The Best Plant-Based Products to Buy This Week, From The Editors

We can't go a single week without a new plant-based burger, non-dairy creamer, delicious oat ice cream, or superfood-laced snack bar hitting the market and getting our attention. Just this week, Trader Joe's announced it was adding a plethora of new plant-based options to its already impressive lineup.

But before you hit the stores, whether it's online or at Whole Foods or Sprouts, we want to help you sort the best from the rest. We realize that with this Tsunami of plant-based products, it can be tough to not feel overwhelmed. That's why we are bringing you our favorites of the week, so you can decide what to try and buy and what to skip.

For a helpful list of products by category, we have created the Beet Meter, where we rate each product by taste and health, using a set of criteria that was created by an RD, who came up with fair and objective attributes that tell you what is the best, healthiest and tastiest plant-based chicken, non-dairy cream cheese, vegan cheese and more. And not to be dogmatic about it, we welcome your ratings as well, so you can share your favorite plant-based products and let others know what to buy when they are adding more meatless and dairy-free alternatives to their shopping carts.

Here are the latest plant-based products to add to your grocery list or cart, from Lucy Danziger, Stephanie McClain, Hailey Welch, Caitlin Mucerino, Max Rabb, and Louisa Richards – aka the editors of The Beet –– since we are living the plant-based life and want to make it easier for you to do it too! Have a great, healthy plant-based week, from our kitchen to yours!

What's your current favorite plant-based product? Let us know on our Facebook page.

When you worry that your gut microbiome is out of whack, and your energy is flagging and you don't want to eat a bunch of garbage (like the salt and vinegar potato chips that I hear calling my name from the kitchen cabinet) the last thing you want to do is eat something highly processed with preservatives and added sugar, salt or unnecessary oils. But how to choose a snack that won't send blood sugar soaring and your gut microbiome into a state of chaos by punching up the bad bacteria that tips the balance in the wrong direction? That's where Dr. Steven Gundry comes in.

Author of The Plant-Paradox, and most recently The Energy Paradox: What to do When Your Get-Up-and-Go Has got Up and Gone and creator of the Lectin-free diet (aka the Plant Paradox Diet), Dr. Gundry understands that not all "healthy" food is created equal – which is why he has launched his own line of snack bars that provide exactly the nutrients your body needs to fuel up without the junk that causes it to power down, energy-wise.

Our gut health is tied to inflammation in the body, our risk of heart disease, and even our moods. When we eat more plant-based food, the billions of microbes in the gut respond and help our bodies metabolize that fiber and healthy nutrients, lowering the inflammation and even our bad LDL cholesterol. (When we eat foods that aggravate our gut, whether it's sugar, meat, or in some of our cases, lectins found in certain fruits and vegetables and nightshades) the inflammation goes up and can actually make us bloated, gain weight and feel low-energy, which is why he calls it the Plant Paradox. For more on these types of "anti-nutrients" you may want to learn about whether to be concerned with lectins, oxalates, and tannins.

So that's a long way of saying why we should care about these bars. But the reason to love or enjoy Dr. Gundry's snack bars is that they taste clean and satisfying, just sweet enough to hit the spot, without that cloying added sugar to burn your throat and leave you listless in a short amount of time.

The Honey Nut Bar has is made with real Manuka honey (so vegans will want to skip), macadamias, pecans, almonds, tocopherols, and contains 5 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of sugar (from the honey. The Polyphenol Macadamia  is made with unsweetened dark chocolate, polyphenol-rich olive oil, macadamias, cocoa powder, hemp seeds and contains 7 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber and 0 grams added sugar.

Try the bars, and if you're curious, try more of his products. I may not be one of his "super fans" (I know people who are and swear by his approach to avoiding lectin foods), but since I happen to love tomatoes and eggplants and many lectin-containing fruit and vegetables, including nightshades, which he warns against. But I can enjoy his bars for a mid-morning snack and you will too. Guarantee it.  You can purchase Dr. Gundry's Bars here. 

It's no secret that I'm a loyal fan of Gigantic!'s plant-based candy bars. Not only are they vegan and strike the perfect balance of sweet and savory, but they also come in the ideal portion that leaves you wanting just a crumb more.

