Table of Contents
- 1 Vegan Alternatives
This vegan alternative page covers dietary information on dairy, egg and animal meat alternatives, as well as clothing options, cruelty-free cosmetic and household product recommendations, and information on animal sanctuaries as opposed to animal-based entertainments, such as zoos and circuses.
Dairy Alternatives
There is an incredible range of vegan alternatives for dairy in Australia. Take a squiz at these two pages:
Vegan Meats
The majority of people transitioning to veganism or to a plant-based diet opt for animal meat alternatives. These alternatives are usually made using soy and wheat proteins and by doing so, many people are then able to carry across many of their existing recipes and familiar cooking habits. This helps make the learning process and transition period a bit easier for some and many people also choose to continue eating vegan meats for the rest of their lives.
Of course, some vegans or those on a plant-based diet choose to stick to a more vegetable and wholefoods approach where they limit or completely restrict any processed foods, but for the most part, the majority of vegans or those on a plant-based diet consume vegan meats.
Other ingredients which you may or may not have had before of are foods such as tempeh, tofu, seitan, lentils and jackfruit which are commonly used in many delicious meals.
Fry’s
Highly recommended is the brand Fry’s which are sold at Woolworths, Coles and IGA. Though the company is called Fry’s Vegetarian, you will see vegan listed on their packaging and ingredients list.
There is a great handful of options such as schnitzels, burgers, and pies! Their distinctive green packaging makes them an easy find in the frozen section.
They also don’t break the budget. Four schnitzels’ will set your wallet back only $7.53; less than $2 per schnitzel.
Fry’s Heat & Eat Range
Fry’s also have a new Heat & Eat Range available at supermarkets in Australia.
Personal favourites are:
- Polony slicing sausage which is a perfect addition to a baked bean breakfast
- Deli slices which are great fried up for breakfast, in sandwiches, and even in pasta
- Smoked hot dogs which are perfect with bread, tomato sauce and American mustard.
- Sausages with roasted red onion and black pepper which are great with breakfast, or dinner with some gravy!
Bean Supreme
Bean Supreme make a wide range of items, but be aware that some of them do unfortunately contain egg, so always check the packaging.
However, very highly recommended is the Gourmet Burger–it’s fantastic in .. well, burger buns! It’s thick and juicy, with a delicious savoury flavour, and they are highly versatile
- Cook for regular burgers. The texture is firm and mince like.
- Slice and use in stir-frys.
- Slice up really thin and use on pizzas.
- Chop it up fine and rub it down a bit with your hands and it goes crumbly. Perfect for Greek style dishes, or even spread out in a lasagna!
So versatile and damn tasty! And for as little as $7.79for a packet of 4, it’s literally under $2 per burger pattie with a shelf life of 110 days.
Bean Supreme’s other vegan products are ginger & honey marinated tofu, vegetarian mince in Bolognese sauce and falafel kofta
Vegie Delights
Sanitarium do a range called Vegie Delights and a few products are vegan, but always check the packaging as other products unfortunately contain egg.
The Thai Chilie & Lime Cakes are absolutely delicious. They have quite a strong favour with a nice kick, and some sweet chilie sauce goes along nicely!
They’re a good source of protein, iron, zinc and B12.
Linda McCartney
There’s a few products on the Linda McCartney range that are vegan. The delicious sausage rolls and the vegemince are two favourites. The sausage rolls are light and fluffy with a nice mince texture, great with tomato sauce! The pastry puffs up nicely and goes crunchy in the oven. At $5.98 for 6, that’s under $1 per sausage roll. The vegemince is fantastic and its uses are almost endless! Some suggestions:
- Try soaking in some Massel vegan beef stock and create a spaghetti bolonaise tomato sauce.
- Similar again but layer onto a piping hot lasagna.
- Add to your fry pan with seasonings and have tacos.
- Combine with Hokkien noodles and create a noodle stir-fry.
Tofu
Oh, don’t groan! And stop rolling your eyes. I saw that. Tofu has the unluckiest wrap – but I totally agree. Plenty of people cook tofu badly – no wonder it has a bad name.
Here’s an awesome tip on how to make Tofu (the hard tofu option is for cooking) become an awesome and crispy with a texture that doesn’t resemble a sponge: Use a tea towel to absorb any liquid, place sliced pieces into a plastic bag with cornflour to coat, press with a tea towel again to ensure the cornflour is firmly attached, and fry lightly in a pan to have crispy tofu.
As you can see from this awesome photo of an awesome crispy tofu with a satay peanut sauce, tofu can be great. The whole packet only cost $5.59 for a large two person dinner–cheap!
You can also use hard tofu to make eggless scrambled eggs, or veggs, combined with black salt for that hard boiled egg yolk flavour! The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook by The Gentle Chef is incredible.
