1. Best healthy meat alternative: JADA’s Porkless Mix
This plant-based meat alternative comes dry, allowing you to mix and shape it however you’d like—we’re talking meatballs, patties, sausage links, and more. All that you need is oil and water, and the textured wheat protein plus the other plant-based ingredients help it all stick together (unless you make it into crumbles). Just one serving (half a cup) has 21 grams of protein.
The expert’s take: “This meat alternative is very high in protein, has no saturated fat, is low in total fat, and has no added sugars,” says Upton.
Our tasting notes: “Out of all the plant-based meat options in the grocery store, this one is the first one I’ve heard of and tasted that is supposed to mimic the taste of pork—and it does just that! I made it into meatballs and cooked them according to the packaging. They ended up being crispy on the outside and moist on the inside,” says News Editor Amanda McDonald.
2. Best healthy chicken alternative: Daring Original ‘Chicken’ Pieces
Daring is no stranger to plant-based chicken. The company has several options, such as its Original Breaded Pieces and Cajun Pieces. However, the newest addition—the Original Pieces—is “the plant-based chicken that sizzles, shreds, and serves just like, well, chicken,” the company says. It really makes you wonder what came first: the chicken or the plant-based ingredients?
The expert’s take: “[This option is] high in protein, [it has a] good calorie count, and [it is] lower in sodium than its peers,” says Upton.
Our tasting notes: “I’ve tried a lot of plant-based chicken options out there, but this was the first one that wasn’t breaded. And wow… It was the one that looked and tasted the most like the real thing. I even had to double-check the ingredients! Though it’s a little tough to cut, this product really does shred easily. In the end, it’s likely the most accurate swap available at the grocery store right now,” says McDonald.