Eating out lets you discover all sorts of exciting new dishes. Vegans have countlessexcellent restaurantchoices. No matter where you live or visit, chances are theres great vegan food near you. Thousands of vegan and vegetarian restaurants exist worldwide. Dining out is a joy when the entire menu is vegan.

Many non-vegetarian restaurants work hard to please vegans, and offer superb vegan dishes. These places often label their vegan menu items, which makes ordering easy.

Lebanese and Israeli cooking is especially vegan-friendly. These restaurants serve outrageously good falafel, hummus, and salads. Italian and Ethiopian restaurants also offer a variety of enticing vegan meals. We offer helpful guides to the worlds most vegan-friendly cuisines.

If youtravel abroad, you can get sensational vegan restaurant food unlike anything available at home. Thats doubly true if you seek out the countrys favorite vegan dishes.

On top of all this,vegan fast foodis everywhere. Thats a big change from just a few years ago. Most of the top chains now feature delicious vegan items.

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Vegan Made Easy - A healthy plant-based lifestyle - Vegan.com

You can choose from hundreds of delicious vegan packaged foods. Start by checking out brands like Miyokos, JUST, and Gardein. These and other companies make it easy to bypass non-vegetarian foods.

You can choose from an extraordinary assortment of vegan meat products. And the variety of dairy alternatives is equally impressive. If you enjoy foods like cheese, ice cream, and butter, youll find dozens of high quality vegan replacements. And things will only get betternot a month goes by without fantastic new products hitting the market.

Spend just twenty minutes wandering around a natural foods store and youll discover countless exciting things to try. Dont miss the bulk section, which is loaded with low-cost vegan snacks and staples. If you lack a natural food store nearby, most supermarkets carry a decent selection of vegan items too.

For extensive coverage of all the best vegan packaged foods, see our vegan alternatives page and our online grocery.

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Vegan Food: Grocery Shopping, Cooking, and Dining - Vegan.com

There is only one vegan bakery in Fort Worth, and they open their arms to vegans and nonvegans alike.

Husband and wife duo Stephanie and Mark Garza have been running Fort Worths only 100% vegan bakery, Planted Bakery, for two years. Two years later, they reflect on the passage of time from their start during the pandemic.

Planted Bakery is at 5400 Woodway Dr., Suite 120, in southwest Fort Worth.

Nothing that we do now looks like what we did back then, and thank God, Mark says. Its way better because we know what we're doing now versus when we started, when it was just our passion of wanting to cook and have a bakery. The pandemic slowed everything down, and when everything started to open back up slowly, people began rediscovering us again, which was really neat. We learned a lot in that time, and it didn't hurt us, but it helped us out. Now the things seem to be picking back up again.

The two have been vegan for five years. The idea for an entire vegan bakery came out of their lost hope for finding any bakery specifically vegan. Places they would go to would be a dead-end for the couple, noting minimal menu items that were either not prepared well or clearly evident a nonvegan baker was trying to be vegan.

We saw we didn't have that many options, Mark says. Over time, we developed it and saw it was working for us for vegans and nonvegans and people with specific allergies and people with lactose issues and whatnot. People come in because it's good food and what we hang our hats on.

Currently, they are the only 100% vegan bakery in the city which Cowtown can forgive.

I don't want to be the only vegan bakery in Fort Worth, Stephanie says. Im ready to move to the phase where more people have that option but also to have whole places where kids can walk in and order anything they want and not worry about it. As a kid, you should be able to walk in anywhere, especially somewhere your parents are taking you for a treat. I think of all the times my parents did that for me and how important that is a childhood memory.

Since opening, they recall people coming from miles out to try their baked goods. Some voiced their opinion on working with a spouse when the two first opened. Two years later, they can say with pride that thats what makes the place even more unique.

Its easy to work with your friend because you have that to fall back on, Stephanie says. We have a good time together. We know when to be quiet and work and when to play around and get each other's spirits up because it's been a hard day. I think it makes it easier.

Since their start at the bakery, their primary purpose has been to encapsulate all baked goods lovers, on their side of Interstate 20 and be the friendly neighborhood place everyone loves.

Fear of failure is what it takes to have that small business mentality, Mark says. It can't be fun always, and it can't be easy. The moral, almost spiritual side is knowing you are doing something that no one else is doing in the area.

Some of her favorites are the classic carrot cake and pepperoni rolls, and he recommends any of her cupcakes. (Especially the Turtle chocolate one.) He says that vegan cupcakes or not, hers are the best in the area.

