Friday, July 29, 2011

My Favorite Vegan "Dairy" Products


I read somewhere once that becoming vegan is a process, and I have learned this to be definitely true.  It is hardly an overnight achievement that you decide one night as you fall sleep—to wake up and be completely vegan.  It is more like a series of stages and challenges to be completed one at a time. And when you have nothing left to change, well...then you are vegan!

One of the toughest challenges for me was giving up dairy.  I think this is where a lot of people may have trouble.  We are so used to having milk, eggs and cheese in everything that it can become overwhelming trying to learn how to shop, cook and eat without them.  When I first started shopping vegan, I spent hours in the store reading the labels just trying to find a product that did not contain dairy, and it was not easy! One can so easily become frustrated and just give up.

Dairy substitutes can help make things easier.  Being able to substitute your dairy products for a great vegan option can help to ease the transition.   The trouble is knowing which products are good and which are just a waste of money.  So I have listed a few of my favorite products that I think are worth trying.  I hope you enjoy them!


Coffee Creamer

One of the most important things I needed to ensure for me was a good way to still have my morning coffee and keep it vegan. I just do not like the way the powder non-dairy creamers taste in my coffee.  I'm a big coffee drinker and I love to have it with a bit of flavor. Silk's creamer does the trick.  It is smooth and creamy and comes in Regular, Hazelnut and French Vanilla.



Soy Milk

If you were a big milk drinker (as was I), it can be quite difficult adjusting to the flavor of diary-free milks. But don't get worried about your morning cereal, there are quite a few good options that with time, you will enjoy much better than cow's milk.  My favorite is Silk Soy Milk. After a while, you will wonder why you even drank cow's milk.  It comes in regular, chocolate and vanilla.  The best is vanilla...trust me, even my teenagers now request it!

Sandwich Spread

Looking to make a great potato salad or have a yummy veggie sandwich?  When looking for a dairy-free mayo, I found Nayonaise and loved it! I have not even tried another product. I hear that Veganaise is good too, but I am happy with Nayonaise.  From what I have read, it is the Miracle Whip and Veganaise is the mayo. I suppose this is why I like it so much, I always did prefer Miracle Whip to mayo.


Soy Yogurt

I love this Silk Vanilla Soy Yogurt! This is one of my favorite vegan finds.  It comes in a pint size container so it's great for making smoothies, parfaits, or just eating right out of the container.  I use it to make my morning parfait with frozen blueberries, strawberries and maple granola...so good for breakfast or for just a snack. Even if you're not vegan, you will love this yogurt.



Single Serving Soy Yogurt

If you're looking for a great single serving soy yogurt, O'Soy is a great choice.  It comes in a pack of six—three peach and three strawberry. Both flavors taste really good! These are perfect for taking on the go. I usually pack one in my lunch for work and I bring a little granola to put on top. I was worried at first that I just wasn't going to like the taste of soy yogurt, but I really do enjoy this one!


Vegan Cheese

It is not easy (at least not for me) to find vegan cheese in the grocery stores.  I have only found it at Whole Food's and I have not found too many different choices. I have tried just a few and I can say there really is no reason to try any other than Daiya! I have used this to make pizza, quesadillas and pasta dishes and it works great. It melts really good and tastes yummy. My husband actually likes this better on the pizza than regular cheese..so it must be good!

Buttery Spread

After going vegan, I wondered what was I going to put on my toast now! Luckily I came across Earth Balance and I am so glad I did. It is so good and you really can not tell that it is not dairy.  It spreads easy and works well in cooking and baking. It's more expensive than butter or margarine, but it is definitely worth it!