Fall is here and it’s time to rethink your snack game. Season-appropriate snacks are essential, whether you’re taking a weekend road trip to view fall foliage, attending a tailgating party, or just spending the day on the sofa watching football. It just so happens that plant-based snacks are having a moment.
There are a ton of meatless snacks on the market and they aren’t just for vegetarians and vegans. Whether you want crunchy, spicy, savory or sweet, there is something for everyone. We are spotlighting several plant-based snacks that will make a great addition to your snack rotation. Not only do these snacks taste great, many of the below companies are also giving back to the community in some way.
12 Tides
While kelp chips sound like something SpongeBob and his friends might enjoy under the sea, you might be surprised to find they’re actually a tasty snack. 12 Tides has made the first organic kelp chip. The kelp is sustainably grown, harvested and then baked into chips. They come in three delicious flavors: Sea Salt, Chili Pepper and Everything.
These chips have a satisfying crunch and a mild seaweed umami flavor. 12 Tides donates 1% of its profits to help restore the kelp forests in California. Their packaging is also 100% compostable. 12 Tides organic kelp snacks can be purchased on the company website as well as in select stores nationwide.
Add some of these plant-based snacks to your next snack rotation!
Alcoeats
Alcoeats was founded by Adit Agrawal. He and business partner Peter Moscone are on a “mission to provide tastier, healthier and better food items to every pantry in America.” The company is based in India and procures its ingredients from local farmers. While Alcoeats sells coffee, Indian gravies and masala, they also sell cashews.
Cashews are a good source of protein and healthy fat. Alcoeats makes cashews in flavors like Mexican Taco, Peri-Peri and Sour Cream & Onion. These varieties are marketed as “Funny Nuts” and have bright, simple packaging with a quick joke and humorous illustrations. For a more indulgent snack, they also have the Mi Amore collection which includes Chocolate Espresso, Cinnamon Sugar and White Chocolate Cashews.
These cashews are covered in seasoning, which gives them lots of flavor. They come in 1.5 ounce bags perfect for packing in lunches, as well as 3.53 ounce jars. These cashews can be purchased on the company website or on Amazon.
Confetti Snacks
According to their website, Confetti Snacks makes “snacks from ugly vegetables.” The company, named to celebrate nature’s diverse rainbow of colors, is headquartered in Singapore and founded by Betty Lu.
What first stands out to me about their veggie chips are the types of vegetables inside the bag. Check the back of the chip bag and you’ll see the ingredient list includes two types of radishes, carrots, okra, shiitake mushrooms and purple potatoes. I was surprised when I opened the bag of chips to see whole pieces of okra! The chips are cooked at low temperatures giving them a nice crunch.
The second thing that stands out are the unique flavors offerings. I don’t believe I’ve tried a Tandoori Curry flavored snack until now. Other flavors in their line include Summer Truffle, Green Curry, Teriyaki BBQ and, coming soon: Sea Salt. While you can pair these chips with your favorite dip, they are delicious just being eaten on their own.
Confetti has partnered with global humanitarian missions to distribute their snacks in an effort to end hunger and malnutrition. They also donate a portion of their sales to help end hunger. Confetti Snacks can be purchased online for $5 per bag or $120 for a 24 pack.
Festive Chickpeas
Are chickpeas delicious in everything? Try adding them to salads or make hummus or falafel. But have you ever tried snacking on them? Festive Chickpeas makes crunchy chickpea snacks in flavors like Sour Cream & Onion, Honey BBQ and Ranch. They also make them in Original Sea Salt, Mild Spicy and Fiery Spicy flavors.
These delicious high-protein chickpeas are actually garbanzo halves, so they are small in size and easy to eat by the handful. I’ve tried the ranch flavored chickpeas and found the flavor to be mild and not overwhelming. They come in individual 1 oz. bags, which are great for taking on the go, or a larger 2 oz. sharing size. Festive Chickpeas can be purchased at the company website.
Mozaics Chips
Mozaics Chips are made by The Planting Hope Company. These veggie chips come in three flavors: BBQ, Salsa and Sea Salt. Mozaics Chips are popped, not fried. You can see actual pieces of peas and black beans in each chip. These chips are crunchy and flavorful. The Salsa flavored chips have a slight hint of spice and are very addicting! If you’re a chip lover like me, looking for a healthier alternative, this is a great option.
Moazaics Chips are available in two sizes: a 3.75 oz. sharing size bag and a 0.75 oz. individual snack size bag. They can be purchased on The Planting Hope Brand website or Amazon.
Popadelics
Popadelics are made from dried shiitake mushrooms and seasoned with heaps of flavor! The company was founded by Marilyn Yang, who was looking for a uniquely-flavored healthier snack.
They come in three different flavors: twisted Thai chili, trippin’ truffle parm and rad rosemary + salt. They are cooked using a special vacuum frying method which gives these chips a super crunch. The seasonings offer great taste without losing the umami mushroom flavor.
Portions of the proceeds from purchases of Popadelics helps support the Fun-Gal Snacks Foundation. This charitable organization supports health and wellness related causes. These snacks can be purchased on the company website, Amazon, select online retailers and at natural food stores in over ten states (a store locator is available on the website).
Sweet Earth Plant-Based Chik’n
Sweet Earth Plant-Based Chik’n is a great plant-based alternative you can use to make some of your favorite game day snacks. Nachos, tacos and sliders can all be made using their plant-based chicken substitute. They come in strips or shreds and are sold in flavors including Chipotle Chik’n strips, Korean BBQ Style Chik’n shreds, Seasoned Shredded Taco Chik’n and Mindful Chik’n Strips, which you can flavor any way you’d like! They are an excellent source of plant-based protein. They have recipes on their website, including one for Gochujang Chik’n Molasses Egg Rolls, which I’d love to try making..
I made Chipotle Chik’n Quesadillas, using the recipe from their website and they were teen approved! Sweet Earth makes a variety of other plant-based products including bowls, burritos, pizzas, bacon, deli slices and seitan. Products can be purchased at Amazon and other online retailers, as well as in stores like Target and Whole Foods. You can use the store locator on the website to find out where you can purchase the various Sweet Earth products.
Veggicopia Hummus and Dips
I love that Veggicopia dips and hummus come in 2.5 ounce cups. They are a perfect size for taking on the go. I’ve packed these cups with some pita chips for lunch snacks for both myself and my kids. There are three flavors: Original Creamy Hummus, Roasted Red Pepper Creamy Hummus, and Creamy Black Bean Dip.
I found all the dips to have a slight lemony tang and the creamy hummus original flavor also had a hint of sweetness. These hummus and dip cups are sold in multipacks on both The Planting Good website and Amazon.
Veggicopia Olives
As an olive lover, I was excited to discover that Veggicopia makes snack size pouches of olives. What a treat to be able to eat olives on the go! They have two different varieties of Greek olives, green Conservolias and black Kalamatas that come in 1 ounce bags.
Like other Veggiecopia snacks, these olives are sold in multipacks on both The Planting Good website and Amazon.
Which of these plant-based snacks do you want to try?