updated 3 July 2020
CHANGING TO A VEGAN DIET
When Graham first decided to become vegan the first time we really struggled with it.
A lot of the veggie dishes I cooked were vegan anyway, but there wasn't really any good alternatives for the things that make vegan living easier and no quick bites to grab on the go.
10 years on and Graham tried again, this time it was a lot easier.
I was more aware of vegan options when I was cooking and there were more and more products available.
He's now been vegan for 5 years (2017) and as his diet has changed so has ours as a family.
OUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTS
Today I'd like to share with you our favourite vegan products. These are the products we enjoy as a family. This is not brand driven, just what we think are the best products.
Dairy alternatives, dairy free ingredients as well as treats such as crisps, sweets and chocolate.
Just remember that a vegan diet should start with fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, seeds and pulses. These are the building blocks of a healthy diet.
Other items should be a smaller part of your diet.
Check out my recipe index for lots of easy and healthy vegan recipes.
I mostly shop at Tesco as it's close to me and I can find everything I need, but most supermarkets have a good range of vegan products and it's getting better every day.
VEGAN DAIRY
VEGAN BUTTER AND CHEESE
Pure Sunflower Spread- We sometimes buy another spread, but this is our regular buy. We spread it on bread and toast and I use it when I bake.
Violife Original- This is our favourite cheddar alternative.
When Graham turned vegan we didn't buy vegan cheese for the first couple of years, it was so smelly and nasty, but then along came Violife.
Made the traditional way cheese is but with coconut. It smells pleasant, melts like cheddar and has a decent cheddar flavour, although very mild.
Violife Prosociano- This is the Violife alternative to parmesan and it's really good. It has the right texture for a parmesan and it has that strong tang. Just fab!
Violife Creamy Original - a cream cheese alternative. Graham loves this on sandwiches and toast, but I use it to make a rather luxurious cheesecake which has no tofu or cashew nuts in it.
We also buy Violife's version of feta cheese. It's good on a salad but if you're putting it in the oven, so so at the last minute or it will melt away to nothing.
For Mozzarella we buy Violife grated or supermarket own brand coconut based mozzarella, which melts better thank other types.
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| Vegan No-Bake Oreo and Caramel Cheesecake |
made with vegan cream cheese
VEGAN MILK, PLAIN YOGHURT AND CREAM
Koko Dairy Free Original Plus Calcium- a alternative to fresh milk and our favourite.
Alpro Fresh Roasted Almond - This milk is unsweetened which is great for making a vegan white sauce for lasagne or a cheese sauce for macaroni cheese. I used to make the cheese sauce cheesy with nutritional yeast, onion powder and garlic powder, but now I just grate some Violife cheddar in. Much easier.
Tesco Free From Natural Yoghurt- this yoghurt is unsweetened which is handy for adding to sauces when making pasta sauces and curries.
Alpro Soya Single- chilled single cream. I use this a lot in sauces for pasta.
Oatly Creamy Oat Fraiche - I make the most gorgeous mushroom sauce with this. I serve it mixed through pasta, but it would be great on gnocchi, on toast or on a burger.
Mushroom sauce
I saute lots of sliced mushrooms and some crushed garlic in a little olive oil until soft,seasoning in well with a little salt and lot of black pepper while it is cooking.
At this point I pour in a glug of white wine and a little vegetable stock and leave that to cook down until the sauce is thick, then I pour in some of the Alpro single cream and some of the Oatly Creme Fraiche and some fresh basil.
Absolutely delicious!
VEGAN MILKSHAKE, YOGHURT & MOUSSE
Oatly Chocolate- Cooper and Graham love this chocolate milk and it never reaches the fridge. While the groceries being unpacked, you can guarantee my boys are drinking this. It seems to be their reward for going through the hell of shopping.
Coconut Collaborative Little Chocolate Pots- These are rather pricey, but very luxurious little pots of chocolate mousse.
Alpro Devilishly Dark Chocolate- more of a dessert than a yoghurt. A real chocolate hit.
Alpro Pineapple, Passionfruit and Peach- I like my yoghurts fruity and this really hits the spot.
VEGAN STORE CUPBOARD
VEGAN PASTA AND PIZZA SAUCE
Sacla Vegan Pesto- (Gluten Free & Vegan) - I love homemade pesto, but this is my store cupboard standby. I always have a couple of jars in the cupboard to stir through pasta or to spread on sandwiches, wraps or bruschetta.
