The Top 8 Non-Dairy Finds at Whole Foods, According to Vegans

Some people’s favorite hobbies are painting or biking. Ours happens to be wandering up and down grocery store aisles and audibly gasping when we see new delicious vegan products. We’ll never forget the day that we discovered Kite Hill’s French Onion Dip. Our charcuterie boards have never been the same. Whole Foods is one of our favorite stores to wander—the amount of plant-based options is both glorious and overwhelming, especially in their non-dairy fridge (it's also where the dairy products live). 

We’re here to shed some fluorescent light on their best plant-based dairy products you can find at Whole Foods. We know a thing or two about this topic since we’ve been vegan for over six years. And most importantly, as cheese-loving Italians, we immediately honed in on the highest quality dairy substitutes. (Hello Violife Parm!) If it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, it’s safe to say we’ve got you covered on all things vegan food.

Whether you're on the hunt for dairy alternatives or feeling adventurous about trying new products, here are our top picks for non-dairy products you can find at Whole Foods. Put on your favorite hoodie and have yourself a day, deep in the fridge.

The Best Non-Dairy Milk

This is typically the first stop in the non-dairy tour and we’re starting with a wholesome choice: Blue Diamond Unsweetened Original Almond Milk. Among the many plant-based milks, we find this option to be the smoothest, creamiest, and the best bang for your buck. In our eyes, it is the most versatile of all the alternative milks. We use it in smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, and for baking—our favorite way to enjoy it is in a creamy hot chocolate.

A Show-Stopping Yogurt Alternative

The Kite Hill Plain Unsweetened, Greek Style Yogurt easily takes the win for the best non-dairy yogurt. It is thick, rich, and tangy. You can use it in parfaits, like this one with Maple Yogurt, Citrus, and Pomegranate, baked goods, or as a topping for oatmeal and pancakes. It’s also excellent in savory dishes because it is unsweetened.

The Tangiest Plant-Based Sour Cream

When looking for sour cream, we’re looking for tang and Kite Hill’s Sour Cream Alternative is the tangiest. Other sour cream alternatives we’ve tried are too thick in texture and lack flavor. This one stands out, especially on sheet pan nachos.

Non-Dairy Cheese: Shreds & Slices

As Italians, finding an acceptable non-dairy cheese is something we take very seriously. We want flavor, melt, and texture. Luckily, Violife products deliver. We always have Violife Just Like Cheddar Shreds in our fridge in case we need to make vegan mac and cheese at the drop of a hat (it happens) or melt shreds over a tofu scramble or veggie chili.

For sliced cheese, we love Violife’s Mature Cheddar Slices. For one, the packaging is top tier. It peels back for easy access and is re-sealable so the cheese stays fresher for longer. The cheddar flavor is subtle yet sophisticated. Plus, it melts beautifully, like on a breakfast sandwich or burger.

The Most Impressive Vegan Charcuterie Cheese

Our favorite non-dairy cheese for serving on a charcuterie board is Treeline Herb Garlic French-Style Cheese. It’s a soft, spreadable cheese, with earthy notes and pungent flavor. Honorable mention, for our fellow truffle lovers, goes to Miyokos French Style Winter Truffle Cashew Milk Cheese. These two, along with almond crackers, marinated olives, and red grapes would make a magnificent French-themed vegan cheese board.

The Best Vegan Cream Cheese

Kite Hill Chive Cream Cheese Style Spread is the first non-dairy cream cheese we ever tried and since that first bite, nothing has surpassed it. We love using it in creamy polenta with plant based butter! Speaking of…

The #1 Plant-Based Butter

This butter alternative has simple ingredients and a slightly acidic flavor that mimics cultured dairy. Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter is rich and spreadable on sourdough toast or freshly baked biscuits. There is simply no better plant-based butter out there.

Our Favorite All-Around Dairy Alternative

Violife Just Like Feta Block. Although it’s considered a feta-style cheese, we feel that it’s more similar to goat cheese—it’s smooth, creamy, and has a farm-y taste. It is delicious in salads, pasta, and on these Lemon Za’atar Potatoes.