The thing about this bakery is that we cater to everybody, Mark says. If you are vegan, and if you are a hardcore savory meat-eater, come on in, we got stuff for you too. If you are a strict vegan eater, we got stuff for you too.

5400 Woodway Dr, Suite #120, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. 7 p.m.

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Fort Worth Vegan Bakery is the Real Deal - Fort Worth Magazine

What makes a sandwich, burger, hot dog, or party spread? Condiments. Its the secret sauce, the sour cream, and the ranch dressing that truly make your taste buds sing and tempt you to go back for another bite. While these traditional dips, dressings, and spreads often contain sneaky animal ingredients, weve found exceptional and veganized store-bought options for every single one. From the original Vegenaise to fish-free peanut sauce, here are 19 fantastic vegan condiments that are better than the real thing.

Follow Your Heart

Vegans have the self-proclaimed hippie founders of Follow Your Heart Caf to thank for creating the original vegan condiment: Vegenaise. Developed in 1970 for the cafs Avocado, Tomato, and Sprouts Sandwich, this plant-based rendition of mayonnaise hooked customers who soon demanded it by the jar. While other brands have produced their own vegan mayo in the 50 years since its inception, Follow Your Hearts Vegenaise is still the beloved original.Learn more here

Daiya

Given the vegan chicken boom, its only appropriate to keep a bottle of vegan honey mustard on hand. This dressing is perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness and kick. Dunk your favorite vegan chicken nuggets, drizzle over home-baked oven fries, or pour onto a massive salad for that iconic honey mustard taste.Learn more here

Banchans

Depending on where you grew up and where you live now, you likely have an attachment to a certain style of barbecue sauce. Many store-bought versions are accidentally vegan, and theres a good chance the brand you love is animal-free, but some sauces do contain non-vegan worcester sauce and/or honey. Check the label of your favorite brand or try out this balanced blend from Banchan.Learn more here

Primal Kitchen

Despite its namesake, this classic marinade is free of animal ingredients and adds a punch of flavor to veggies. Whether youre whipping up grilled tofu skewers or trying out Gordon Ramsays eggplant steak recipe, dont forget the power of the sauce.Learn More here

Pesto should be vegan, but omnivore brands and chefs often cant help but put parmesan where it doesnt belong. This TJs pesto version is a safe, plant-based go-to whenever you dont feel like getting out the food processor to make your own. For us, thats most days.Learn more here

Single Origins Foods

This spicy-sweet condiment is on trend. Popularized by the fried chicken craze, hot honey was soon taken up by the pizzaiolos to accentuate spicy pepperoni pies. Admittedly, weve yet to find a store-bought vegan version, but one can successfully recreate it at home by whisking together vegan honey (try Un-Honey) with a teaspoon or two of hot sauce. Test the spice level as you go!Learn More here

Sarah McLaughlin/VegNews

If youre using anything other than ruffled potato chips to scoop up this spread, youre doing French onion dip wrong. The fried, ruffled variety is the only chip strong enough to stand up to this robustly rich and thick dip. No chips? Sturdy, raw vegetables and vegan wings are adequate vessels to transfer this onion-spiked dip from tub to mouth. We cant get enough of Violifes new dips, and the French Onion is divine. Bring on the snacking!Learn more HERE

Hidden Valley Ranch

Whether you drizzle it over vegan pizza or exclusively reserve it for salads, this herbaceous condiment is a vegan triumph. There are countless iterations of quality vegan ranch dressings and dips, but we have to highlight the brand that got us addicted in the first place: Hidden Valley. Yes, they make a vegan ranch now. Its 2022, after all.Learn more here

Forager Project

Sour cream is like country musicpeople have very strong opinions about it. Its a love it or hate it kind of condiment, but if youre Team Sour Cream, this vegan product gets it just right. Rather buy it in store? Follow Your Heart and Forager both make excellent dairy-free renditions of this thick-and-tangy dip.Learn more here

Nobel Made

When it comes to chicken wings, what matters most is not what the wings are actually made of, but the sauce theyre smothered in. Give an omnivore fried-and-battered tofu or a store-bought vegan chicken wing drenched in fiery, tangy buffalo sauce, and none will be the wiser.Learn more here