Asda Tomato & Garlic Pasta Sauce - A stir-in sauce for last minute dinners.
Tomato and Herb Pizza Topper - I have a great blender recipe for pizza sauce that's quick to make, but this is a really tasty standby. Use it on pizza bases or make quick baguette pizzas under the grill.
Seeds of Change Organic Tomato and Basil Sauce - I prefer homemade pasta sauce, but sometimes time isn't on our side, so this is a tasty and quick substitute.
VEGAN CONDIMENTS
Hellman's Vegan Mayo - This is a game-changer in vegan mayo. It is as silky and creamy as the original. Just gorgeous!
Siracha Hot Chilli Sauce - If you're looking for a hot sauce, this is it. We like it stirred through plain yoghurt as a sauce or dip, but go on drizzle it over sandwich or wrap fillings or on a burger or hot dog for a real kick.
Sweet Chilli Sauce - This is a good one to have in your store cupboard. It's also great drizzled on sandwich and wrap fillings or as a dip.
Harissa - This Moroccan paste is always in our fridge. We mix it into plain yoghurt to serve with quesadillas, but I also add it to sauces and stews to ramp up the flavour.
American Mustard - We keep this in the fridge to serve with burgers and sausages, but I occasionally spread it on sandwiches to give them a kick too.
Wholegrain Mustard - I add this to sandwiches, spread it on burger buns, when we are having burgers.
I add it to homemade pastries and pies like my layered burger pies, haggis and potato pastiesand Scottish savoury puffs. I also whisk it up with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to make a tasty salad dressing.
Chippa Worcester Sauce - A veggie alternative to standard Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies. It adds a lot of flavour to gravy and sauces. I add it to my Scottish mushroom stewand my veggie shepherd's pie.
VEGAN SWEET SPREADS
Sweet Freedom Choc Pot Chocolate- A good substitute for Nutella. Even better it's 75% less fat and half the calories and NO palm oil!
Pip & Nut Crunchy Peanut Butter - What can I say? I love this stuff on sandwiches, but I also add it to some of my soups and sauces as well as when I'm baking. I use it in my vegan banana bread.
It's one of the best peanut butters and it's palm oil free.
Pip & Nut Almond Butter - I used this to make quick almond and raisin cookies, which are amazing, but it tastes great on toast or rice cakes too.
Hey Boo Coconut Caramel - I got this one from M&S. It's very pricey, but a little goes a long way and it's heavenly! I drizzle some of this on top of my banana bread.
VEGAN JELLY & CUSTARD
Hartley's Ready to Eat Jelly - Lovely little jelly post, but skip the strawberry and raspberry as they use carmine as a colouring which is not vegan.
Hartley's Raspberry Flavour Glitter Jelly - this sets quite firm. I make little jelly pots in small glasses and top them with custard and fresh raspberries or sprinkles. I also use it to make my Scottish strawberry trifle.
Alpro Vanilla Soya Custard- eat it straight, team it with jelly or serve it hot with your favourite pudding.
VEGAN HOME BAKING
CAKE & BAKE INGREDIENTS
Betty Crocker Chocolate Fudge Frosting - one of the accidental vegan ingredients and the perfect topping for cakes to save you time. Of course you can make your own with dairy free spread, cocoa and icing sugar.
Betty Crocker Vanilla Buttercream- another easy topping for cakes.
Linseeds - this is another name for flax seeds, but stick to linseeds as they are cheaper. I add them to smoothies, porridge and burgers for a nutritional boost, but they are also my key ingredient in vegan eggs, also known as flax eggs.
VEGAN CHILLED FOOD
FALAFEL, TOFU & VEGGIE HAGGIS
Great Food Delicate Tuscan Vegetable Bites- I love these bites. I add them to sandwiches and salads.
Cauldren Food Falafel- These are a staple in our house. Cooper loves them in his packed lunch and Graham and I love them on sandwiches with hummus, grated carrot and mango chutney.
Simon Howie Vegetarian Haggis- this is great with neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potatoes) with a gravy, but it is also good in pasties, beer battered and I make a great nut loaf with it.
