Meat Alternatives

Are Hot Dogs Healthy? Exploring Their Nutrition, Risks, and Alternatives

Nobody’s claiming that hot dogs are a superfood, but many people assume that eating one (or a few) now and then isn’t a big deal. After all, they’re a beloved part of summer cookouts and baseball games — how bad could they be? Brace yourself — once you see what’s inside a hot dog and how it can impact your health, you might think twice before taking your next bite.

Ocean Robbins · April 30, 2025 · 13 min read

The Ultimate Guide to Tofu: Types, Cooking Methods, and Delicious Recipes

Tofu, long a staple of Asian cuisine, has hit the mainstream and can now be found in many grocery stores around the world. But what are the types of tofu, and how can you prepare them for the best flavor? What are some ways to incorporate this high-protein plant-based ingredient into your cooking?

Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN · September 6, 2024 · 8 min read

What Is Jackfruit? The Tropical Food That’s Turning Heads

This “miracle” fruit is nutritious and may even help feed the world. But what is jackfruit? And what does it taste like? Learn everything you need to know about jackfruit, including its nutrition, health benefits and downsides, and sustainability.

Liana Minassian · May 29, 2024 · 8 min read

How to Eat Jackfruit: 7 Delicious Plant-Based Recipes to Try

Jackfruit is the world’s biggest fruit, from the world’s biggest fruit trees. In addition to being a sweet fresh fruit when ripe, it can also serve as a fantastic meat substitute when canned before ripening. Discover how to use this weird and wonderful tropical fruit to create traditional meaty dishes with a whole, plant-based alternative.

Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN · May 24, 2024 · 9 min read

Does Processed Meat Cause Colorectal Cancer — and Are Plant-Based Alternatives Any Better?

Humans have been processing meat to preserve it and improve its flavor for millennia. So what do we know about the health effects of hot dogs, bacon, sausages, cold cuts, and other processed meats? Do they really cause colon cancer? And if so, can we minimize the risks by switching to plant-based “faux meats”?

Ocean Robbins · March 13, 2024 · 10 min read

What Is Pea Protein & Should You Eat It?

As the earth’s human population tops eight billion, we need to figure out how to feed all those people without destroying the planet itself. In recent years, pea protein has emerged as a promising alternative to animal sources of protein, like meat and dairy. But is pea protein, a processed food, really better for us and the environment?

Ocean Robbins · February 15, 2023 · 11 min read

7 Easy Stuffed Vegetable Recipes That are Meat & Dairy-Free

People have been stuffing ingredients into other ingredients from time immemorial. It’s a great way to cook fun, satisfying, and impressive looking meals with relatively little time and effort. While stuffing originated as a way to add grains, veggies, and seasonings to animals, plenty of veggies can be stuffed as well. In this article, we’ll look at the wide and wonderful world of stuffed vegetables and share some of our favorite stuffed vegetable recipes.

Ocean Robbins · July 15, 2022 · 10 min read

Why the Global Rise in Vegan and Plant-Based Eating is No Fad (30x Increase in US Vegans + Other Astounding Vegan Stats)

In our overview of vegan statistics from around the world, see why so many people are going vegan and eating plant-based — from athletes to celebrities to everyday people. Plant-based diets are here to stay.

Liana Minassian · April 6, 2022 · 15 min read

5 Common Mistakes Plant-Based Eaters Make and How to Avoid Them

Switching from a standard modern diet to a plant-based diet can be great for your health, your pocketbook, and the planet. Yet, with any dietary path, there are pitfalls. The good news is, it’s easy to identify and avoid the most common plant-based food mistakes, so you can take joy in eating an optimally healthy diet that also helps build the world you want.

Ocean Robbins · March 9, 2022 · 15 min read

Healthy Veggie Chili Recipes: Swapping Beans for Beef

The quest for the perfect bowl of chili has become an obsession for people around the world, with cookoffs and cash prizes becoming common features of the culinary landscape. Can this iconic dish survive a plant-based makeover with its heart and soul intact?

Ocean Robbins · December 15, 2021 · 11 min read

Transform School Meals to Nourish Kids and Create Opportunities for Farmers

School meals have a huge impact on the health of a nation — and the planet. They forge patterns that shape lives. They instill a status quo that changes what kids want to eat the rest of the time. And they are one of the primary ways that policy shapes the health of the next generation. Moving toward healthier, plant-based meal plans could benefit our children, and our world, in profoundly important ways.

Kari Hamerschlag · November 24, 2021 · 3 min read

What Is Tempeh? How to Include This Fabulous, Fermented Food in Your Diet

Tempeh, like tofu, is a soybean-based food often used as a meat substitute. Unlike its better-known cousin, tempeh is a whole food — and a fermented one at that. It’s also denser than tofu and requires different cooking methods to bring out its deliciousness. In this article, you’ll learn why and how you might want to add this popular Asian delicacy to your diet.

Ocean Robbins · October 13, 2021 · 10 min read