Australia’s most-loved savoury dairy alternatives, as featured in the Nourish Vegan Awards.
Whether you’re new to plant-based living, or simply haven’t been able to keep up with the ever-increasing range of options, the Nourish Vegan Awards are the ideal way to discover the best vegan food and lifestyle products, restaurants, and plant-based advocates, as voted by the Nourish community.
With Veganuary underway, we are taking the chance to spotlight some of the fabulous brands from the latest awards – today exploring the world of vegan alternatives to dairy milk, cheese and butter. And don’t miss our roundup of sweet dairy alternatives in Part 2.
Plant-Based Milk
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Bonsoy
Coffee lovers and baristas alike have been frothing for Bonsoy since the eighties. With such a dedicated following, we weren’t surprised to see them win Best Plant-based Milk both years of the Nourish Vegan Awards so far. Made from a variety of whole, organic soybeans, this is a natural, full-bodied soy milk that’s also an excellent source of quality plant protein. The range now also includes a creamy, delicately-nutty almond milk that also froths like a dream. Bonjoy!
Oatly
Oat milk is fast becoming a favourite in the world of plant-based milks, so it’s no wonder that oat milk pioneers Oatly have been voted to the finals both years of the Nourish Vegan Awards. Their milks – and expanding range of other dairy alternatives – all feature the nutritional goodness of oats, and minimal environmental impact. It’s hard to get any more oatsome than that!
Vitasoy
Vitasoy use quality, whole Australian almonds, soybeans, and other plant-based favourites to create their smooth and delicious range of milks. There’s something for everyone here, including protein-enriched options, some varieties with added prebiotics, and a ready-to-drink chocolate almond milk for the sweet tooths.
Plant-based cheese
Plant-based cheese
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BioCheese
We’ll be forever grateful to BioCheese for bringing us a range of vegan cheeses that everyone can enjoy, and the Nourish community clearly concurs: after reaching the finals in 2020, they won Best Vegan Cheese in 2021. The widely-available and diverse range includes original and cheddar slices and blocks, halloumi, pizza shred, and a dreamy, soft feta. Yes, please.
Made With Plants
The Made With Plants brand is a passion project of its founder Cale Drouin (yes, a vegan founder named Cale!), whose aim is to make tasty plant-based options available to all. Among the popular Made With Plants range is their array of dairy-free cheeses. From parmesan to mozzarella, they have all your favourites covered, and they melt like a dream. Little wonder they scooped a finalists’ award in the 2021 NVA Best Vegan Cheese category.
Sheese
Sheese is deservedly one of the most popular dairy-free cheese ranges around, tasting, stretching and melting just like the real thing. With a wide range of flavours and styles available, you’ll find the right kind for any purpose, whether it’s their Sheese Blocks, Creamy Sheese, Grated Sheese, or Sheese Slices. They’re healthier, delicious, widely stocked in supermarkets, and offer great taste for amazing value – what’s not to love?
Buttery non-dairy spreads
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Nuttelex
A rightful staple in fridges around the country, Nuttelex took home the winner trophy in the new category of Best Vegan Spread at the 2021 Nourish Vegan Awards. Australian pioneers in dairy-free buttery spreads, Nuttelex have been spreading the love since 1932 – and they just keep getting better, now with an amazing range of spreadable blends encompassing coconut oil and olive oil varieties.
Naturli’ Vegan Spreadable
A nominee for Best Vegan Spread in the 2021 Nourish Vegan Awards, Naturli’ Organic Vegan Spreadable is made with organic rapeseed, coconut, shea and almond. Whether melted over warm sweetcorn, used in baking, added to sauces, or spread on bread, this is a great option when you want an option that’s just like butter, but better. As Naturli’ say: “eat plants – there is no planet B”!
Lauds Cultured Oat Butter
Lauds were nominated in the Vegan Cheese and Vegan Spread categories in the 2021 NVAs. Hailing from Tasmania, this brand is on a heartfelt mission to ‘spread the good’ with their range of dairy alternatives. Don’t miss out on their Cultured Oat Butter – a decadent, creamy and spreadable butter that melts in your mouth, widely available at independent supermarkets and online.
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