Meat substitutes

The most common meat substitutes are tofu, tempeh, seitan, soy chunks, soy flakes, or any “meat” made of beans, shitake mushroom, lentils, etc.

There are also tons of plant-based ready-made burger like beyond meat, impossible burger, or any locally made veggie burger which we can find it easily in the supermarket.

Please be aware that this kind of ready-made industrial burger is considered to be a highly processed food, which means it needs to be consumed in moderation.

Milk substitutes

You will be surprised at the number of options when you give up cow milk and that they also taste better! They can be found easily in any supermarket now.

Soy milk is the most common one, but you can also try almond milk, rice milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, etc. There are also some options with B12 fortified in some milk products.

Fish substitutes

As a vegan, instead of fish, use algae and mix it with other ingredients like tofu (psssstt this tofu-wrapped algae recipe will blow your mind!)

As alternatives, there are also ready-made products like vegan tuna, vegan shrimp where you can find them online.

Cheese substitutes

As we are living in Italy, cheese is part of our tradition and culture, and it was the hardest part for my husband to give up cheese. However, now there are tons of alternatives to cheese which are made of cashew, lentils, chickpeas, etc.

Nutritional yeast is one of the best alternatives for parmesan cheese because they taste and look like parmesan. It’s also a good source for B12.

Egg substitutes

The egg was the last thing I cut to complete my vegan transition. Flax eggs, chickpea flour, or scramble tofu are the most common alternatives for eggs. Banana and apple are usually used as egg alternatives for sweets.

Honey substitutes

Agave syrup, maple syrup, date syrup are the common substitutes for honey.