Nowadays more and more people are interested in plant-based food and various vegan alternatives to foods of animal origin. But what vegan food is there on the market today? How are they different from traditional products? In this article we take a look at the many options that await us both in our own kitchen and when we go shopping.
meat substitutes
There are now a variety of vegan meat alternatives on the market such as tofu, seitan, tempeh, soy and pea protein. These products are often very similar to their animal counterparts in taste and texture. They can be used as a substitute in almost any dish.
milk substitutes
There are also many vegan alternatives for dairy products such as soy milk, almond milk, oat milk and cashew milk as well as hemp or pea milk. These milk substitutes are usually rich in nutrients. They can be fortified with calcium and therefore offer a good alternative to cow's milk.
The taste of vegan milk varies depending on the type of nuts or seeds used in its preparation. Some brands add flavorings like vanilla extract, while others don't include any sweeteners at all. It is best to look out for the addition “without sugar” when buying, but beware: oats naturally contain sugar and the long-chain carbohydrates are converted into polysaccharides during the fermentation process during the production of oat milk. Therefore, industrially produced oat drinks are not sugar-free and usually have a sweet taste.
egg substitutes
When it comes to eggs, there are a variety of natural plant foods that have the same properties as eggs in cooking and baking. For example, some banana puree, applesauce, soy and chickpea flour or swollen linseed and chia seeds can be used as binding agents for baking. The necessary fluffiness, which egg whites bring when baking, works just as well with sparkling water or whipped aquafaba - this is the viscous cooking water from chickpeas or other legumes such as beans, which is also present in pickled fruits in cans or jars. Alternatively, a mixture of different types of binding flour or ground seeds can usually be used to bind and loosen cakes and pastries to make vegan egg substitutes
Cheese Substitutes
The enjoyment of cheese, which is indispensable for many people, can now be replaced by all possible variants of vegan cheese. From classic sliced or spread cheese to vegan Feta (Veta) and Camembert (Vamembert) to vegan Parmesan. Vegan cheese is usually made from nuts such as cashews and almonds or based on coconut oil and is a good source of protein. The products have similar properties to their animal counterparts and are suitable for a variety of dishes.
confectionery
Ice cream, biscuits, chocolate, gummy bears & Co. can also be found in a variety of vegan forms. Just as delicious as their animal counterparts, these products are a great choice for vegans and anyone wanting to avoid animal products. Despite the plant-based ingredients, you should pay attention to the sugar content of the products when it comes to confectionery.
Conclusion: Today there are a large number of vegan alternatives for almost all areas of nutrition, which enable vegans to eat a varied and healthy diet without forgoing the well-known enjoyment of animal products. Regardless of whether animal products are avoided for ethical, health or ecological reasons - there are enough options for everyone.
Which vegan products can be found on the market?
Vegan milk alternatives
Vegan milk is mostly made from soy, grains, nuts or seeds. The most commonly used vegan milk types are soy and oat milk, as they are quite cheap and have a creamy consistency - similar to that of cow's milk. However, there are also many other nut or grain-based milk alternatives such as almond milk, cashew milk, spelled drink, rice drink or a combination of different plant varieties.
Almost all plant drinks can be easily made at home . With oat milk, this is particularly easy either from soaked oat grains or in just a few minutes from oatmeal .
If you prefer to buy a ready-made plant milk: We think drinks from Velike are particularly cool! , whose oats are 100% organic and grow in the Black Forest in Baden-Württemberg. By Velike! there are fresh and long-life oat milk in different varieties, cooking cream, oat yoghurt and now even oat ice cream in different varieties. The summer can come :)
Vegan Cheese
The consistency of vegan cheese logically depends on the type and ingredients. Some are softer than others, so not every variety is suitable for every recipe - as with cheese made from cow's, sheep's or goat's milk. Vegan cheese can be used wonderfully in many dishes such as lasagne, casseroles or even for cheese spaetzle.
Our favorite for grated cheese is definitely the SimplyV Grating . Made on an almond basis, it melts perfectly on pizza, gratins or simply directly on pasta and also makes a nice crust - Mhhhh?
Thanks to the Vegan Creamery Newroots, you no longer have to do without raclette cheese and cheese fondue . The two founders from Switzerland did not want to give up their great passion for cheese, but at the same time wanted to protect the rights of animals. They therefore opted for a plant-based production of cheese without animal husbandry. Their handcrafted, organic cashew-based cheese products have "an estimated ten times lower environmental impact than animal-derived cheeses" ( New Roots) . We definitely think this is future-proof!
If you like raclette as much as we do and would like to find out more about the different types of vegan raclette cheese on the market, the best thing to do is take a look at Stephie's raclette cheese guide . Or you can easily make your own melted raclette cheese from cashews, potatoes, carrots, yeast flakes and milk, which runs wonderfully in the pan. By the way, a simple vegan yeast melt is also wonderful for gratinating oven dishes :)
Vegan yogurt
Vegan yogurt is usually made from soy, oats, or coconut and can be used as a substitute for dairy yogurt. Vegan yogurts are a rich source of protein, calcium and vitamin B12. Whether in muesli, with fruit, for baking, as a creamy topping or simply on its own - vegan yoghurt is now in no way inferior to yoghurt made from cow's milk! For fruit yoghurt or chocolate lovers, vegan yoghurt is of course also available in a wide variety of flavors such as cherry, mango & Co. as well as vanilla, chocolate or even stracciatella.
The range of vegan yoghurts is huge - their production and taste vary accordingly. Soya yoghurts are currently our favorites when it comes to taste. The soy natural yoghurt tastes heavenly mild and creamy - almost to put in ;) And even alternatives for quark lovers: inside offers Soyade in different flavors.
If you want to enjoy something more regional, the best thing to do is to try the Luve yoghurts based on domestic lupine seeds from Germany (more precisely from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), which are very well tolerated in cultivation. In terms of space requirement, water and CO2 consumption, the sweet lupine performs more than well in comparison to cow's milk and also to other types of grain and nuts. The Lughurts are natural or in different flavors and you can even feast on chocolate or vanilla desserts made from lupine.
Vegan butter
Vegan butter substitutes usually consist of vegetable oils such as sunflower or rapeseed oil, coconut or shea fat or oats. Palm oil is often added to the fat spread, although oil palm plantations are very questionable ecologically and socially and ethically . So make sure you buy palm oil-free vegan butter. Vegan butter can be used in both cooking and baking, just like cow's milk butter or margarine. There are many different types of vegan butter, including whipped butter or refined with salt. The Allgäukind overview shows you many delicious vegan butters and various palm oil-free alternatives.
We like the spreadable and unbeatably tasty oat block from The Vegan Cow best on bread. It is 100% organic and palm oil-free, consists of climate-friendly German oats and is packaged in plastic-free paper. That's how we like it!
Another vegan brand we love is VeHappy . From yoghurt, butter, cheese, biscuits and chocolate to bratwurst and burgers, VeHappy has everything your heart desires. Keep an eye out for it the next time you visit Edeka :)
As you can see, there is an almost infinite number of vegan alternatives for a wide variety of products on the market today. And the best part is that they taste super good! So if you're changing your diet or just want to try something new, you should definitely give them a try ?
