10 plant-based alternatives to your once-favorite foods

Do not make the mistake of thinking that going plant-based or vegan is boring or limiting. While there are a few food articles that you’d have to exclude from your diet – this doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy your favorite foods while on a plant-based diet. Switching to a plant-based diet may even spark your creativity in the kitchen and compel you to try things you otherwise wouldn’t have on a standard American diet.

We’ve rounded up some of the tastiest recipes of plant-based alternatives to your once-favorite foods.

Milk

Milk is a staple food all across the globe. Plant milk is one of the most effortless plant-based substitutes you can make, and there are so many options. Vegan milk comes from a variety of nuts, beans, seeds, oats, or rice. The most common plant milk sources are soy, oats, rice, cashew, coconut, and almond. Below we have included a recipe for one of the most popular plant milk, almond milk.

Almond Milk

This recipe gives you the option to add your desired sweetness, add in your flavors, and achieve your wanted creaminess. The best part is – it’s simple to make. You only really need two ingredients, less than ten minutes, and a blender.

Get the recipe here

Cheese

Can’t get enough of cheese? There may be a reason for that. One of the main proteins in cheese is casein. When you digest casein, your body breaks it down into compounds called casomorphins. According to scientists, it can be as addictive as drugs.

Don’t worry, though, below we have included a vegan cheese recipe that will satisfy your palate without the addictive element.

Vegan Cheese

This vegan cheese is not only economical and straightforward, but it is delicious. It tastes like real cheese and makes a great healthy alternative to cheese.

Get the recipe here

Eggs

Who’s never had bacon and eggs for breakfast? That’s one of America’s most iconic breakfast meals. Eggs, however, are one of the highest dietary sources of bad cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease and early death. Plants, on the other hand, contain zero cholesterol and may even help to lower your risk of heart disease. Egg, as with the previous foods mentioned on this list, does not have to be missed. We have included a vegan alternative to scrambled eggs.

Super Eggy Vegan Tofu Scramble

Eggy vegan tofu scramble without any eggs included. Not only does it taste great, but it is protein-rich and nutrient-dense – just what you need to power you through the day.

Get the recipe here

Butter

Butter is a dairy product used as a spread, melted as a condiment, and used as an ingredient in baking, pan-frying, sauce making, and other cooking procedures. The excellent news is that butter has a vegan alternative that tastes and looks just like real butter. We have provided the recipe below.

The Best vegan Butter

After tasting this vegan butter alternative, you’d probably never want to eat butter or margarine again. It tastes and acts just like the real deal but healthier. You can whip it up in a few minutes, and it’s cost-effective. What’s not to like?

Get the recipe here

Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise, also known as mayo, is a thick cold sauce or condiment commonly used in hamburgers, sandwiches and comprised salads, and on french fries. It also is the base for many dressings and sauces. Mayo is an ingredient that adds richness to your recipe whenever used. As you probably figured by now, we also have a plant-based alternative down below.

Vegan Mayo

Here is a mayo that is prepared without milk or eggs. Just like regular mayo, this vegan alternative can be used as a dip, on bread, or as a base for chilled sauces and dressings. It opens up the possibilities for dishes you can make on a plant-based diet, like potato and pasta salad, chickpea untuna salad, and many more.

Get the recipe here

Ice cream

Ice cream is a favorite from childhood well into adulthood. It is one of those oh-so-comforting foods. Thank goodness, it is not something that you’d have to sacrifice when making the switch to a plant-based diet. We have included a vegan alternative to one of the most popular ice cream flavors, vanilla. 

Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream

Perfect Vanilla Bean Coconut Ice Cream! Just five ingredients, simple methods, and insanely creamy results!

Get the recipe here

Yogurt

Yogurt is one of those foods that tastes good and has health benefits. It is produced by bacterial fermentation of milk with yogurt cultures. Yogurt is often taken as a probiotic to help gastrointestinal conditions. However, although it has benefits, it still contains milk, which is a top source of saturated fat, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. You don’t have to give it up, though. Below we have included a vegan yogurt recipe that contains “good” bacteria and tastes superb.

Vegan Almond Milk Yogurt

This is soy and coconut-free yogurt recipe is creamy, thick, and slightly tart. It is also packed with plenty of “good” bacteria that gives you similar benefits to real yogurt. And most importantly it is extremely tasty.

Get the recipe here

Meat

Meat, most people have this at every single meal in different forms. It comes with many nutrients that the body needs but also includes many compounds that studies have shown to have ill effects. Thanks to modern times and the vegan movement, there are a lot more vegan alternatives to meat today than there were just five years ago. They are usually made from soy, wheat gluten, vegetables, or a combination of these three ingredients. The recipe below is one of the many vegan meat substitutes that you can make on a plant-based diet.

Vegan Steak

This is a tender, flavorful, and juicy vegan steak recipe. It looks, surprisingly, like the real thing. It is also nutrient-dense and a healthier alternative to your regular steak.

Get the recipe here

Burgers

Burgers may be one of America’s most popular fast-foods. By eating regular burgers, you’d have to sacrifice health for taste. It is high in cholesterol, saturated and trans fats, sodium, contains ammonia, additives, and much more. Though the stats are pretty sickening, you don’t have to write off burgers for good. There are plenty of vegan options out there. We have included the best veggie burger recipe that’ll make you wonder why you didn’t make the switch to a plant-based diet earlier.

Best Veggie Burger

These burgers are 100% vegan and grill-able. They are hearty, fiber-rich, and flavorful – even a meat-eater would love them. And it is one of the best plant-based burger recipes out there.

Get the recipe here

Pizza

Thanks to mass production and fast-food establishments, pizza has become very popular in western culture. It is a savory dish that originated in Italy, consisting of a usually round and flattened dough topped with tomatoes, cheese, and often various other ingredients, which are baked at high temperatures. And as mentioned before, pizza contains a few addictive elements and may have other adverse effects. Below is a healthy yet tasty alternative to pizza.

Vegan Pizza

This vegan pizza recipe includes a crust that is easy to make – with just four ingredients. You do not need no fancy equipment, or to wait for hours for the yeast to rise. It is scrumptious and simple, which would make it a go to recipe that the whole family would enjoy.

Get the recipe here