PETA Vegan Food Awards 2019
Look around and you’ll see just how mainstream vegan food is now – it’s literally everywhere! According to Roy Morgan, about every 5 minutes since 2016, an Australian has decided to eat less meat or go meat-free, and thankfully, countless savvy businesses have caught on. Each day, more venues – from supermarkets to cafés – are embracing plant-based eating by offering exciting (and tasty) food that’s kind to animals and the planet. We reckon that’s worth rewarding.
So welcome to the inaugural PETA Vegan Food Awards, a celebration of kind eats that highlights the most delicious and innovative vegan products, menus, and venues. From chocolate to pizza, check out the award winners – then head out to try them for yourself.
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Best Vegan Meat
The Alternative Meat Co Sausage
These Australian-made vegan snags are juicy, satisfying, and grill well, and they’re especially delicious with gravy. They have more protein than their flesh-filled rivals, and no one had their throat slit for your barbecue. They’re available at Coles and used by Huxtaburger and Bar Luca.
Best Vegan Burger
Hungry Jack’s Vegan Cheeseburger
This burger signalled a revolution in the Australian fast-food scene. With 400 Hungry Jack’s locations nationally, you can now grab a takeaway burger that’s kind to cows without fuss – oh, and the vegan cheese (Biocheese, of course!) and mayo are standard, not an added extra. Winning.
Best Vegan Ice Cream
These choc tops are the best new release to hit Australian cinemas in 2019. From the crunchy cone to the chocolate top and velvety Over The Moo ice cream inside, they will greatly appeal to movie lovers with a conscience.
Best Vegan Sandwich Spread
This creamy, indulgent spread is an easy vegan swap for butter, whether you’re making a sandwich or a burger or baking something indulgent. Buy it by the tub at Coles or Woolworths, or try it in action at Hungry Jack’s or Schnitz.
Best Vegan Cheese
The Alternative Dairy Co Mozzarella
This Australian vegan food company has really hit it out of the park this year. Its dairy-free mozzarella is tasty and melty: perfect for pizza. Put it in the mouth of anyone who tries to tell you that they love cheese too much to go vegan. This is available at independent grocers.
Best Vegan Milk
This Western Australian company’s milk has been making its way into trendy cafés and wholefoods stores across Australia, and we’re here for it. It’s deliciously creamy but uses way less water to produce than dairy, which is important when much of Australia is still in a drought.
Best Vegan Pie / Pastry
Balfours Bakery Curried Lentil & Potato Pie
Balfours Bakery has been making pies for over a century, and now, this South Australian icon is joining the vegan revolution with its kick-ass vegan options. The curried lentil and creamy potato is our favourite: it’s chunky, filling, warming, and “meaty”. It’s available wholesale and at Coles throughout South Australia.
Best Vegan Chocolate Bar
Desert Island Confectionery Kresho Bar
This fair-trade, Australian-made chocolate bar will satisfy like Snickers but without the dairy. We’re waiting for the day when these babies are available at every checkout and counter around Australia, but for now, you’ll find them at select QE Foodstores, Go Vita stores, and other independent retailers.
Best Vegan Menu
San Churro clearly got the memo that 2019 is the year of the vegan. With more than 40 vegan-friendly options, including the Queen Vegan Churros Snack Pack, Drop & Choc, and Velvety Vegan hot chocolate, the new menu is what dairy-free dreams are made of.
Best Vegan Cake
The Cheesecake Shop Vegan Cake
Celebrating special occasions with the whole family often calls for a gourmet cake from The Cheesecake Shop, and now, vegans can get the party started. Available nationwide in chocolate or strawberry flavours, these cakes have two layers and a jam and frosting middle, topped with a Belgian chocolate drip, popcorn, dried raspberries, and pistachios.
Best Vegan Pizza
Domino’s Plant-Based Beef Taco Fiesta
Having just dropped three new mind-blowing pizzas with its own vegan “beef”, Domino’s is one of the biggest innovators in the vegan food market in Australia. With its smoky “meat” and spicy taco sauce, the Taco Fiesta will have you smiling until the cows come home – and they definitely will, since the whole pizza is made from plants.
Best Vegan Pasta
iPastai Vegan Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli
Hailing from Perth, the arrival of iPastai’s vegan ravioli on Woolworths’ shelves across the country has had us all excited to eat pasta again. The Spinach and Vegan Ricotta variety is deliciously cheesy and ready to eat in three minutes. Kids love it, and no calves are sent to the abattoir for it. Grab it at Woolworths.
Best Vegan Chicken
Suzy Spoon’s Vegetarian Butcher Shredded Seitan
Many vegan chicken products hit the market this year, but Australia’s original vegan butcher, Suzy Spoon’s, has a new offering that’s a real winner. The shredded seitan is perfect for stir-fries, taco pies, pastas, curries, or any recipe that calls for chicken. You can get it online and at The Cruelty Free Shop.
Best Vegan Fish
Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Smoked Salmon
Want to enjoy your lox bagel but don’t want to harm fish? Sophie’s Kitchen’s Vegan Smoked Salmon will get you off the hook. Fishing isn’t just cruel to our finned friends but also responsible for the majority of rubbish in the ocean, so this tasty vegan option is eco-friendly. You can find it at Coles and Woolworths.
Best Vegan Convenience Meal
Coco & Lucas Chickenless Rendang and Jasmine Rice
This curry is perfect when you need something quick and filling on the run. It’s super-convenient, creamy, and full of flavour – and best of all, no chickens were raised in crowded barns and killed in dirty abattoirs for your meal. You can find it at Woolworths in satisfying “grown-up portions”.
Best Vegan Cookbook
From wholesome breakfasts to indulgent treats, there’s a cruelty-free recipe for every occasion in this cookbook. The hardcover version makes a beautiful gift for anyone interested in beautiful food, health, and sustainability.
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Vegan living is growing at an astonishing rate, as more and more people recognise that other animals have just as much of an inherent desire to live as we do – and that eating vegan is better not only for animals but also for our own health and that of the planet. Peace begins on your plate, so start choosing delectable animal-friendly options almost anywhere you shop or eat.
Want to keep that award-winning feeling for life? Start cooking with the recipes in our free vegan starter kit: