A new crop of dairy-free foods and meat alternatives prove that eating plant-based can be delicious.
PEOPLE Food Awards‘ dairy- and meat-free foods are breaking out of the vegan mold, according to both vegetarian and carnivorous testers. Our five veggie-forward winners, including a frothable dairy-free milk and flavorful vegetarian chicken, are proven to satisfy any type of eater.
Best Dairy-Free Drink
Califia Farms Key Lime Colada Refresher
The blend of coconut cream and lime juice quenched testers’ thirsts on its own and with an adults-only spin: “I added a little rum and wow! Trust me on this one.”
Buy it! $6, target.com
Best Dairy-Free Latte
Pop & Bottle Strawberry Matcha Almond Milk Latte
Even matcha skeptics were knocked out by this mix of strawberry juice, coconut nectar and Himalayan sea salt. “Not a trace of grassiness!”
Buy it! $5, target.com
Best Non-Dairy Dessert
Jell-O Chocolate Oat Milk Pudding
“It’s like a taste of my childhood,” a nostalgic staffer said about the “cocoa-creamy” lunchbox staple. “You would never know it’s not made with regular milk.”
Buy it! $4 for 4, kroger.com
Best Alternative Milk
Whole Moon Coconut Beverage
Made with whole coconut meat and roasted soybeans, it has “subtle tropical flavor” and a creamy texture that “froths up like a dream,” according to a reviewer.
Buy it! $6, sprouts.com
Best Plant-Based Meat
Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Pieces
Our testers used the tender, unbreaded chunks in fajitas, stir-fries and pastas with great success. “I knew it was a winner when I made the swap and my kids didn’t complain—or even notice.”
Buy it! $9, beyondmeat.com
