Tag: snacks
Protein-Packed Vegan Snacks To Keep In Backpacks
No matter how far my school days are behind me, I’ll never forget the exquisite pain of being stuck in class, stomach rumbling, with nothing remotely vegan-friendly in sight. Even as most campuses are becoming more inclusive, catering to dietary restrictions and allergies galore, we’ve all been there. As a student, you’re tasked with juggling classes, deadlines, and social life, and somewhere in between, you need fuel to keep going. That’s where protein-packed vegan snacks come to the rescue. The best part is that these picks need no prep and little planning. You can toss them in your backpack and take them wherever you go.
Why Protein Matters (Especially for Students)
Think of protein as your body’s repair crew. It helps rebuild muscles, keeps your immune system strong, and even supports brain function. For students, that means better focus, more energy, and quicker recovery from late-night study sessions or gym workouts alike.
Protein has long been the punchline of many vegan jokes, but these wannabe comedians have no idea what they’re talking about. You don’t need to carry around a tub of tofu and no, it’s not a struggle to eat enough protein through plant-based foods. There are plenty of portable, shelf-stable, vegan protein snacks that are perfect for students on the go.
That said, even if you eat all the right vegan snacks and still feel drained, that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong. Student life can be overwhelming; when energy runs low and deadlines pile up, some students can benefit from more academic support and, in the middle of a long week, turn to an essay service for help from professionals so they can focus on exams, health, or rest. After all, smart studying isn’t just about what you eat, but also about knowing when to ask for help and managing your workload wisely.
1. Roasted Chickpeas: Crunchy, Savory, Satisfying
If chips and crackers had a smarter cousin, it would be roasted chickpeas. These little legumes pack a serious punch when it comes to protein at around 6 – 7 grams per 1/4 cup. Chickpeas are high in fiber too, so they’ll keep you feeling full longer, which means no more crashing mid-lecture.
They’re available in a ton of different flavors, from spicy sriracha to sea salt and vinegar, and even sweeter options like cinnamon sugar and dark chocolate-covered. You can buy them pre-packaged or roast your own at home. Just season with your favorite spices, pop them in the oven, and store in a resealable bag once cooled.
2. Trail Mix with a Vegan Twist
Trail mix is the OG of packable snacks, a classic as old as road trips and hiking boots. It’s easy to whip up a version that’s plant-powered and protein-rich.
Skip the prepared mixes loaded with dairy-based chocolate or yogurt-covered pretzels. Instead, go for a DIY version with:
- Roasted almonds, cashews, and/or peanuts, all of which are great sources of protein and healthy fats
- Pumpkin seeds, aka pepitas, which pack 7g of protein per ounce!
- Dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, cherries, or apricots for a touch of sweetness
- Dark chocolate chips or chunks
Toss it all in a small container and you’re good to go. You can mix and match based on what you love most.
3. Vegan Jerky: Meatless and Marvelous
Made from ingredients like soy, seitan, or even mushrooms, vegan jerky has a surprisingly meaty texture and a decent amount of protein, often to the tune of around 10g per serving.
It’s chewy, flavorful, and super easy to carry in your backpack. Brands like All Y’alls Foods, Louisville Vegan Jerky Co., and Primal Spirit Foods offer tons of options, from sweet and smoky to teriyaki and hot & spicy.
Think of it as a savory protein bar, minus the cow and just as satisfying.
4. Nut Butter Packs: Mess-Free and Mighty
Sometimes, you just need a quick hit of protein and healthy fats. That’s where individual nut butter packets come in.
Almond, peanut, and even sunflower seed butter all contain 5 – 8 grams of protein per serving and they’re incredibly filling thanks to the one-two punch of good fats in the mix. Squeeze them straight from the pack or spread them on crackers, rice cakes, sliced apples, or celery sticks, depending on what you’ve got on hand.
Look for brands like Justin’s or RX Nut Butter (double-check ingredients to ensure they’re vegan). They’re compact, mess-free, and don’t need refrigeration.
5. Protein Bars: Not All Are Created Equal
Good protein bars can be lifesavers, but not all are vegan, and some taste like cardboard. Luckily, there are plenty of plant-based options that are both nutritious and delicious. Look for bars with at least 10g of plant-based protein per serving and minimal added sugars. A few of my favorites include:
- No Cow – These have been my ride or die for over a decade. I still miss the old raspberry truffle flavor, but the chocolate chip cookie dough keeps me going strong
- Misfits – Most like a conventional candy bar, these are treats that omnivores rave about with equal fervor
- TRUBAR – You can find great deals on bulk boxes in Costco, and now they make “kids” bars for when you need just a little bite to keep going
Always keep one (or three) in your bag for those days when the dining hall fails you or you’re stuck in back-to-back lectures.
