A number of health and cultural reasons are pushing more of us towards a meat-free diet in recent years. While vegetarians don’t eat any meat, vegans eliminate any foods that are products of animals as well, including dairy and eggs. With meat and dairy so ingrained in the American diet, it might seem impossible to cut our dependence on animal products. The idea of learning to cook new products is daunting and finding foods that are as filling and protein-rich can be a lot of work. But trying simple swaps can make a difference in the planet’s health and your own.
1. Eggs
Tons of vegan egg brands are out there that make it easy to produce egg-free dishes, but if you’re looking to make a vegan egg scramble, tofu is a sure bet. Tofu is often pureed to replicate eggs in baking (aquafaba, or chickpea liquid, replicates egg whites) and shredded to take on the perfect egg consistency in a tofu scramble. It cooks the same way in the pan and can be combined with any of your favorite omelet toppings and seasonings (don’t forget the home fries and toast)!
2. Butter
Butter is used for so many things that it seems impossible to replicate without processed imitations—but not so! Just as it has become easy to find milk substitutions from almonds, cashews, oats, etc., most grocery stores have butter alternatives from a variety of seeds and nuts. As a baking ingredient, people often use pureed avocado, pumpkin, or apple sauce too.
3. Pulled Pork
With a perfect shredded meat consistency, jackfruit makes for a super satisfying, vegan version of pulled pork. While you’ll need to find a recipe you prefer (or simply simmer in BBQ sauce), you might actually find it faster and easier to get your jackfruit to a juicy, soft consistency than cooking pork.
4. Ice Cream
For ice cream lovers, it’s hard to imagine there could be any suitable substitute, but some fan favorite brands have made vegan ice cream flavors that will make you forget your scoops are dairy free. Trader Joe’s offers a variety of affordable ice creams made from milk alternatives. They’re constantly coming out with flavors that are so bold and delicious, you might prefer it over regular ice cream brands. Brave Robot makes milk proteins from microflora, like yeast, to create ice cream with extremely similar taste and texture to the dairy-based varieties without harming any animals in the process. Cado is a brand that cold processes avocados into ice cream. While you will detect its creaminess, there’s no avocado flavor; instead Cado’s decadent flavors include Deep Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Mud Pie.
5. Bacon
It might be tough for some, but swapping out bacon for vegan options is good for humans and pigs. Tempeh, made of fermented soy, is hearty, savory, packed with protein, and shares a similar consistency with bacon. Many fry tempeh in oil, soy sauce, and paprika or maple syrup for the best bacon flavors without the meat.
