From reducing your risk of various diseases, losing weight, and feeling more energized to taking care of animals, reducing your carbon footprint and environmental impact, there are many reasons why you might want to become a vegan and the benefits associated with going vegan. “Going vegan” can mean different things to different guys. While some focus solely on removing all animal products (including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and honey) from their diet, others commit fully to embracing a vegan lifestyle, eliminating all animal products or products tested on animals from their home, personal care products, clothing, etc.
Going vegan can initially feel like a sacrifice, as there can be many foods and go-to favorite products your new lifestyle will no longer support. However, the good news is that veganism is much more than a flash-in-the-pan fad; rather, it’s been — and continues to be — a growing movement gaining support and popularity from consumers and brands alike. So, whether you’re putting aside meat, eggs, cheese, leather, and the like for the first time, are curious about vegan food products, or have been committed to doing your part for animals and the planet for years, keep reading for some of our top picks and recommendations for the best foods, drinks, clothing items, and lifestyle products for vegans.
Food
Undoubtedly, the most difficult or significant thing involved with going vegan is changing your diet. A vegan diet is free from all meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products (milk, cheese, ice cream,), mayonnaise, and honey. Adopting a vegan diet, or other healthy plant-based diets can be as simple as removing these foods and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
However, if you find yourself missing the taste, texture, and ritual of eating meat, dairy, and other animal products, the good news is that there are now tons of vegan substitutes that you can happily enjoy. Some vegan meat substitutes, vegan cheeses, plant-based milk, and vegan honey are more convincible in their likeness to the “real thing” than others, while some are particularly healthy or tasty in their own right, even if they lack more of the characteristics of a true meat or animal product. Some of our favorite vegan foods are below.
Vegan-Friendly Meat Substitutes
While a couple of decades ago, your only option for a vegan meat substitute was a dry, chunky, and frankly unappetizing veggie burger, these days you can get a vegan version of meat — from burgers to sausage, bacon to ribs, meatballs to pepperoni. Some fast-food establishments even have vegan burgers such as the Impossible Burger on the menu. Our pick for the most convincing vegan meats is The Very Good Butcher.
Not only do they offer curated boxes of high-quality vegan meats, but you can also buy just about any vegan meat you want individually. The burgers and meatballs are fantastic, and the vegan breakfast sausage has the rich, juicy texture and umami flavor you’d expect from any good pork or turkey sausage. Moreover, it’s fortified with vitamin B12 (among others), which is fantastic since it’s difficult to meet the dietary requirements of this critical energy-producing nutrient on a vegan diet.
Vegan Chicken Nuggets
You don’t have to be a kid to love chicken nuggets. That said, if you do have little ones at home and want the whole family on board with the new vegan diet, it’s unlikely even the most discerning little palates will second guess if MorningStar Farms Incogmeato Plant-Based Chik’n Nuggets aren’t the real thing: they’re that good and that reminiscent of real chicken. Not only is the name cute, but these non-GMO soy-based vegan chicken nuggets are also crispy, juicy, flaky in all the right ways, and downright delicious. They also contain 45% less fat than the real thing and nine grams of healthy protein. The MorningStar Farms Incogmeato Plant-Based Chik’n Nuggets also come in a fun Mickey Mouse shape and there are options for chicken tenders as well.
Vegan Taco Meat
You don’t have to forego Taco Tuesday as a vegan. The Plant Boss Southwest Plant Taco Crumbles is a vegan, shelf-stable, plant-based protein seasoned just like taco meat. Unlike most vegan meat alternatives, Plant Boss is free from soy and gluten, as it is made with 15 grams of satiating pea protein. While it’s not quite a one-to-one match in terms of texture and flavor with ground beef, its superior nutritional profile and allergy-friendly formulation more than warrant a solid recommendation.
Vegan Cheese
Almost everyone likes — or loves — at least some sort of ooey-gooey cheese. Unfortunately, vegan cheeses don’t melt well, as they are often made of cashews and nutritional yeast, which just don’t have that delicious, melty texture. In terms of the best cheese for pizza, pasta, tacos, or other dishes where you want a nice, smooth melt, we recommend Moocho Shreds. These non-GMO, dairy-free shreds come in a variety of flavors and styles and can be enjoyed hot or cold. Another great option is Daiya, a vegan cheese company with tons of options for dairy-free cheeses and cheese products, including quite a few types of creamy vegan Mac & Cheese. Daiya is free of dairy, gluten, soy, eggs, peanuts, fish, and shellfish.
Vegan Dairy: Milk, Yogurt, Cream, and Ice Cream
Many people find that cutting out dairy is one of the hardest parts of going vegan; after all, milk, cream, ice cream, yogurt, butter, and cheese are a mainstay in the typical American diet and found as an ingredient in tons of foods. There are many plant-based milks, like almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, and coconut milk. If you’re a big milk drinker, we recommend investing in something like the Almond Cow’s Milk Maker. This sleek gadget is a zero-waste alternative to buying store-bought plant-based milks, which can be quite expensive. In fact, since its founding in 2018, Almond Cow has saved over 1,500,000 single-use plastics from going into production. Plus, the Almond Cow Milk Maker is super easy to use: all you do is add water and any nut, seed, or grain, press one button, and this powerful Machine produces 5-6 cups of fresh, dairy-free milk in less than a minute.
