go Max Go Vegan Candy Bars Where to buy: WFs or online
Recs: THESE ARE THE BEST!!!!
Cookies:
Options: Lots of varieties in stores and online and right under our noses. TJs line of Jo-Jo’s are vegan (peppermint ones too!). WFs bakery makes the best vegan cookies. Most of Newman’s line of cookies are vegan too!
Our Pick: Too many to choose
Where to buy: All stores. Check online too (see websites below)
Recs: Enjoy with soy milk!
Cookie Dough:
Options: Make your own. But if in a bind and want something quick and yummie… then
Our Pick: Eat Pastry Vegan Cookie Dough
Where to buy: WFs (refrigerated section)
Recs: Yum. Yum. Yum.
Ice Cream:
Options: Soy, Coconut, Almond, Rice
Our Pick: So Delicious Coconut Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Where to buy: Everywhere, but WFs and Sprouts have the best variety
Recs: Totally delicious!!!! Nothing better than cruelty free ice cream – no reason to be eating ice cream from poor cows!
And of course:
Nutritional Yeast Flakes – high in protein, no fat, low carbs. Can be added to most recipes as a salty, nutty flavor. Used frequently in vegan cheese recipes. Sold at WFs, Sunflower and Sprouts.
Chia Seeds – high in protein, fiber, and omega 3’s. Sold at WFs, Sunflower and Sprouts. Can be added to smoothies, brownies or oatmeal etc etc
Ground Flax Seeds – high in fiber and omega 3’s. Sold everywhere. Also can be added to smoothies, brownies, oatmeal, breads, cakes, soups etc etc.
Arrowroot – For making ice cream! This is a vegetable root substitute for gelatin! You don’t have to eat animal hooves.
And don’t forget about your legumes and grains. They are easy to store in your pantry for a long time, are filled with protein and vitamins and are inexpensive!!! Like my brother taught me as a child... beans are the magical food! The more you eat, the more you… J Beans and brothers, can’t live without them!
