A Review of New Things I've Tried (Vegan Proteins Edition)

Maybe the cost of meat has more people riding the plant-based wave. I'm seeing more options all the time. With inflation, though, I'm also gravitating toward the classics, so here you have prepared meat substitutes alongside jars of nut butter.

1. Beyond Chicken Tenders

I wanted to try these because the original Beyond Chicken strips--the ones that Beyond got started making and then dispensed with despite their popularity because they didn't fit their new branding after the advent of the Beyond Burger--used to be my absolute favorite mock meat. However, these did not live up to my expectations.

I think these are A) good and B) not for me, really. As I remember actual meat, sinking your teeth in it had quite a bit of resistance, just like these. But the process of chewing actual chicken tenders and these plant-based ones is somehow very different; the same level of resistance continues throughout with Beyond Chicken. I don't know if I've described this all that well. In any case, I found these tough, maybe like overcooked white meat. Like some others I have tried, they'd probably taste better fried, but I wouldn't really want to fry them, so I'll stick to brands that make me happier. I would, however, buy these in the absence of other options, because you have to have some easy foods, and nuggets/tenders are some of my easiest of easy foods. The flavors are good here, too--the breading is really delicious. I imagine these will do well among some audiences. I'd be curious to get an omnivore's opinion, because maybe they can explain what I'm trying to explain.

All that said, I don't think I personally would incline toward something that felt the same as eating actual meat anymore, because it long ago lost the appeal to me, really. So take my opinion for what it is.

2. Wild Friends Creamy Peanut Butter

I like a really smooth peanut butter, so this is excellent for me--so wonderfully smooth. It's not always reasonably priced but I got it for less than some local store brands, and that was exciting. Given the right opportunities, I would definitely buy this again. But if you like your peanut butter with more texture and a bit earthier, you probably won't like this one so much.

3. Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders

There is nothing all that special about these, but they're good--just simple, straightforward vegan chicken tenders. These are one of many things I will buy for the days I don't have the energy or bandwidth for making a meal. Just pull some of these out of the freezer, bake up with another frozen side (like tater tots), and serve with a dip (ketchup, mustard, homemade ranch, whatever's up your alley).

4. Gardein Chili with Beans

Although I would not eat canned chili all by itself, this is a good canned chili. It reminds me most of the "hot dog" chili my mother sometimes bought when I was growing up. The color and smell are very reminiscent of that. I think I prefer the Hormel brand vegetarian chili for most applications, but it's lovely to have options--plus, I do think this would go better on a hot dog than Hormel.

5. Dr. Praeger's Sunday Funday Veggie Sausages

These are a pretty amazing find--no soy, no gluten, no nuts, just pea protein, flavorings, and plenty of veggies (sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and carrots), but you don't taste veggies. It's sausage. Plus, you can bake it in a toaster oven easily. I would unquestionably have these again. These tend to be sold in the kosher section, so if your store has such a section, you may find them there instead of in the "vegetarian" section.

6. Jack & Annie's Crispy Nuggets

I'd heard Jack & Annie's were the best nuggets, so I was excited when they went on sale. They are really delicious and I think the best way I could describe them is that they seem the most natural of all the processed frozen nuggets I've had. They are meaty, but not excessively firm and chewy the way the Beyond tenders are.

The drawback I see is that they really don't have that much protein in them. I put them in this proteins compilation, and they do have protein, just not as much as is ideal for a meal for me (I am not a medical doctor; I'm mostly talking about how I feel about what I eat here, so please don't mistake this as medical advice). I need to add other protein sources to a meal with these nuggets, like having a soy Cafix latte for dessert. I'd eat them again, but they're not as much of a no-brainer meal as I like my nuggets to be.

7. Wegmans Just Peanuts Creamy Peanut Butter

This peanut butter is true to its name--not even salt in this one--it's just peanuts. This is a smooth peanut butter, nice and runny if you like it that way. It's also one of the cheapest things on this list, which is reassuring in these challenging times. It's about $2.50/jar, or less than 9 cents per tablespoon (which is my average amount to spread on toast). If you're wondering how to be vegan and get enough protein and not go totally broke, I will always recommend peanut butter.

8. Alpha Plant-Based Grilled Chick'n Strips

I've been looking for something in an easy, throw-in-the-skillet chick'n strip ever since Beyond Meat decided to betray its primary customer base by dispensing with its original Beyond Chicken strips that were the basis of the brand in the first place. This is softer than the original Beyond Chicken was, but it definitely hits the spot! I love that these are available for making quick fajitas or to throw on a salad.

9. Good & Gather Cashew Butter

I'm not a connoisseur of cashew butter the way I am of peanut butter; honestly, this may be the first jar I've ever purchased. But even though there are things I like more and things I like less, I don't think I've ever encountered a nut butter I didn't love. And I do love this cashew butter. It's rather addictive, really, and aside from being creamy and delicious in a way that makes you grateful to be alive, it happens to be about the same price as almond butter at Target. (Good & Gather is a Target brand.) If you compare it to peanut butter, cashew butter is pricey, so don't do that. Compare it to other protein sources, like the nuggets in this round up, and it's practically a steal. There is not quite as much protein in cashews as there is in peanuts, so do account for that, but this jar of creamy nutty goodness is probably my favorite thing I've bought in months. After this, I've been inspired to branch out and try some other new-to-me nut and/or seed butters, so let me know if you have a favorite that isn't peanut or almond. 

10. Field Roast Sage & Garlic Plant-Based Celebration Roast

When I reviewed Trader Joe's vegan stuffed roast in the last compilation of vegan proteins I rounded up, one of you was kind enough to tell me that it was just a repackaged Field Roast Celebration Roast, which could be gotten year-round. That was amazing of you. Thank you so much! I still don't often see it in stores but I have a better shot at finding it now. It is every bit as lovely as ever, and probably one of my absolute favorite vegan proteins I've ever tasted.

Have you tried any new proteins lately? Something worth trying or something maybe I should avoid?