Mother Raw

Once you know traditional Caesar dressing is made with blended whole anchovies, its hard to enjoy it, even if youre not vegan. Liquified fish is just a little too off-putting for most. Fortunately, a variety of vegan brands have nailed the creamy, umami essence of this popular dressingno fish-blending required. Brands like Mother Raw replicate that salty flavor with capers and nail the creaminess with an emulsion of olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar.Learn more here

HLTHPUNK

Spoiler alert: that oh-so-secret sauce thats so good youd lick it off your forearm as it cascades down? Its not a secret at all. Its basically Thousand Island dressing with pickle juice and sweeteners. Its possible to make your own, but in a pinch, we reach for this store-bought tube of awesomeness every single burger night.Learn more here

Kite Hill

Hard to spell, easy to veganize. This thin, zesty yogurt sauce is made with almond milk, cucumbers, garlic, dill, and lemon juice. Try it drizzled over pita sandwiches, falafel, and Mediterranean-style grazing plates.Learn more here

Watcharee

Lets clarify one thing: peanut sauce is not thinned-down peanut butter. The best peanut sauces are complex. Theyre nutty and salty and citrusy and sweet and whisper of umami. Most bottled varieties achieve this flavor profile with honey and fish sauce, but Watcharees does it differently. The flavor is built with peanut butter, coconut milk, lime juice, tamarind, coconut sugar, curry paste, and a medley of other spices for a peanut sauce that rivals any animal-based contender.Learn more here

GTFO Its Vegan

Tartar sauce is like mayoits deceptively dairy-free, but it contains a pesky egg ingredient. When dipping tofu-based fish sticks, reach for a jar of this creamy tartar sauce (or make your own). Pro tip: this chunky dip is also phenomenal with vegan hush puppies, which are essentially quick-fried cornbread.Learn more here

Earth Balance

With the exception of our failed homemade attempt, there has never been a vegan butter we havent loved. There are a plethora of optionssalted and unsalted, palm oil-free, cashew-based, and oat-basedbut when it comes to the everyday butter we know we can find at virtually any grocery store, its Earth Balance. No matter what brand you reach for, slather it on thick, because its bound to be good.Learn more here

Miyokos Creamery

For cream cheese so thick and velvety it gets stuck to your teeth, reach for a tub of Miyokos. This cashew-based spread is for those who measure thickness by the centimeter, or dare we say half-inch? Its for those who lick the knife after the spread, expertly avoiding the serrated edge while gleaning every last bit of cream cheese from the utensil. The brand makes a flavor for everyone including Classic Plain, Savory Scallion, Everything, Fish-Free Lox, and Cinnamon Raisin.Find it here

Wildbrine

Known for its krauts and gut-friendly products, Wildbrine shows off its prowess in fermentation. The brand makes three different types of kimchi, but this Korean style is the most true to the fish sauce-laced pickled napa cabbage we grew to love in the pre-vegan days. Horseradish lovers, pick up the Miso Horseradish Kimchijust be prepared, one bite will clear your sinuses.Learn more here

Loca Foods

Even good dairy-based queso is hard to find, but LOCA nails this addictive, spicy cheese dip, and it does so with humble potatoes. Dont ask how, just enjoy. Get your vegan nachos, tacos, and tortilla chips at the ready!Learn more here

For more vegan staple products, read: 25 Accidentally Vegan Snacks You Can Find at Virtually Any Convenience StoreThe Essential Vegan Guide to Pantry StaplesThe 70+ Essential Products at Trader Joes

Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.

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19 Vegan Condiments That Are Better Than the Real Thing - VegNews

Noted for its crunchy texture and licorice-like flavor, the fennel in this recipe from The Low-Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan book is filled with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. The cooling yogurt dressing tames the sharp flavors of fennel and radishes in this warm weather salad.

For the cultured cashew yogurt:1 cup raw cashews2 cups room temperature water, divided3 capsules refrigerated vegan probiotic

For the cashew dill dressing: cup prepared cashew yogurt3 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon reserved grapefruit juice2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill teaspoon coarse salt teaspoon ground black pepper

For the salad:1 medium fennel bulb4 celery stalks1 small shallot, thinly julienned1 pink grapefruit, supremed, juice reserved2 radishes, thinly sliced2 tablespoons fennel fronds

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Vegan Shaved Fennel and Pink Grapefruit Salad With Cashew Dill Yogurt Dressing - VegNews

Whether youre a lifelong vegan or someone whos exploring a plant-based diet, theres an event for you coming up in Bethlehem.

From noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Payrow Plaza, come out and enjoy food and listen to speakers at the latest installment of the Mercy Vegan Pop Up, a grassroots fest that celebrates all things vegan.

The event is co-hosted by Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley and DJ Brad Scott Smith.

Heres just a sample of whats in store:

Sink your teeth into delicious eats from these vendors and more:

Butterhead Kitchen is among the vendors lined up for Mercy Vegan Pop-Up, which will be held noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Bethlehem's Payrow Plaza. (Courtesy of Jason Sizemore/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

In addition, Animal Defenders Greater Lehigh Valley, co-host, will have a table selling iced coffee and teas from Terra Cafe of Easton and prepared foods from local Sunneen Health Foods.

Speakers, music and more

Info: https://animaldefendersglv.org/

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Mercy Vegan Pop up: Food and much more at their latest event - The Morning Call

This year has proved to us that love is not fleeting, but eternal. Countless couples slated to get married in 2020 put their plans on hold, and we are still experiencing that tidal wave of weddings after two years of pent-up love and delayed ceremonies. Clearly, love is worth the wait. Were all ready to dine, dance, and catch a bouquet or wrangle a garterbut we want to keep it vegan. Many couples have dear aunt Sally who will scoff at the rabbit food menu or a cousin William who will feel personally offended that his choice to eat a buffet-style steak is taken from him. That is why we called in the expert. Suzy Silvestre of Chive Kitchen in Detroit, MI has catered vegan weddings and special occasions for years. She knows exactly what will please every kind of wedding attendeefrom a Bridezilla to aunt Sally and cousin William. From appetizers to cake, here is what to serve for a magical vegan wedding.

Youve made the decision to host a completely vegan weddingcongratulations! Silvestre says you dont have to advertise it, particularly if you are inviting a mixed company of eaters. The food should speak for itself. After enjoying a multi-course meal of Balsamic Roasted Portabello Steaks with Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes, Red Wine Demi-Glace and Caramelized Onions, Caesar salad, cheesy baked mostaccioli, and roasted seasonal vegetables, few guests will realize that not a touch of meat or dairy graced their plates. Instead, theyll be content and curious about what was in that marvelous mashed potato dish. Bonus: unlike heavy animal-based entres, your guests will feel light enough after a plant-based meal to hop out on the dance floor instead of sitting awkwardly at their assigned tables.

Caterers like Silvestre focus on flavor and curb appealnot on missing ingredients like butter or roasted chicken. When we see our plated dinners come back after service licked clean, we know we hit the mark. I dont put an emphasis on it being vegan. The emphasis is good food, creative food, and good-looking food, she said.

Chuk Nowak

When asked about popular items served at weddings, Silvestre suggested couples make their decision based less on whats routine and more on their unique party. Think of dishes and beverages that are sentimental to you as a couple or to your respective families. Do you want to nod to your moms famous holiday cheeseball? Is Taco Tuesday marked on your calendars? Does your partner really, really want vegan lobster rolls at your Maine wedding? Work with that and let it guide your menu. A quality caterer should be able to pick up on your vision, likes, and dislikes to create a spread that speaks to you as a couple.

Silvestre offered just a few examples of custom wedding menus shes crafted. I have made a vegan dinner that was Wisconsin-inspired, a New Orleans-inspired, dinner, as well as individual dishes and cocktails that are special and sentimental to the family. I dont want my clients to design the menu, I want to offer them something special that they did not know they could get, she elaborated.

Chuk Nowak

While personalized menus will always resonate with the happy couple, there are some edible elements that will have all the guests talking (and the bridesmaids taking note for whenever their special day comes). The portabello steak with sour cream and onion mashed potatoes mentioned above is always a hit according to Silvestre. It beckons a sense of a traditional wedding main while adding plant-based elements of je ne sais quois tasting notes. Expanding on the mashed potato concept, Silvestre admitted that guests cant seem to get enough spuds no matter what time of year. She suggested a mashed potato bar where guests can help themselves to a variety of savory toppings from vegan cheese to fresh chives and more. Carbs in general tend to pleasepasta is also universally loved, said Silvestre.

Appetizers are a must to keep guests happy and occupied while the wedding party takes its time to get the perfect pictures. Personally, Silvestre loves appetizer stations. While she admits more variety means more money, multiple options enhance the guest experience and allow the food-loving couple to have fun selecting the different light bites.

