8 Plant-based Products I Feel Good About Buying (Part Two)

There are lots of wellness advocates/plant-based-recipe peeps that don’t buy any packaged goods and products. They make all of their own nut butters, milks, and breads. Their cabinets basically look like the bulk section of the grocery store and are perfectly lined with really pretty jars of all sorts of things…quinoa, berries they dried themselves, and oats (or oat groats even). It’s actually so incredible that sometimes I get a little envious. 

I also have lots of jars and bottles of dried beans and things. But you’ll also find some cans, boxes, and jars that have seals that pop when you open them (and an expiration date, too). I work really hard to feed myself whole, plant-based foods that I make all myself, but I’m for sure not perfect. And sometimes, convenience is just nice. 

So here’s part two of 8 products that I don’t make from scratch and don’t plan to any time soon. You can see part one here. Take a look at this list and let me know some of your favorites too! 

All of these products are plant-based, dairy + gluten-free, and no one paid me to promote them. They’re just my favorites.

 
On the top:

1. Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Finding good chocolate that is dairy-free and soy-free and actually melts can be a challenge. Until you find Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips. I use these for everything from cookies to melted chocolate drizzles to straight-out-of-the-bag eating. I love their chocolate chunks to make these cookies, and they’ve just introduced dark chocolate chips too! If you have a hard time finding them, the Enjoy Life store locator function on their site is pretty helpful because you can search by products. And if you still can’t find them near you, they sell them in bulk on Amazon. 

2. Hail Merry Miracle Tart
Check out the ingredients for their chocolate tart: organic maple syrup, dark cocoa, organic virgin coconut oil, almond flour, organic coconut flour, and sea salt. That’s it! They are so rich and decadent that I usually only eat half at a time, which is not normal in my dessert life. I always take one of these in my purse to weddings and birthday parties so when the cake comes out, I have something to eat. I love the mint flavor best, but check out all the flavors here. 

 3. Way Better Snacks Sprouted Tortilla Chips
Because I’m most likely to eat an entire bag of chips when I buy them, they might as well be a little better for me. These chips are sprouted and packed full of lots of great whole grains and good stuff for your body. I love taking them to parties with a tub of guacamole and using them whenever I make a big plate of nachos at home. Not all of the flavors are sans dairy. So if you try to avoid it, make sure to read their labels. 

4. Kevita 
I discovered this brand a few months ago when I was poking around in the fancy-drink fridge at the store. I wanted to try to find a drink that was a little less expensive than my GT Kombucha but still gave me everything I needed (and tasted good). Kevita is it! I love that it includes tons of probiotics, apple cider vinegar, and no real sugar. Their Mojito flavor is a safe bet if you are new to probiotic drinks. And when you wanna go more hardcore, look for the Tumeric Tonic and Lemon Cayenne. It also doesn’t have any floating slimy things the way a lot of probiotic drinks do (which I sort of love)…but if you are grossed out by that, this is the drink for you! 

5. Cholua Hot Sauce 
There’s always a bottle of this in my pantry at home. Always. Usually there are two, because I’m so worried about running out. I love Cholua because it’s pretty much one of the only hot sauces that don’t add sugar. Sugar in hot sauce? Yes. If you don’t believe me, read the labels next time you’re at the store. I haven’t gotten into their other flavors much, but I’m thinking as a reward for turning in my manuscript, I might treat myself to this set.  

6. Bubbies
I’ve never made homemade sauerkraut before. I know I said I would. But if just hasn’t happened yet. I love having a scoop of Bubbies straight out of the jar in the morning. It’s raw probiotic goodness to kick off the day. Also, I love putting it on top of mashed potatoes. Which may seem really gross, but give it a try and report back! The price tag on this jar might seem a little high, but this stuff goes a long way. And you can use the leftover juice for salad dressings (my friend Adina taught me this trick). 

7. Explore Asia Edamame & Mung Bean Pasta
I definitely go through phases where even gluten-free brown rice pasta makes me feel super bloated (phases = PMSing/on my period).  This pasta doesn’t make me feel that way. It’s completely grain-free and made from beans. The term “pasta” should be used very loosely here. This really doesn’t taste like typical pasta. It’s chewy and has a texture that’s not what you’d expect from something labeled “fettuccini.” But I love it so much – especially tossed with a little olive oil, basil, tomatoes, and nutritional yeast. It can be tricky to find at the grocery store (it’s usually hiding on the bottom shelf). But trusty Amazon is fully stocked with it, and you can check out their other flavors there too. 

8. 23° Olive Oil
This is my Goop pick here. The item that’s a little (a lot) more expensive than the rest. But I’m going to full-Gywenth here and include it because it makes me happy. it’s really high-quality stuff, and sometimes we’re allowed to treat ourselves to really great food. My friend Melissa introduced me to one of the owners (Josh) of 23°. We had a long talk about his oil, the myths behind why everyone says olive oil is bad, and why his product is so special (it is). He also told me that when I tried it for the first time, I might cough a little because the flavor is so rich. I actually did! I encourage you to read up on why this oil is so awesome and then treat yourself, Gywenny style. It’s so worth it. Also, how pretty is that bottle??

See and shop more of my favorites here!