15 Vegan Brands That Make Plant-Based Whole30 So Much Tastier

The Whole30 Diet (colloquially shortened to “Whole30”) is almost near Atkins-level popularity. The simple fact that there is an official Whole30 label and certification process is a testament to its mass following. Trends don’t get a label unless they’re a big deal, and brands want in. The program currently boasts 141 official Whole30-approved brands (62 that are vegan) with more applying on a weekly basis. From sauces to plant-based meat alternatives, we found these products to be essential in helping us stick to our plant-based Whole30 journeys. While we’ve completed our 30 days and are free to enjoy a wider variety of foods again (hello, soy latte, oh how we’ve missed you!), these vegan-friendly Whole30 brands are so good, they’ve earned a permanent spot on our shopping lists.

What is Whole30?

The 30-day elimination-style diet that claims to reset eating habits was co-created by Melissa and Dallas Hartwig in 2009 and truly took off in 2015 with the book, The Whole30. Up until the recent debut of Plant-based Whole30, the diet was virtually impossible to commit to as a vegan, because in addition to all sweeteners, grains, alcohol, dairy, carrageenan, and sulfites, the program also prohibited most legumes. Yes, that means no beans and I am not. Meat and seafood, however, are fair game.

The Plant-based Whole30 program eschews all animal products but allows for legumes and minimally processed soy—think tofu, tempeh, and edamame. Textured soy products (TVP, used in many plant-based meats) and soy protein isolate (found in many protein powders) are not allowed. Grains (including rice, oats, wheat, and corn), any type of sweetener other than fruit (goodbye, maple syrup), alcohol, carrageenan, and sulfites are also no-go. You’re essentially left with produce, nuts and seeds, and minimally processed soy. After looking at the ingredient labels on most of our go-to condiments and store-bought products, we found that we also had to forgo these products as they contain at least one or more of the Whole30 prohibited ingredients.

When you’re down to veggies, fruit, nuts, and potatoes for 30 days, you need some excitement to stay the course. Thank goodness for these vegan brands.

15 life-saving vegan Whole30-approved brands

Abbot’s Butcher

1 Abbot’s Butcher

This woman-owned vegan company is the first-and-only vegan meat alternative brand certified by Whole30, and it’s a game changer. Made with pea protein and just a handful of clean ingredients you can pronounce, it provides a much-welcome break from the blocks of tofu and tempeh we consume on the regular. A salad topped with a mound of browned “chorizo” became a weeknight staple.
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hmm kombucha

two hmm kombucha

Scientifically speaking, you need sugar to make kombucha. It’s essential for fermentation. That won’t fly on Whole30, but Humm concocted a way to make refined sugar-free booch. The Whole30 line uses white grape juice and sugar-free kombucha cultures to create a bubbly probiotic beverage. Flavors include Mixed Berry, Mango Lemon, Strawberry Blossom, Ginger, and a seasonal Elderberry.
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Malk Organics

3 Malk Organics

Turn over the carton of whatever plant milk you have in your fridge. Look at the ingredients. More likely than not, it contains some sort of sweetener. Malk’s plant-milks allowed us our almond and oat milk while staying Whole30 compliant. The Vanilla Oat is a new mainstay in our fridge.
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SeaSnax

4 SeaSnax

A curious thing happened about seven days into the diet. We started craving more savory foods, particularly in the form of chips. Truth be told, this digital editor was never a chip fan, but without a nightly dessert, the desire for something crunchy and salty planted its seed. These light-and-airy, deliciously crispy seaweed snacks hit the spot.
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Artisana Organics

5 Artisana Organics

When you’re on Whole30, it’s nearly impossible to eat out (Chipotle or the Whole Foods hot bar being exceptions). On the plus side, that led to a net savings, so we were completely justified in splurging on some higher-quality nut butters. Artisana Organics makes truly gourmet nut butter blends, and you can taste it in every luxuriously creamy bite. We bought a big jar of the raw cashew butter and swooned over the Macadamia-Coconut Butter. We also tried hemp and brazil nut butter for the first time, and it was magical.
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A Dozen Cousins

6 A Dozen Cousins

We were already familiar with this Black-owned brand’s seasoned beans, but its new line of Whole30 sauces revived our loyalty. Many dinners consist of a baked sweet potato loaded with A Dozen Cousins ​​refried black beans and a mound of salsa, accompanied by a side of guacamole and steamed broccoli. Even though our time is up, this meal has become our new don’t-feel-like-cooking staple.
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Kite Hill

7 Kite Hill

Not all Kite Hill products are Whole30-approved, but the brand helpfully added a Whole30 section to its website to make navigation a breeze. The diet-compliant products include four flavors of almond-based cream cheese and an almond milk ricotta. No, you can’t pair the Everything Bagel or the Garden Veggie cream cheese with a bagel, but we found satisfaction in schmearing it on cucumber slices and Siete cassava tortillas.
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love beets

8 love beets

It’s incredible how sweet and delicious beets can taste once you’re completely off sugar for a few days. We ended up snacking on these marinated baby beets and piling them on salads. Some flavors do contain a sweetener, so check the label, but the Mild Vinegar, White Wine & Balsamic, and Garlic Herb are approved.
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nut pods

9 nut pods

Caffeine is allowed on the plant-based Whole30 diet, but the sugars that often accompany it are not. Most creamers and plant milks contain a few grams of sugar to balance out the bitterness of coffee. For those who can’t drink it black but need their daily cuppa, Nutpods will help it go down easier. Note: the flavors are a little misleading—the Cinnamon Swirl variety we tried didn’t taste sweet but we did detect a light cinnamon flavor. Just prepare yourself. While the packaging says Coffee Cake, it’s not going to be as delightfully sweet as your typical cup of coffee with sweetened non-dairy creamer.
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PrimalKitchen

10PrimalKitchen

Crafted for the paleo and keto crowds, this Whole30-approved company also makes products with vegans in mind. We consistently returned to the Mushroom Gravy and Roasted Garlic Marinara Sauce. You’ll learn on Whole30 that most store-bought marinara contains some sugar, so this product allowed us our pasta and convenience.
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Saucy Lips

elevenSaucy Lips

Originally a hot sauce brand, Saucy Lips has expanded its offerings with Mexican cooking sauces. We heavily relied on these to make our veggie-and-tofu skillet meals more appetizing and exciting. The rich mole sauce was a particularly tasty discovery. On days when we had mole, we forgot our diet was restrictive at all.
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The New Primal

12The New Primal/Noble Made

A spin-off of parent company The New Primal, Noble Made’s sauces and seasonings made us crave frozen vegetables and tofu. We sprinkled the Everything Bagel seasoning and nutritional yeast on everything and dipped air-fried tofu cubes into the complex, slightly spicy Sriracha Tahini dressing. Note: not all products are vegan, so check the label before you try out the other marinades, dressings, and barbecue sauces.
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Seven Foods

13Seven Foods

Tortillas made with anything other than wheat flour or masa made us extremely skeptical. Begrudgingly adding Siete’s cassava flour tortillas to our basket, we predicted them to be tough, grainy, and dry. We are so glad to be proven wrong. While slightly thinner than a wheat or corn-based tortilla, these grain-free flatbreads were pleasantly supple, tender, and completely satisfying. It’s a toss up as to what was our favorite new product discovery during this Whole30 journey—these amazing tortillas or the soul-satisfying Blanco Cashew Queso.
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Yai’s Thai

14Yai’s Thai

Turn over any given jarred peanut or curry sauce, and you will find some sort of sweetener. This line of Thai-inspired sauces is Whole30 compliant, and many options are vegan. We found the Thai Almond No Peanut Sauce to be lacking in flavor, but we did enjoy the yellow coconut curry and Ginger Garlic Stir-Fry sauce. If you want to explore the other options, check the ingredient list as some contain fish sauce and anchovies.
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Daily Harvest

fifteen Daily Harvest

This brand has been around for awhile—evoloving from frozen, blend-and-go smoothies to a full array of sweet and savory meal options. We tried Daily Harvest in its beginning years—back when it was smoothies and soups—and thought it was fine but nothing we’d order again. That opinion has changed with the company’s expansion. For those who don’t have a second to think about what to eat or who would rather have some hand-holding during their plant-based Whole30 journey, Daily Harvest offers a solid solution. The organic brand is offering a Plant-Based Whole30 Plan which includes 14 diet-compliant items along with a five-day meal plan procured from Whole30 and Daily Harvest dietitians. Menu items range from smoothies and soups to heartier Harvest Bowls and Bakes. This plan wasn’t available during our Whole30 experience, but we bet it will serve as a comfortable back-up plan after you’ve returned from the grocery store empty handed and frustrated at all the items that contain some form of gluten or sugar.
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For more on vegan diet and nutrition, read:
I Tried the First Plant-Based Whole30 And Here’s What Happened
Chipotle Just Launched Vegan Chorizo ​​Nationwide
The Complete Vegan Guide to the Elimination Diet