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Wordless Wednesday: Fry Me to the Moon
Punch Bowl Social – Crispy Cauliflower Wings with Thai Chili Glaze
TarryTown Bar & Bistro – Fried Chicken Plate
YO! Sushi – Pumpkin Katsu
Nori – Vegetable Tempura
Nissi VegMex – Carne Asada Fries
Mission Burger Co. – Onion Rings
Makar’s Mash Bar – Lion’s Mane Bites
Luna’s Tacos – Fried Avocado
Ka-Prow Thai & Sushi Bistro – Tofu Lettuce Wraps
Desilicious Cafe – Onion Pakoda
Bodhi Viet Vegans – Crispy Sesame Balls
Not Jerking Your Chain
Packable protein is a must, and not just for gym rats focused on hitting their macros. As a person who travels by airplane often, drives a lot, and needs to be prepared in case of random catastrophic emergencies when only shelf stable food will do, I’m never without a cache of meatless jerky.
Conventional protein bars have their place, but personally, I’ve grown tired of the saccharine sweetness, latex-like consistency, and uninventive flavors. Savory snacks are where it’s at right now, evidenced by the booming jerky business. It feels like every day, there’s a new brand to try, which is both wonderful and overwhelming.
One Stop Jerky Shopping
Consolidate your search to one complete jerky resource to cut through the noise. Jerky Brands features a full selection of vegan jerky options, promoted with equal prominence as traditional options. It’s easy to find many old favorites right alongside upstarts that you may not have seen before. The meatless bases are diverse as the brands, leveraging unique meatless bases for every dietary need, such as:
- Soy
- Seitan
- Mushrooms
- Coconut
- And even tomatoes!
Amongst those options, you’ll find gluten-free, organic, raw, low-sodium, and especially high-protein snacks, too.
Cruelty-Free Benefits
Seeing vegan jerky listed right alongside beef is even better than a solely vegan outpost, if you ask me. That means that omnivores who otherwise wouldn’t necessarily seek it out are automatically exposed to it, and thus more likely to consider it in addition to or instead of animal assets. Besides being kinder on the planet and to the creatures themselves, switching to meatless jerky is an easy, instant nutritional upgrade. It’s always cholesterol-free, lower in fat, and higher in fiber. It’s often priced lower than meat, too, for those on a budget.
Order Up
The beauty of having such a complete meatless jerky resource at your disposal is that you can try a little bit of everything. Don’t sweat the details; let the experts put together a curated sampler package, perfect as an introductory bundle for fledgling vegans or curious carnivores. This, like individual pouches as well, can be ordered as a subscription to make sure you never run out, and save 10% off the list price while you’re at it.
Snack Happy
Next time someone asks you the inevitable question of where you get your protein, just point them over to Jerky Brands. They’ll probably end up filling their virtual cart with all sorts of meatless treats once they get there, too.
Wordless Wednesday: Treat Yourself
Unicorniverse – Chocolate Biscoff Tart
Unicorniverse – Pumpkin Spice Macaron and Pumpkin Cake
Rainbow Plant Life – Best Ever Vegan Pancakes
Mr. Dewie’s – Raspberry-Chocolate Ice Cream
Mission Burger – Chocolate Chip Cookies
Millennium – Hazelnut Cheesecake with Plum Compote
Crisp & Chew – Vegan Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie
Bistro Vonish – Cinnamon Roll
On A Wing And A Prayer
Wings are flying high, taking off in popularity like other appetizers can only dream. Best known slathered in vinegary buffalo sauce, the appeal of a spicy, deep-fried morsel is undeniable. Spreading like wildfire across the American bar scene since their creation in 1964, many establishments live and die based on the power of their wings. Naturally, vegan options have proliferated alongside the groundswell of interest in plant-based meats, giving rise to even more creative alternatives.
What Are Vegan Wings?
Defining what separates a vegan wing from a sauced and tossed nugget is a blurry, squiggly fine line. Close comparisons can be made to boneless wings, with meat that’s less processed and uniform than breaded bites. Wings are larger, juicier, and yes, coated in either a sauce or dry rub. Most are fried but not all, with methods like baking or roasting being more popular with the healthier crowd. Most confusingly, vegan wings aren’t necessarily protein-based at all, as seen by the mushroom and cauliflower wings that are also achieving great acclaim.
For the sake of this investigation, it simply must be called a “wing” on the menu to qualify. From there, it must stand on its own culinary merits to succeed.
What Makes The BEST Vegan Wings?
