Tried-and-tested plant-based brands this meat-eater actually loves

Consuming less can mean opting for plant-based food, which supposedly leaves lower carbon, water and ecological footprints. In a Stanford report based on numerous scientific studies, it was concluded that "Reducing your meat and dairy consumption, even by a little, can have big impacts. If everyone in the U.S. ate no meat or cheese just one day a week, it would have the same environmental impact as taking 7.6 million cars off the road."

I'm no scientist, and big numbers scare me, but what I do understand and can do, is go without meat for a day (at least) every week. Luckily, plant-based brands are getting tastier, and vegetarian food is available in most hawker centres. It's also now easier than ever to access yummy plant-based food in supermarkets, apart from fresh vegetables and fruits, of course!

Since it's Vegan month in November, and 11.11 just happens to be around the corner, here's a list of tried-and-tested vegan brands that have passed the tastebuds of a non-vegan!

ANEW

ANEW is a homegrown brand specialising in 100 per cent plant-based food products. Their flagship plant-based luncheon meat is a non-GMO substitute that is high in protein, free of trans fat and has no added preservatives. It's also touted as one of the lowest-calorie and lowest-fat percentage plant-based luncheon meat in the market.

There are currently three flavours: Classic, Black Pepper and Barbecue (BBQ). My favourite is the black pepper one, but the BBQ is a general crowd-pleaser.

ANEW Plant Based Luncheon Meat Classic 340G ANEW Plant Based Luncheon Meat Black Pepper 340G ANEW Plant Based Luncheon Meat BBQ 340G

Bare Coco

My assumption is that packaged coconut water and coconut milk usually have a slightly funky taste – a sacrifice we need to make for pre-packaged convenience. But, all three flavours from Bare Coco's newest launch: Dark Chocolate Coconut M!lk, Coffee Coconut M!lk and Pandan Coconut Water were so good that my husband and I keep reaching out for them.

Bare Coco’s hand-picked coconuts are sourced from GLOBALG.A.P. and Fair Trade-certified small-scale farmers from the coconut capital of Bến Tre in Vietnam. The company stays mindful of their carbon footprint, adopting recyclable packaging and reusing cartons that keep the product safe during deliveries.

Best of all, Bare Coco is halal, dairy-free, 100 per cent vegan, preservative-free and gluten-free.

Bare Coco All in One - Sampler Pack

Bare Coco is available at over 300 heartland stores and selected Cold Storage and Sheng Siong outlets islandwide. For doorstep delivery, find them on Shopee Mall, LazMall, or shop on the e-store.

Impossible

Possibly the most recognisable brand on this list, there's a good reason why Impossible meats are so popular. Apart from being one of the earliest meat alternatives to go mainstream, it's also possibly the closest it can get to the taste of beef. This meat-free alternative is also easy to find in plenty of restaurants. While pricey, I'm certainly glad for an accessible alternative to live with!

Impossible meats are available online on Lazada and Fairprice.

Browse Impossible range on Lazada Browse the Impossible range on Fairprice

Omnimeat

Omnimeat is created by a group of food scientists, and its all-purpose plant-based meat and seafood alternatives are made from a proprietary blend of plant-based protein from peas, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushroom and rice.

I have not tried as many items from this brand as the others, but the frozen luncheon meat was surprisingly tasty, and comes in diet-friendly servings. Recently, it has also partnered up with the newly opened Dao by Dorsett AMTD Singapore to offer a special vegan menu to diners.

Catering to greener appetites, conscious consumers hungry for delicious and more plant-friendly options can choose from four starters and three main courses over lunch and dinner at Collective, the hotel’s in-house restaurant.

Tindle

After all the beef alternatives, it's exciting to know there is also a chicken alternative. Check out what we think of the meat below!

Kind Kones

Kind Kones is an all-natural vegan ice cream brand. The ice creams are plant-based and free from dairy, egg, refined sugar, and other artificial additives, with mostly gluten-free options.

Get Kind Kones delivered on Fairprice, Lazada Redmart, Shopee Mall, or shop on the e-store.

Shop vegan on Fairprice Shop vegan on Lazada Redmart Shop vegan on Shopee Supermarket