When deciding on a buffet versus a plated dinner, Silvestre outlined the pros and cons of each. I think guests can equally appreciate a buffet or plated dinner. A buffet is more affordable, and it allows guests the opportunity to choose their items and fill their plates. But there is something about a plated dinner that really makes one feel special and taken care of. We do have a lot of requests for family-style dinners which encompass both the buffet and plated. I find family-style fun and a bit more affordable than plated.

Paige Young

We asked Silvestre about popular cake flavors, and while she provided a few options, she reinforced the concept of customization and forgoing the traditional tiered cake altogether. Dessert stations are trending, and like a buffet, they allow for more variety and guest interaction. To combine tradition with trend, Silvestre recommends ordering a small cake to display, cut, and freeze for the one-year anniversary coupled with a dessert station showcasing a medley of sweet treats (among which, of course, can include cake in the form of cupcakes or slices).

Still hung up on cake flavors, we coaxed a few options out of Silvestre. Strawberry basil, lemon-blueberry, mocha, and carrot cake are popular, along with her signature creation: Pink Squirrel. She assured us it is completely vegan. The delight is a rendition of a Pink Squirrel cocktail (creme de noyaux, heavy cream, and white creme de cacao), inspired by a brides grandmother. While this may only be available at Chive Kitchen, it demonstrates that you dont have to go with the standard white-on-white with raspberry fillingget creative and see what your cake artist can do.

Chive Kitchen

Silvestre emphasized that its the attention to detail and unique touches that elevate a wedding celebration. Obligatory wedding favors are in fact falling out of favor, but food-related takeaways are always appreciated. This caterer extraordinaire suggested giving away mini liquor bottles, chocolate truffles, or bottle openers. One can never have too many bottle or wine openers, she reasoned. And to keep it edible, a truffle or piece of chocolate is something that everyone can be happy with. Personally, we wouldnt mind taking home a piece of cake as a favor. Cake-sized to-go containers or Tupperware is sure to be a hit if you plan to have leftover sweets.

Tiny embellishments and intentional touches to every drink served and appetizer enjoyed also help to enhance guest experience. A guest leaving the ceremony being handed a tiny pink cocktail adorned with a rosemary sprig or fresh flower will start the vibes. The guest might not know that a bit of garnish gave them such joythey just know that they had a great time, said Silvestre.

Chuck Nowak

After catering hundreds of wedding and events, we had to know what Silvestre would serve at her own shindig. She didnt hold back. The focal point would be a soul food station complete with vegan fried chicken sandwiches, coleslaw, hot sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, smoky collard greens, mac and cheese, and Caesar salad. But shes not done. A self-professed partier, Silvestre envisions multiple food stations to keep the guests involved. In addition to the Soul food station, her event would offer a taco station, a carnival station of mini corn dogs and funnel cake, a cold appetizer station lined with salads and canaps, a cocktail station with a wall of margaritas, and a dessert station featuring a multitude of desserts in different colors and sizes.

What we make of this: forget florals and blow the budget on food. Its far more fun.

For more on vegan weddings, read:Chef Chloe Coscarelli Caters Vegan Colorado Governors WeddingVegan Wedding with Maria and ChristianVegan Wedding with Rohini and Siddhant

Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.

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How to Cater a Vegan Wedding Everyone Will Love - VegNews

New slant on plants (Picture: Supplied)

The appetite for meat-free fast food has rocketed in the past three years a recent YouGov poll found a third of Brits are introducing vegan meals to their diet. The bigger chains are fighting hard to keep up.

When McDonalds tested a limited run of its new vegan McPlant burger last autumn, UK demand was so great that the company added it to the menu in every branch in the country in January.

Angela Terry, environmental scientist and founder of eco website One Home, says: The fact McDonalds had to invent the McPlant burger to meet public demand says everything about how our tastes are changing.

Younger customers are incredibly aware of how meat, and particularly beef production, takes an enormous toll on the planets resources.

Meat and dairy production is responsible for over half (60%) of agricultures global greenhouse gas emissions. The foods themselves provide just 18% of peoples average calories. On a planet in crisis, this is a huge waste of energy and resources.

On the whole, meat-free food is healthier too and traditional burger fans are welcoming options with less saturated fat that still taste really good.

We asked vegan Georgia Plumb to join Angela in testing the high streets most popular meat-free fast food burgers. Georgia, a 22-year-old teaching assistant from Wimbledon says: I have avoided fast food chains since I became a vegan six years ago but its really encouraging to see burger joints catching up with my generations appetite for vegan food.

Here we test five high-street burgers for health and environmental impact and taste.

Handmade, pan-fried bean patty, vegan mayo, relish, salad.

Georgia: Its a chunky mouthful and spicy. If you dont like mock meats, its a good option. But because its bean-based, this is the driest burger.I would add vegan cheese.

Angela: The pulses are important sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Beans need less water and fertiliser than other crops, which is good for the environment and way better than a beefburger.

Total:

A Quorn fillet, coated in KFCs recipe of 11 herbs and spices, in a sesame bun with lettuce and vegan mayo.

Georgia: Mmmm, I can taste the seasoning I remember from eating chicken KFC. Its a little bit dry, took me a long time to chew.

Angela: Considering its made from fermented fungus, Quorn is surprisingly tasty and good for the planet. It is high in protein and low in fat. Quorn says its products have a 95% lower carbon footprint than beef mince and use less than one eighth of the amount of land to produce. The palm oil used is 100% sustainable. They also use much less water than beef.

Total:

Patty combines pea and rice protein, with extracts of potato, apple, beetroot, pomegranate, carrot and lemon juice. Inside a vegan bun, with lettuce, tomato and red onion, and vegan mayo.

Georgia: This is juicy, tastes like actual meat. No distinctive flavour, though.

Angela: Made with Beyond Meat beef substitute. These products are made mainly from water and peas but are designed to have the same protein content as beef. They are quite heavily processed, though, which means they take more energy to produce, raising their carbon footprint slightly.

Total

Vegan patty in toasted sesame seed bun, with iceberg lettuce and vegan mayo.

Georgia: Really good. You cant taste the difference between the vegan and the meat version and its cheaper than most. Definite thumbs-up.

Angela: Developed with The Vegetarian Butcher, who use soy, which is a complete protein source, so it contains all the essential amino acids humans require.

Total

Patty co-developed with Beyond Meat with vegan sandwich, sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, pickles, lettuce, tomato and a vegan alternative to cheese in a sesame bun.

Georgia: This tastes just like a Big Mac. I cant believe it. My taste buds went wild to experience this flavour again. I feel a bit guilty but this is good news. It means everyone can eat vegan rather than meat and not even notice.

Angela: This has almost half the saturated fat of a McDonalds quarter pounder with cheese. It will have been processed and therefore use more energy than bean-based patties. McDonalds serves nearly four million UK customers every day. If a tenth of those can swap from meat to vegan were going in the right direction.

Total

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

MORE : McDonalds launches summer menu including four new burgers and halloumi fries

MORE : KFC swaps lettuce with cabbage in burgers because price has rocketed so much

MORE : Try this vegan-friendly trifle recipe to enjoy on the Platinum Jubilee

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Review: From the McPlant to Burger King's Vegan Royale - the best plant-based burgers - Metro.co.uk

Under a banner that states plant-based gummies you dont have to kill for, Germanys second-largest gummy candy brand has launched its 100% plant-based portfolio in the US.

The German heritage company has focussed on replacing animal gelatine with plant-based alternatives for the past decade, making it an expert in its field and the largest plant-based gummy brand in Europe.

Essentially this means we are not putting slaughterhouse waste into our sweets --Eliza G Jahn, Head of Marketing at Katjes USA

What makes Katjess products inherently different from other plant-based gummies is their chewy texture, despite not using gelatine as a gelling agent.

Essentially this means we are not putting slaughterhouse waste into our sweets. We like to proudly say, these are sweets you dont have to kill for, Eliza Jahn, the companys US Head of Marketing, says.

Katjes gummies are also carbon neutral, palm oil-free and contain no high fructose corn syrup.

Since launching in 2021, Katjes USA has secured a nationwide listing at Walgreens with a distribution increase and further retail listings set for 2022.

In our podcast chat, Jahn says Katjes identified plant-based as the future back in 2010 in Germany and the company is seen as a pioneer in that respect because no one was offering a vegan alternative in the gummy segment at the time.

She said Katjes gummies will be of interest to consumers who are conscious about what their impact is on the planet but they still want a great candy. They want to treat themselves and its a very modern time mindset, she says.

She describes Katjes as a love brand. One of our products for example is Rainbow, which is our top seller currently. It's got these beautiful multi-coloured rainbows, with several flavours in them and we have the word love.

So we are kind of just spreading the love message and people associate something positive with it right away.

