Everyone has their own opinion on what fake meats or fake cheeses are the best, but we usually agree on which ones leave much to be desired. Many people have had a single bad veggie burger and been scarred for life, so it’s important that you try one of the better products. Often times, these meat substitutes can be found in the produce section of the store. Here are some of the notable unanimous favorites:
Fake cheeses: Daiya Mozzarella, Daiya Cheddar, Tofutti Cream Cheese, Tofutti Sour Cream
* Without a doubt, these are the best vegan cheeses on the market. A recent development, the only place that you can find these are at the Duck Soup Co-op. Perfect for pizzas or sandwiches.
Vegan Butter/Margarine: Earth Balance Buttery Spread or Buttery Sticks
* Earth Balance has the same rich taste of butter but without the cholesterol, and is free of trans-fats and hydrogenated oils. You can find it at Duck Soup Co-op.
Fake sausage: Tofurkey Beer Brats, Field Grain Roast Company Apple Sage Sausages
* These don’t really taste too much like a brat – they taste WAY better! An excellent substitute for the meat version, these also come packed with 20+grams of protein and zero cholesterol! Again, find these at the Co-op.
Fake hot dogs: Lightlife jumbo hot dogs, Tofurkey hot dogs
* Both can be found at the co-op, and the Lightlife can also be found at Jewel.
Fake sandwich meats: Lightlife turkey deli slices, Lightlife baloney deli slices, Tofurkey oven roasted turkey slices
* The Lightlife products can be found at Jewel, and the Tofurkey can be found at the Co-op
Fake chicken: West Soy Seitan, Morningstar Farms chick’n strips (freezer aisle), Gardein chick’n breasts (freezer aisle), Boca Chik’n Patties (freezer aisle)
* West Soy Seitan is at the Co-op (check back on the recipes page later for an awesome seitan recipe that you can make at home for much cheaper!), MF chick’n strips are at Target, and Gardein is at Jewel and Shnucks.
Fake chicken tenders/nuggets: Gardein chik’n tenders (freezer aisle), Boca chik’n nuggets (freezer aisle)
* Gardein is at Jewel and Shnucks, and Boca is at Jewel
Fake beef: Gardein beef tips (freezer aisle), Nate’s Meatless Meatballs (freezer aisle), Morningstar Farms BBQ Riblets (freezer aisle)
* Gardein is at Jewel and Shnucks
Turkey substitute: Tofurkey roast (usually freezer aisle), Field Grain Roast Company Celebration Roast (usually freezer aisle)
* Tofurkey is available at the Co-op, but the Field Grain Roast is only available at your closest Whole Foods (which probably isn’t very close)
