If you鈥檙e one of those people who never daydreams about nachos, ice cream, or pork rinds, well, good for you. The rest of us are left to search for the healthiest substitutes to our favorite indulgences. Luckily, there鈥檚 a whole veggie-based world of takes on not-so-healthy snacks.
What鈥檚 even better is that they taste great. In fact, if you didn鈥檛 know better, you鈥檇 probably think these plant-based iterations of your favorite snacks were the real deal.
Rau Drinking Chocolate

Made with single-origin, fair-trade cocoa beans and either coconut oil or cocoa butter (for added creaminess), the final product of this goes down smooth. Best of all, cacao is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, so it鈥檚 a great option as a post-exercise recovery drink.
Snacklins

If you thought deep-fried pig skin was as good as a snack could get, we have news for you. Snacklins鈥 made from mostly yucca and mushrooms鈥攁re even better. For one, you can eat guilt-free knowing no pigs were hurt in the process. And two, you won鈥檛 feel your arteries clogging with every bite. You can choose from flavors like Old Bay, barbecue spice, or soy and ginger. Just beware: You might polish off an entire bag in one sitting.
SorBabes Nut Butter Sorbets

If you鈥檝e had ice cream made with soy or almond milk, you know it鈥檚 usually not at all like the real stuff. What makes ice cream creamy is, well, the cream. But soy and almond milk lack fat, so you never get that thick, indulgent texture. Nicole Cardone and Deborah Gorman, founders of , created a workaround using whipped nut butter鈥攚hich has plenty of fat鈥攁s a base. The result is a treat that actually tastes like one.
May Wah Vegetarian Jerky

For you vegetarians who still want the perfect trail snack, , a New York鈥揵ased vegetarian grocery market, ships its jerky nationwide. The vegetable-and-soy-based jerky comes in all the flavors you might expect鈥攖eriyaki, hot and spicy, black pepper鈥攑lus some flavors you might not expect, like bacon or squid. The texture is relatively close to real jerky, and maybe a little better, since it鈥檚 not quite as leathery.
Punk Rawk Labs Cashew Cheese

Finally, a company that makes your nonvegan friends won鈥檛 criticize you about. Founded by three women鈥攁 scientist, a record store owner, and a nutritionist鈥擯unk Rawk Labs has created tasty cheeses from organic nut milk in a range of flavors, like a smoky cashew nut that tastes like gouda, a melty nacho cheese, and even one that鈥檚 flavored with earthy mushrooms.
Fora FabaButter

A lot of snacks, from simple toast to cookies and brownies, begin with a tasty foundation of butter. But a vegan butter that bakes well and tastes good? That can be hard to come by. uses coconut oil as its fat source and incorporates aquafaba (that liquid you pour off a can of chickpeas) for a more interesting taste and texture. Several high-profile chefs, like and , have sung the brand鈥檚 praises in recent months. It鈥檚 still hard to find, so if it鈥檚 not sold where you live, here鈥檚 how you
Bobo鈥檚 Toast鈥檙 Pastries

A few Pop-Tarts flavors are vegan, but you have to read the labels carefully. That鈥檚 not a problem with toaster pastries from . The entire line is vegan and gluten-free, and all the ingredients are recognizable. The brand鈥檚 four flavors include strawberry, blueberry lemon poppy seed, chocolate almond butter, and chocolate peanut butter. That last one had us asking for seconds.