Naked Tofu - a plain tofu from The Tofoo Co.- a vegan essential. This does need pressed and marinated, so set aside some time.
Cauldron Marinated Tofu Pieces- and these are ready to go. Already pressed and marinated.
Morinu Silken Tofu - I use this to make a sin-free chocolate mousse that's full of protein and healthy. I also buy silken and standard tofu from my local Chinese supermarket.
VEGAN PASTRY
Jus Roll Pain au Chocolate - what more can I say, freshly baked pain au chocolate, hot from the oven on a Sunday morning.
Jus Rol Puff Pastry - handy to have in the fridge for making pasties, pies and tarts.
Jus Rol Shortcrust Pastry - another handy one for making pies, savoury and sweet.
Supermarket brand pastry is usually vegan too, just watch out for the 'all butter' types as they really aren't suitable.
For pastry recipes check out my guide 25 Awesome Puff Pastry Recipes for Vegans.
HUMMUS
Tesco Broad Bean Asparagus And Mint Houmous - I love this stuff. Pass me this and some oatcakes and I am happy. Unfortunately this one is season. When you see it, grab it!
Tesco Sweet Chilli Houmous - this one is Graham's favourite, when I don't make some fresh hummus(that's how I spell it), he goes through tubs of this a week.
Tesco Houmous - because sometimes you just want it straight up.
Of course there are endless brands of hummus that are wonderful, we just buy this as this is where we shop.
Try making your own too. Start with my recipe for easy hummus, then try my kale, coriander and hemp hummus.
VEGAN FREEZER
SAVOURY VEGAN FREEZER
Linda Mcartney Vegetarian Sausages - I use these in savoury sausage bakes, but we also eat them as part of a veggie breakfast or with sausage rolls and beans.
Linda McCartney Vegetarian Sausage Rolls- my boys love these with potato wedges and baked breans. Real nursery food.
Tesco Meat Free Vegetable Fingers - another one that's great with potato wedges and baked beans or peas.
Tesco Meat Free Vegetarian Mince - I make veggie chilli and bolognese with this.
VEGAN SWEET TREATS
FROZEN DESSERTS
Tesco Free From Strawberry And Vanilla Cones- vegan cornetto, enough said
Alpro Hazelnut Chocolate Ice Cream - new from Alpro and jolly delicious
Asda Apple Strudel - serve hot with Alpro custard. YUM!!!
VEGAN TREATS
Chocolate Chip Hob Nobs- I know, who would have guessed these are accidentally vegan?
Oreos- yes they are addictive!
Boland Fig Rolls - and also Jacobs Fig Rolls are also vegan
VEGAN BAKES
ASDA Free From Caramel Rice Squares- these are great as an occasional treat,
Mr Kipling – Apple & Blackcurrant Pies- serve on their own or hot with Alpro custard.
VEGAN CHOCOLATE
Vego Whole Hazelnut Chocolate Bar - OMG you have never tasted chocolate like this. A big, thick bar of chocolate that tastes like Nutella and is studded with whole hazelnuts. It's amazeballs (and is the only thing ever to make me feel tempted to use that stupid word!).
Lindt Excellence – 70% Dark Choc - My favourite chocolate bar, well apart from Vego, I keep some for when I need a chocolate hit. Wee Cooper prefers dark chocolate too.
Fry's Chocolate Cream - I've always loved these bars, so it's awesome that they are vegan.
VEGAN SWEETS
M&S Veggie Colin the Caterpillar - these are my favourite gelatine-free jelly sweets from M&S. but there are plenty to choose from and they add to them all the time.
marshmallows
Jelly Tots - love these. Pass me that bag!
Skittles- another accidentally vegan product and aren't we glad?
VEGAN CRISPS
Walkers Sunbites – Sweet Chilli - Graham and I call these crack crisps are they are so addictive!
BB! Pringles
Walkers Sensations Carmelised Onion and Balsamic Vinegar - Rather nice too!
Kettle Chips - Sea Salt and Balsamic; Lightly Salted: Sea Salt and Black Pepper Corns and Lightly Salted Veg Chips are all suitable for vegans.
I hope this guide has been helpful. There are more and more vegan products available every day now, which is fabulous. This is just a selection of our favourites.
Do leave a comment and share your favourites with me.
VEGAN FOOD GUIDES
