This morning I had my first taste of vegan cream cheese, and I liked it. I was amazed how ‘real’ it tasted. I gave it to my kids as well, and they didn’t even notice the difference!
I also bought some coconut milk creamer for my coffee, and I don’t notice any difference.
Being able to buy pre made products such as these makes going vegan a lot easier in the US than in Germany. However, I wonder if these count as ‘whole’ foods. Having lived abroad for so long, I am used to making everything from scratch, and I have come to prefer being able to control my ingredients. I also believe that eating whole foods is more pure and better for my body. I really enjoyed both of these vegan products as they are two tastes that I miss and would often ‘cheat’ on, but I also noticed that there is actually quite a long list of ingredients in each. I don’t mind the oils and salt in the cream cheese, but what about tricalcium phosphate? And what exactly makes up ‘natural flavors’ and ‘vegan culture’? If I choose to avoid animal products because I want more wholesome food, does choosing these pre-made foods defeat my purpose?