Mini pizza and vegan wings? Yes please! I love me a personal-size pizza, and for the first time, there is a frozen dairy-free and vegan version available for us to whip up in minutes! I first saw—and tried—Blackbird Foods’ Blackbirdie Mini Pizza at Natural Products Expo West in the spring. I am excited to announce […]
First showcased at Natural Products Expo West 2025 (where I somehow completely missed their booth), Eat Just is finally rolling out their newest innovation, JUST Meat Chicken, in 3 flavors: Original, Buffalo, and Sesame Ginger. Before we dive into the review, let’s recap- Eat Just is a food technology company focused on making healthier, safer, and more sustainable food. They source their ingredients from plants and are best known for their JUST Egg product developed using mung beans, as it is the first time the ingredient was regulated for use as a specific protein isolate.
Whether you call it “Fairy Floss” or “Cotton Candy,” it’s been a nostalgic favorite since its debut in 1904. The first commercial cotton candy traces back to 1904 at the first ever World’s Fair, where a confectioner and Dentist teamed up to bring the treat to the masses. In 2025, Bless from Sweet-Remix is bringing the 209 its first woman-owned, organic, kosher, vegan, and artificial-free cotton candy!
In April 2025, JELL-O unveiled its dairy-free creation- JELL-O Oat Milk Pudding in chocolate, to pay “homage to the first-ever pudding flavor JELL-O released”. Aside from being non-dairy, the pudding is also vegan and gluten-free, making JELL-O’s classic dessert cup available to even more consumers.
The first Chili’s opened in Texas in 1975 as a popular burger restaurant. It began to expand, later becoming “Chili’s Bar & Grill”, and by the 90s, had emerged as an iconic national chain. Recently, sales have increased specifically due to the virality of their value menu items, including the ‘Triple Dipper’ dish, and their ‘3 For Me’ deal. The ‘3 For Me’ deal is a selection of Chili’s menu items for just $10.99, including a main, side, and starter. Is there a Vegan Chili’s ‘3 For Me’ option? Yes- but with menu modifications.
A chain of Latin-owned markets has expanded to Modesto, California, offering a surprising number of vegan options. The first Vallarta Market was family owned and operated and opened in Van Nuys, California in the 80’s, offering native Mexican favorites to the community. Now the market has expanded to over 50 locations in California. The newest addition to Modesto is off Pelandale Ave, and coming soon to the Century Center off Orangeburg.
Impossible Foods launched their first product in 2010 (the first iteration of their burger). They’ve been adding plant-based versions of classics to their line-up, including chicken nuggets and hot dogs. The newest fan-favorite to hit retailers is the Impossible Corn Dogs. Despite launching in 2024, many have been unable to find the corn dogs in retailers. I saw them IRL at Expo West this year, and am happy to report they are officially available in my area.
While a pioneer in the chocolate industry, Ghirardelli has remained cautious when diving into the dairy-free chocolate category. They officially launched both their Ghirardelli Non-Dairy Chocolate Chips (in stores) and Ghirardelli Non-Dairy Hot Fudge Sundae (in their Ice Cream Shops) in the 2020s, and they’ve been in business for over 100 years!