When it comes to vegan yogurt, ice cream, and creamer, we recommend products from So Delicious. Most of the products are made from coconut milk, but there are other alternatives as well. The yogurts are creamy, thick, rich, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and, of course, vegan. Plus, you can dig into traditional yogurt flavors like plain, vanilla, strawberry, or peach, or enjoy dessert-inspired cups of chocolate, key lime pie, coco almond crunch, salted caramel cluster, and more for a healthy vegan treat. You can’t go wrong with any of the So Delicious vegan ice creams either!
Vegan Eggs
Aside from dairy, the biggest difference between a vegetarian diet and a vegan diet is the elimination of eggs. Just Egg should be your go-to plant-based, vegan egg alternative. Not only are these eggs sustainable, and free from any association with the problematic chicken industry, but they are also free from cholesterol. Plus, unlike many vegan egg substitutes, they’re packed with five grams of satiating protein and are non-GMO. They are easy to scramble into fluffy eggs or omelets and can be used in baking, French toast, quiche, fried rice, etc.
Vegan Bread
Bread may not be the first thing that comes to mind when brainstorming a list of the foods you’ll need to remove or change in your diet when going vegan. Once you bite into your first slice of Angelic Bakehouse bread, you’ll wish you had adopted a vegan diet ages ago if only to nudge you into discovering this scrumptious bread. The sprouted whole grain is moist, slightly sweet, and has a perfect toothsome texture. It contains more protein and fiber and less sugar than most commercial bread. Not only is it vegan and non-GMO, but it’s also free from dairy, nuts, soy, and sesame. They have great varieties like Whole Grain Bread, Reduced Sodium Bread, Raisin Wheat Bread, Whole Grain Rye Bread, and Wheat Bread.
Vegan Protein Bars
Your options for vegan protein bars are now nearly as extensive as the whey-, egg-, collagen-, and casein-containing bars, but among the sea of choices, our recommendation is to go with 88 Acres Plant-Based Seed Protein Bars. These organic, well-balanced vegan protein bars are packed with 12 grams of pumpkin seed, protein, and healthy fats, and are also free from the top eight allergens. They have a pleasant texture and are rich in superfoods, micronutrients, and antioxidants. You can choose from tasty flavors like Banana Bread and Dark Chocolate Brownie. 88 Acres also makes a delicious line of granola bars, seed butter (peanut butter alternatives), and other nutritious vegan snacks.
Vegan Honey
Delectably sweet honey doesn’t just make a soothing cup of tea all the more delicious, but there are also quite a few health benefits. However, honey is considered an animal product so if you’re going to be following a strict vegan diet, it’s time to put your honey bear aside and grab vegan honey. There aren’t many convincing vegan honey substitutes. Most of them are quite thin and runny with a flavor that does little to remind you of real honey. BlenditUp Organic Bee Free Vegan Honey is still pretty thin but tastes great. It’s made from apples, so it’s not only vegan and kind to bees, but it’s safe for infants. You can use it just like you would any regular honey.
Vegan Chocolates
Milk chocolate and white chocolate always contain milk unless they are specifically designed to be vegan. Some dark chocolates are naturally dairy-free, depending on the percentage of cocoa. Fortunately, chocolatiers have embraced the vegan community with some dreamy, indulgent dairy-free chocolates for vegans. We love Cocomels. Not only are there tons of delicious Cocomels chocolates to choose from, but they are all plant-based, vegan, cholesterol-free, corn syrup-free, USDA Organic, and low in sugar. They even have a new Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate with less than one gram of sugar. But don’t worry, it’s delicious.
Vegan Clothing and Accessories
Some guys choose to just stick with a vegan diet when going vegan, especially if making the switch for health reasons. However, if the environmental and animal rights benefits of veganism are motivating your lifestyle change, you’ll need to start checking labels for leather, gelatin, and other animal products. Most vegans also choose to forego products from brands that test their products on animals. A few of the top vegan accessories are below.
Bags and Footwear
Matt & Nat is a cruelty-free vegan bag company dedicated to social and environmental responsibility, inclusiveness, integrity, and quality. They have an extensive array of premium vegan leather bags and briefcases. For example, the Tom Vegan briefcase from their Unify Dwell Collection. Not only is it vegan, but the lining is made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles.
Footwear
Avesu makes stylish, cruelty-free, vegan leather footwear. You can get anything from classy business shoes to sneakers, boots, and more. They even have great vegan belts, wallets, gloves, and bags.
Skincare
When it comes to skincare, we love KOA, not only because we stand behind their mission to balance skin, self, and the planet for individual and collective well-being, but also because their skincare products are ridiculously effective and chic. All their products are formulated with a deeply personal and cultural significance, and powered by healing and nourishing Hawaiian botanicals like Hawaiian White Ginger, Noni Fruit, Kukui Seed Oil, and Macadamia Seed Oil. They have sent zero carbon footprint, contain no animal byproducts, and are never tested on animals. The Full Set is perfect for men with sensitive skin. It contains its premium cleanser, balancing toner, moisturizer, and anti-pollution mineral sunscreen.
Condoms
Yes, many condoms aren’t vegan because they contain animal byproducts, such as casein or components derived from sheep, or have been tested on animals. However, Glyde’s condoms are casein-free, comfortable, and ethical- and vegan-certified.