Tempeh
Tempeh .. tofu .. what on earth is the difference, you say? Well, both are made from soybeans however, tofu has a smoother texture, while tempeh is less processed, is more chewy, and contains more protein and fibre than tofu does.
Like any food, the less processed the better. I’m a big fan of the saying, everything in moderation. Tempeh even looks less processed and has a fantastic texture for say, a meat (free) loaf. Or, you know, tempeh loaf. Don’t worry, once you learn your vegan alternatives, you’ll start renaming food soon too.
Frozen tempeh can be found in any Asian supermarket for a few dollars. It’s a great add-in for spaghetti bolonaise or try lightly frying some tempeh cubes in plum sauce to have with a salad and oven cooked chips!
Lentils
Lentils are good for so many parts of your life: your body, your blood, your wallet, your taste buds, and even the environment. Lentils have the highest level of protein by weight of any plant-based food and are a hassle-free compliment to any meal. Nutty and earthy in flavour, lentils have a high nutritional value that anyone can benefit from by incorporating this healthy legume into their diet.
Try adding lentils to your salad, or even to a delicious spaghetti bolognese
Seitan
Seitan is widely hailed as .. well, awesome! Seitan is a chewy and naturally brown substance made from wheat gluten, an isolated protein found in wheat.
Seitan is usually cut into strips and baked or fried and is used in dishes such as sandwiches, burgers, kabobs, etc. Check out this link on 24 ways for home made seitan or as a beginner, check out The Gentle Chef Cookbook which is full of detailed seitan recipes for $15.
Be aware that until you become familiar with the texture you are aiming for during the mixing and kneading process, the results will vary somewhat. But the added benefit of using this method is that you can flavour the gluten during the kneading process by adding herbs and spices of your choosing, other than the traditional ginger and garlic.
You can use seasonings or flavoured broth powder, or a blend with paprika, cayenne, fennel, garlic, or Italian seasoning for a “sausage” flavour. Flavouring is limited only by your imagination but be sure to buy a gluten flour that’s “vital” and has 75-80% protein.
Jack Fruit
Ever heard of the beloved jack fruit? The jack fruit is a fibrous, almost stringy fruit that mimics the behaviour of tofu, in that it absorbs flavours and liquids like crazy. It’s a good source of vitamin C, and the seeds are rich in protein. As you can see, you can obtain some incredible results – Check out this incredible vegan BBQ pulled pork recipe!
Jack fruit is available from any Asian supermarket in tins! Ensure you get the one that’s in water, not syrup.
Cosmetic & Household Alternatives
It’s a big world out there, a big world with thousands of products. Vivisection is one of the darkest, cruelest industries that’s been running since the 1880s.
Find out some great brands who don’t spend their time and money torturing animals in cages and you’ll see how easy it is to buy products that aren’t tested on animals unnecessarily!
Entertainment
Forms of animal based entertainment, such as circuses and zoos, involve the exploitation of animals for profit. They involve restricted habitats, controlled breeding, little to no introduction to the wild success rates due to being raised in captivity, a life time behind bars and often many forms of mental and physical abuse.
These industries are not considered vegan as animals are manipulated for human benefit and profit and their welfare and freedom is barely considered, if at all. Instead, visit and support some animal sanctuaries that put animal welfare first, and are often involved in life saving rescue missions from local and industry abuse:
Superannuation
Yup, you heard me! Australia now has its very first superannuation company, Future Super, that does not invest in fossil fuels or animal agriculture. Given every single other super company does, this is a good move to make to support a greener, more sustainable future and to know your super fund isn’t helping fund the very cruel and exploitative animal agriculture industry.
Clothing & Accessories
Vegans do not wear or use any products that come from animals. This includes leather, wool, down, silk, cashmere, suede, angora and fur, as well as animal-based glues.
However, the selection of items and analogues available for vegans to wear is so wide, it almost impossible to tell someone is a vegan by looking at their belt, shoes, or coat. Some vegans will shop at speciality vegan-only stores, while others order online. Either way, vegan clothing, shoes, and accessories are actually affordable and stylish. Like shopping for anything else, it’s all about finding good deals!
Try some of these awesome stores:
- Dr Martens – Women’s and Men’s vegan shoes.
- Love Converse shoes? The glue isn’t vegan unfortunately, but Etiko’s are! They’re fair-trade and ethical.
- Herbivore Clothing – Online store.
- Keep Company – Vegan and cruelty-free shoes!
- The Cruelty Free Shop – Fitzroy, Victoria (as well as Sydney and an online store). Options for bags, belts and shoes, as well as some cosmetics.
- Truthbelts – Online based and in Hawthorn East, Victoria.
- Urban Outfitters – Surprisingly they have a decent range of vegan-leather jackets ($0 shipping to AU if you wait 12 days).
- Vegan Wares – Collingwood, Victoria. Lots of options for shoes, belts, bags, etc.