Judging what makes a great wing isn’t rocket surgery. Anyone who’s a fan of the food can tell you that it comes down to three things: If they’re crispy, meaty, and saucy.
- Crispy: It’s all about that crunch. Whether it’s battered, breaded, or naked, the outside of a wing needs a crispy finish that can hold up to being drenched in sauce, too.
- Meaty: I’m talking about umami and heartiness here. A wing needs a savory depth of flavor and a bite that really satisfies. I don’t care if it’s soy, wheat, or vegetable; it needs to feel like the main event, not a side dish.
- Saucy or Well-Seasoned: Buffalo may have a choke hold on the market, but it’s far from the only condiment in town. I went out of my way to try alternate sauces whenever possible, always looking for something that’s bold, balanced, clings and coats the wings richly, and doesn’t completely obscure the flavor of the base.
The Best Vegan Wings In Austin, Texas
While it’s a snap to make your own meatless wings at home, that’s not what we’re here for today. When cravings strike, there’s nothing like the instant gratification of a hot, fresh, crispy plate to share with friends. Here are the restaurants doing it right around town.
Community Vegan pulls out all the stops with their Lemon Pepper Wangz. Oyster mushrooms are at the heart of these impeccably crisp, generously seasoned bites. Citrusy, sharp, earthy, and bright, they have a distinct warmth but not a fiery heat, appealing to all levels of spice tolerance. They’re not chicken and they make no bones about it; what they lack in meaty flavor, they make up for in sheer umami. Expertly fried to a resoundingly crunchy finish, these are quite possibly my favorites on the list.
Possum Pizza is a close second for their hyper-realistic Buffalo Wings! and BBQ Wings!, complete with sugar cane drumsticks to gnaw on. Considering the magic they work with plant-based fried chicken, it should come as no surprise that these masters of comfort classics knock this one out of the park. Richly coated with a vinegary hot sauce and accompanied by ranch dressing, it’s the closest experience you can get to eating a conventional plate of wings. Better yet, you can get a killer pizza at the same time.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has technically disqualified themselves by rebranding their Buffalo Cauliflower Wings as a Vegan Cauliflower Bites, but they’re so good, I have to give them a pass for now. Where else can you watch the latest movie releases on the big screen in cozy reclining chairs while enjoying a pile of breaded and fried florets? No matter what you call them, they’re bestsellers for good reason.
Tarrytown Bar & Bistro makes theirCauliflower Wings thicc, with two c’s. These are heavily breaded, battered, and fried hard, creating a daunting fortress that you’ll need a steak knife to break through. If you’re craving a serious crunch, this is the app for you.
Nom Burgers employs the same model of sugarcane drumsticks as Possum Pizza, but dresses them up in 4 different sauce options, and cooks them to a softer finish. These literally fall off the bone, making for easy, if messy, eating. Spicy Korean Q Wings are allegedly the most popular model, but Hot Buffalo Wings are the way to go if you ask me. The real pro tip here is to opt for jalapeño cilantro aioli for dipping instead of the standard issue side of ranch.
CM Smokehouse, tucked away in the shadow of Bouldin Acres, is a classic Texas BBQ-style food truck. Vegetarian options are scant and vegan even fewer, but they do offer Cauliflower Wings tossed with buffalo, BBQ, sweet chili sriracha, or lemon pepper. Avoid the white BBQ and all dipping sauces, and you should be golden. These are unique from other cauliflower options in that they’re fried naked, sans batter or breading, and fried heavily. Genuinely blackened, without any trappings of blackening seasonings, it’s a dish best enjoyed slightly tipsy. There’s a subtly acrid burnt flavor that goes along with the technique which may be off-putting to some.
Moonbowls operates out of ghost kitchens nationwide, specializing in quick service Korean-fusion cuisine, making them a surprising contender for plant-based wings. Battered and fried Korean BBQ Cauliflower Wings are available as a standalone appetizer or topper for bowls, salads, or plates. With a light, airy coating akin to tempura, these bites feel fresher and healthier than most, while still having that satisfying fried flavor.
Yard House deserves props for putting Gardein Wings on the menu before it was cool. While it’s a bummer that none of the dipping sauces are vegan, it’s a treat to choose between buffalo, whiskey black pepper, BBQ, Korean chili garlic, and a lemon pepper dry rub at a mainstream franchise that would otherwise only offer French fries for plant-based palates. Sure, they’re just cut and sauced tenders, but with a pint of beer, a bunch of friends, and sports on TV, it’s the total package that seals the deal.
From mild to wild, saucy to dry spiced, there’s truly a wing out there for everyone. Do you have a favorite on the list?