This fall, Gigantic!'s offerings are only getting better with the recently-debuted Smashing Pumpkin flavor. I was lucky enough to try these ahead of time and let me tell you – this flavor encapsulates the joy of being a child on Halloween. The taste is something I can only describe as the smell of the inside of a trick-or-treating pillowcase stuffed full of candy after a successful neighborhood haul. Smashing Pumpkin captures the nostalgia of Halloweens past with a forward-looking ingredient list that's totally plant-based and contains no animal products.

Check out this new flavor in time for fall or, if pumpkin isn't your thing, the Banana Pecan, Almond Horchata, Salted Peanut, or Hazelnut Café are all equally as incredible.

You can purchase Gigantic! plant-based candy bars on the brand's website.

The bol salads come in reusable jars with a biodegradable wooden fork inside and all you need to do is empty out the dressing and shake it up. It's convenience food made healthy. I tried the Japanese Rainbow Slaw Salad at our local coffee shop in the UK and it hit the spot for a filling nutrient-dense lunch. The Asian-inspired recipe contains brightly colored veg, black rice, and turtle beans for a good balance of macros and is dressed with delicious soy, white miso, and ginger sauce. With 12 grams of [rotein and only 280 calories, I think this is a great choice for lunch.

Bol Foods are available online here https://bolfoods.com/

I have tried my fair share of plant-based, gluten-free cookies and nothing is as good as Sweet Loren's. My non-vegan sister actually introduced me to this brand and it's now become the only cookie brand my family buys at the grocery store.

Sweet Loren's cookies are made with cleaner ingredients and I personally love that I can enjoy a sweet treat without worrying about what's in them. The chocolate chip flavor tastes just like a homemade cookie but healthier. These are the softest gluten-free cookies I have ever tried and they have the perfect hint of sweetness from the chocolate chunks you get in every bite. If you love a soft, chewy cookie, bake it for 11-13 minutes.

Besides chocolate chip, Sweet Loren's also has 3 other flavors including Fudgy Brownie, Sugar and Oatmeal Cranberry. All flavors are gluten-free, plant-based, Non-GMO certified as well as peanut and tree nut-free. If you are a fan of raw cookie dough, Sweet Loren's has a range of raw cookie doughs that you can eat without having to pre-heat the oven.

To buy Sweet Loren's cookies, click here. 

Every weekend I make a trip to my local farmer's market to stock up on fresh produce for the week and last weekend I stumbled across a vendor called The Complete Burger which sold vegan and gluten-free veggie burgers made with local organic Shiitake mushrooms, organic red quinoa, lentils, black beans, red onions, organic garlic, gluten-free oat flour, organic ground flaxseed, olive oil, spices.

These burgers are hands-down my favorite vegan veggie burger I've ever tasted. The patty is hearty, wide, and durable unlike most frozen patties that are small in size, thin, and oftentimes bind with breadcrumbs to stay in one piece. However, this product is as natural and organic as it gets, and aside from the appearance and texture, the taste is perfectly savory, earthy, and everything you want from a fresh veggie burger.

I make my burgers in the toaster oven if I'm short on time but I like them best cooked on the grill with slight chard marks for extra crispiness. Then, I top it with the classics, sauteed onions, sliced tomatoes, and avocados, and I make a homemade vegan spicy aioli sauce to top off the masterpiece. If you're looking for a healthy, delicious, veggie burger made without any preservatives with a homemade flair, then try this patty for yourself and you won't go back to your go-to store-bought patty, because I can't. I don't want a veggie burger any other way from now on. Not to mention, each box comes with six patties, perfect if you're serving guests, family, or want tasty meals throughout the week.

To purchase your vegan vegetable burgers, visit the Complete Burger website.

HungryRoot Superfood Almond Butter

HungryRoot's supercharged almond butter is the perfect small breakfast or a quick snack for any day of the week. After getting my first pouch of this nutritionally charged almond butter, I was hooked. The almond butter recipe contains chia seeds, Gogi berries, and hemp seeds to maximize the nutritional value of this delicious food. Packed with extra fiber, omega-3s, and antioxidants, the Superfood Almond Butter is one of the best additions to breakfast I can think of.

The Superfood Almond Butter makes for a perfect addition to morning smoothies. The flavor mixes extremely well with any of your typical fruit smoothie options, and it will give your morning that boost of vitamins and nutrition that everyone needs. If you aren't a smoothie person, don't worry. HungryRoot's almond butter product is perfect as a solo spread for toast or to eat with an apple or banana. It can also work perfectly as a topping to an oatmeal bowl. No matter which way you choose to use it, you and your body won't be disappointed.

Check it out on HungryRoot's website here.