When you’re living a plant-based lifestyle, it’s not uncommon to be caught painstakingly perusing an ingredient list or diligently deconstructing a restaurant menu to make sure there aren’t any sneaky non-vegan additions.
We’ve done that hard work for you, rounding up the tastiest plant-based products for your refrigerator and pantry, plus a few lip-smacking recipes. So whether you’re vegan yourself or just hosting friends who adhere to a plant-based lifestyle, this is the guide for you.
BREAKFAST
Woolworths’ scrumptious dairy-free plain cultured coconut and smooth black cherry cultured soya makes for a great start to the day. Pair with fresh fruit, pop it into your blender for a smoothie, or give this recipe for breakfast bark a try (swap the Greek yogurt for your favourite dairy-free option).
For a different take on breakfast, how about ButtaNutt’s cinnamon macadamia, pecan macadamia and honey-almond butters with fruit, oats or your go-to breakfast loaf?
MID-MORNING SNACK
These blueberry-and-almond crunchy rusks are yummy, sugar-free treats that you can enjoy with your mid-morning OkJa oat milk flat white.
Feeling for something a little chocolatey later on? You can reach for Orbs roasted chickpeas coated in dark chocolate. Snack on them by your desk or sprinkle the cold-pressed orange variety over apple and cinnamon easy-to-make pancakes.
LUNCH
Grill these yummy burger patties and load them with marinated mushrooms, dairy-free cheese or lashings of guacamole. When the pasta craving hits, whip out the wholegrain buckwheat penne from the pantry for this delectable penne con zucchini.
AFTERNOON SNACK
Vegans in the know will always lead you to Wellness Warehouse’s cult-status vegan biltong, and rightly so. For another really special snack, try the vegan bounty bars from South African brand Thank Goodness Foods. They’re sugar free, gluten free and filled with coconut and dark chocolate. For a white-chocolate treat, try the squares made of an almond-and-walnut base and garnished with pistachios, goji berries and chia seeds.
DINNER
Nibble on these sweet-potato chickpea bites while you wait on this serving of Vietnamese noodle soup prepared with spinach and cauliflower noodles. Complement it with an all-natural Theonista ginger beer. If it’s a braai you’re after, Linda McCartney’s rosemary and red onion vegetarian sausages and burgers are great for the grill. They’re especially good with the vegan garlic mayonnaise at Fabrica Do Prego.
DESSERT
Honest Chocolate slabs are handcrafted dark chocolate bar made with organic Tanzanian cacao and come in flavours like Naartjie and Kalahari Salt. They’re the perfect addition to this recipe for date caramel and chocolate pots! If you’re searching for something cold instead, try Unframed‘s award-winning raspberry coconut, sea-salt caramel, and beetroot chocolate and ginger vegan ice-cream flavours.