Here’s a quick rundown of the best products to make being vegan an easy choice:

• Download the HappyCow app now. Use it any time you want to go out to eat or while you’re traveling.
• The best burgers, sausages, beef crumbles (for tacos) or stock to invest in (BYND) is Beyond Meat. You can find their burgers and sausages at many restaurants and even at places like Yankee Stadium. Impossible Foods is pretty good too. It’s a little too much like animal flesh and has too many ingredients that I don’t love but it’s still a better choice than a carcass.
• The second best sausages (among other proteins) and one of the best cheeses (Chao) is made by Field Roast.
• The best cheeses overall, especially the shreds for pizzas or tacos, are made by Violife. Their sliced deli cheeses and Parmesan are amazing too.
• Gardein makes some of the best proteins around. They’ve been around longer than the companies listed above so they’re sometimes forgotten or overlooked by the vegan community but all their products are consistently good.
• The best premium cheese company is Miyoko’s. Cream cheese, fresh mozzarella, cheese wheels, etc. All of them are very good.
• The best ice cream is anything made from cashew milk by So Delicious. Ben & Jerry’s makes great dairy-free ice cream too. So Delicious makes a great unsweetened vanilla yogurt.
• If you like eggs, then JUST Egg is just for you (see what I did there?). Their website isn’t working right now so I can’t link to it at this moment. They have made some amazing products but their JUST Egg is the best of them all. Unfortunately, they’ve had some manufacturing issues and everything besides the JUST Egg can be hard to come by (or is no longer produced).

While the companies listed above are the best of the best, you can’t go wrong with the following companies when exploring new foods:

• Tofurky – A family run business that’s been around forever, you’ve probably heard of Tofurky. Their deli “meats” are excellent. The rest of their stuff is just ok but it’s a company that’s worth supporting when you can.
• Daiya – Been around a long, long time. First to the market with a shredded cheese that pizza places would offer. Some people love it, some hate it. Their cheesecakes are pretty good and their cream cheese is ok. Personally, I like their shredded cheese for pizza (second to Violife, of course).
• Dandies – Marshmallows aren’t even vegetarian thanks to gelatin. But Dandies has you covered.

Most of these items can be found at Whole Foods. More frequently, places like Target or your local grocery store will have them as well. If not, ask them and they will start to carry these types of items. The only way to get more supply is to create the demand. If you can’t find these items locally or you want to try some new stuff, Vegan Essentials is a great online store. It’s a little expensive but worth every penny.

What do I eat for Thanksgiving and Christmas?

The best option here is a holiday roast. For your money, the best option is from Trader Joe’s. Gardein and Field Roast also make great options. Stay away from the stuff made by Vegetarian Plus or Tofurky.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Thanks!