The US portfolio includes three SKUs that stand out from the category in their bright pink, resealable 4.9OZ stand up pouches: Rainbow, a multi coloured celebration of love and diversity, and Sour, a tart adventure with unicorns, fairies and hearts, are both among the brands bestsellers in multiple countries and have a proven history of success.

The third SKU, Love & Stars, tells the story of the brands newest chapter: a red, white and blue patriotic nod to Katjess new American home.

A fourth innovation focussing on celebrating female empowerment is in the pipeline, to be launched later in the year in the US.

The brands direct-to-consumer online shop is live, with targeted social media campaigns increasing brand and product awareness in the US throughout the year.

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How US consumers are falling in love with Katjes vegan gummies - ConfectioneryNews.com

For many people who go vegan, one of the hardest things to give up is cheese. Fortunately, thanks to the increasing popularity of veganism, food manufacturers have begun producing a greater variety of vegan cheeses with some success in replicating everything people love most about cheese, including its texture and taste. However, not all vegan cheeses are equal and many have little nutritional value.

People who buy vegan cheese may expect it to be as nutritious as dairy cheese. But because many manufacturers are focused on making the cheese taste, look and even melt like dairy cheese, this is rarely the case. The main ingredients in many vegan cheeses are starch and vegetable oils usually coconut oil, or sometimes palm oil.

Starch and oil may give vegan cheeses their texture, but they are of little nutritional value. For instance, when we eat starch, it is broken down in our gut into sugar. Over time, too much starch could potentially lead to weight gain or diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The vegetable oils in vegan cheese are even worse. Coconut oil is composed almost entirely of saturated fats. Some types of saturated fat raise blood levels of bad LDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease.

This is the case with lauric acid, the main type of saturated fat in coconut oil. Despite some claims online that coconut is healthy, lauric acid significantly increases the levels of LDL cholesterol. It also increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Because of the high levels of coconut oil in some vegan cheeses, even a modest-sized portion (30g) is around a third of a persons total recommended daily allowance for saturated fat.

Palm oil, found in some vegan cheeses, fares little better as an alternative ingredient. About half of the fat in palm oil is saturated fat mostly a type of saturated fat called palmitic acid. Like lauric acid, this also increases the risk of coronary heart disease. And although some manufacturers claim to use sustainable palm oil, its uncertain how sustainable these products actually are.

While dairy cheeses are also high in saturated fat, theres good evidence that consuming them is not linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Its unclear why this is the case, but it may be that the saturated fats in dairy cheese are not absorbed by the body as much as those in other foods, such as meat or coconut oil.

Many people might also expect vegan cheese, like dairy cheese, to be a good source of protein. But vegan cheeses consisting of vegetable oils and starch have little to no protein.

The amounts and types of vitamins and minerals that vegan cheeses contain also vary significantly, as its up to the manufacturer to add these during production. As a result, unlike dairy cheese, most vegan cheeses contain little or no calcium. They also often lack other important micronutrients found in dairy cheese, such as iodine, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

While the occasional slice of vegan cheese is unlikely to do any harm, relying on it as a replacement for dairy could have costs to your health. In one clinical study, people who replaced animal-based dairy and eggs with vegan alternatives for 12 weeks had poorer bone health at the end of the study, compared with those who ate animal-based dairy and eggs. This was probably due to lower vitamin D and calcium intake. However, more studies like this are needed to better establish the long-term health consequences for vegans who dont consume dairy.

Its not quite all bad news, though. Some vegan cheeses may be healthier than others depending on their ingredients for instance, those that use cashew nuts. These products usually have higher levels of protein and lower levels of sodium and saturated fat than other types of vegan cheese. However, they may also be more expensive than those other types.

Of course, there are many reasons why a person may want to adopt a vegan diet including for environmental reasons or to improve their health. But while numerous studies have found that vegan diets can be healthy, this is typically only true for people whose diets are high in natural foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts and pulses.

As such, its important for vegans to watch the number of ultra-processed food alternatives they eat (such as vegan cheese) as these could have many of the same negative health effects (such as heart disease and cancer) that ultra-processed foods have for non-vegans.

This means checking the contents of vegan cheese products (and other vegan alternatives) carefully to minimise the number of harmful ingredients, such as saturated fats, that vegans regularly consume. Vegans should also focus on getting essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium and vitamin D from vitamin supplements or whole foods.

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Vegan cheese: what you should know - The Conversation