Unboxed: 8 plant-based centerpieces for holiday celebrations
Families can make their vegetarian guests feel more welcome with one of these plant-based roasts on the holiday table. Find out more in this gallery.
November 10, 2023
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Tofurky’s vegan savory roast is packed with vital wheat gluten and tofu alongside flavorful ingredients including leek and rosemary extract. Furthermore, the stuffing contains brown rice and veggies such as onion, celery and garlic. This protein-packed centerpiece is meant to be shared, with five servings at 34 g protein per slice and is Non-GMO Project Verified. This Certified B Corporation is also a member of the Plant Based Foods Association.
Vegetarian Plus offers a vegan turkey roll with a vegan cinnabery glaze. The roll is made of soybean protein, wheat starch and wheat protein, with yeast extracts and modified tapioca starch, while the glaze’s ingredients include raspberries, blackberries and cranberries. One roll serves six, with 15 g protein and 10 g fat per serving. The glaze contains 14 g total sugars per 2 teaspoon serving.
The Meatless Farm specializes in plant-based meat alternatives in the form of mince, steaks, sausages and burgers. This roast has a meaty taste and texture that is made with wheat and pea protein and coated with a parsley and sage crust. Each serving offers 15.1 g protein.
Consumers will love this savory, meatless turk’y roast that continues Gardein’s tradition of plant-based products. This roast is packed with brown and wild rice, celery, cranberries, kale and spices. Additionally, it comes with two packets of homestyle gravy. It is Non-GMO Project Verified with 19 g protein, 260 calories and 770 mg sodium per 199 g serving.
This vegan sage and garlic plant-based roast provides 22 g protein in each of its five servings. It's made with wheat gluten, wheat protein, yeast extract, barley malt extract, butternut squash, garlic, onion powder, apples, yellow pea flour, mushrooms and more.
Field Roast is a carbon neutral company that crafts flavorful plant-based cheese and meat alternatives with a blend of vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs and spices. Lastly, this centerpiece is Non-GMO Project Verified.
Quorn produces its own blend of protein and fiber called Mycoprotein, which is a mold that belongs to the fungi family. There have been rare cases of allergic reactions to products that contain Mycoprotein. The roast also includes free range egg white and milk proteins. Each serving contains 15g protein and 7g fiber. It is soy free.
This vegan ham-style roast offers a tender, smoky flavor with a tangy glaze. Each of its five servings offers 22 g of protein and only 7 grams of total fat. Ingredients include wheat gluten and tofu. The glaze is made of malted barley, brown sugar, amber ale (which includes yeast) and mustard.
Everything a shopper needs for a holiday centerpiece is in this box: vegan turkey made of soybean protein, wheat, soybean oil and tapioca starch; vegan stuffing made with French and multigrain breads, onion, garlic, thyme, celery seed, sage and more; and vegan gravy that includes wheat flour, yeast extract and shitake extract.
The company is betting that not everyone at the table will consume stuffing and gravy, though, since the turkey serves 26, the stuffing serves 16 and the gravy serves “about 7.5.) The products could be exposed to milk or egg during manufacturing.
Everything a shopper needs for a holiday centerpiece is in this box: vegan turkey made of soybean protein, wheat, soybean oil and tapioca starch; vegan stuffing made with French and multigrain breads, onion, garlic, thyme, celery seed, sage and more; and vegan gravy that includes wheat flour, yeast extract and shitake extract.
The company is betting that not everyone at the table will consume stuffing and gravy, though, since the turkey serves 26, the stuffing serves 16 and the gravy serves “about 7.5.) The products could be exposed to milk or egg during manufacturing.
As consumers become increasingly interested in plant-based alternatives reminiscent of traditional meat-based holiday favorites, plant-forward roasts are appearing on more consumers’ dinner tables.
In 2022, total plant-based food dollar sales grew 7% while unit sales declined by 3%. 6 in 10 U.S. households purchased plant-based foods, similar to the prior year.
The Good Food Institute reported that in 2022, 60% of U.S. households purchased plant-based foods—a similar percentage compared with 2021—and 93% of households that purchased plant-based meat, also bought animal meat. GFI’s report is based on retail sales data for the 52 weeks ending Jan. 1, 2023, from SPINS. Last year, plant-based food sales dollars grew 7%, but unit sales declined 3%.
Sales of plant-based meats declined, 1% in dollars and 8% in unit sales, in 2022, according to GFI. Still, they are higher than they were before the COVID-19 pandemic: Dollar sales are up 43% and unit sales are up 20% since 2019.
As consumers continue to seek entrees for family holiday gatherings, the wide selection of plant-based options in the natural products market provides consumers with a multitude of meat-free alternatives.
Click through the gallery to see some of the newest innovations in vegan centerpieces.
Editor's note: Upon discovering that not all of these products are vegan, the gallery's description has been changed.
Correction: When originally posted, this statistic, "60% of U.S. households purchased plant-based foods," referred to the wrong year. It was corrected on Nov. 17.
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