Sharing our favorite vegan breads that you can purchase at your local grocery stores. They’re healthy and satisfying!
The past few weeks on my facebook page I’ve been posting some of the lunches I pack for the girls at school. After posting a sandwich that I made for hubby, I was asked:
“Did you make the bread?” “Any suggestions for good vegan commercially made bread besides Ezekiel?”
A1: No. (breathe a sigh of relief, this is not a bread-making post)
A2: Why, yes I do! I never make bread.
With the recipe development I do and having three young girls, I’d have to do so in my sleep. So thank the vegan heavens that there are good people out there making good vegan breads!
I’m going to share some of the brands I buy regularly and love. These are primarily sandwich breads, but I do mention a couple of options for baguettes and artisan breads before finishing.
As I’m not sure of availability in particular areas, try asking your whole foods and grocery stores if they can bring in a brand or two. Sometimes they aren’t aware of the demand, and will try carrying a new line.
How to Read Nutrition Labels
Note about reading labels: If you are looking for complete, 100% whole-grain bread, look for that on the label. “Multi-grain” is not the same as “whole-grain”. Multigrain sounds as if it has whole-grain products, but really just means that it can have variety (or ‘multi’) of different grains, and those can be refined. “Organic wheat flour” is also not whole-grain, it’s simply organic. Read the ingredients. Most multigrain breads have “wheat flour” or “enriched flour”, neither of which is whole-grain. Look for “whole-wheat” or “whole spelt” or 100% whole-grain on the labels and in the ingredients. All of the sandwich breads I am listing here are whole-grain, some are also organic, and one special variety is veganic!
1. Silver Hills
This is one of the first whole-grain vegan breads that we discovered. It uses sprouted grains, which make the grains/bread more digestible and nutritious.
You can choose from a variety of loaves and bagels, and it looks like they’ve just released hot dog buns and hamburger rolls! I especially like the widepan loaves for sandwiches.
They do have a couple of gluten-free loaves, though I wasn’t as impressed with these, but that’s probably because their regular line is so very good. We have been using Silver Hills breads for years.
They are a little pricier than standard bread loaves – but you can sometimes find deals at large chains like Costco or smaller stores (we have a corner store that sells it cheaper than our province-wide health food store)!
2. One Degree Veganic Bread
A recent (and exciting!) find. Our girls especially love this bread because it’s “squishier”.
You know how kids simply love squishy, soft bread? Well, while Silver Hills is tender, it has a lot of texture and isn’t always ‘soft’. This One Degree Veganic Bread is very soft and the slices are also usually generous.
One Degree is also made from sprouted and organic grains, like Silver Hills. This bread has been slightly more expensive in our health food store than the Silver Hills.
When they do have specials, I stock up and freeze quite a few. How I love that this bread announces it’s vegan certification on the label!
Not only are the ingredients vegan, but they work with veganic farmers that utilize plant-based fertilizers. Thank you. In short, this is my new favorite vegan bread for our family.
3. Trader Joe’s Sprouted Whole-Wheat Bread
This is widely available for most of you in the US as it is a Trader Joe’s product. Its texture is more similar to the Veganic bread, a little softer and ‘squishier’. It is sprouted but not organic.
It has a sweetness from the dates and raisins, and our girls really like this bread too. Those are the vegan sandwich breads we use. I don’t buy Ezekiel breads for sandwiches because I find it too nubbly and rough for the girls.
Plus, the slices are quite thin and small. We do like it for pairing with casseroles, soups, and pastas – yet I typically opt for some local whole-grain artisan breads for dinner meals, such as these: One that I especially love is a local company called Just Pies that specializes in gluten-free breads.
I tell you their gluten-free breads are THE BEST, especially their “Cocolithic” coconut breads. Those are so tender and feel ‘glutinous’ it is hard to believe they are gluten-free. They are also made without yeast and oil. Apparently a magician makes them. There is no website that I can find for the company. They are local to BC, and I buy them at Antony & Sons.
Another plant-powered baguette that we enjoy at dinner is the Peace Bomb from Dave’s Killer Bread. All of Dave’s breads are vegan and organic, and most are whole-grain (check the FAQs). The girls really love this one, it has a slightly sweetness. As parents, it’s great seeing them eat all those seeds around the baguette without any fuss. Kids can be particular about seeds and it’s easier to rely on nuts and nut butters for it. Next, If you don’t care to make cinnamon rolls like some people (might or might not include me), then try the Sin-Dawg baguette. Wow, delicious!
I’ve bought it a couple of times for a morning treat for the girls. It’s so cinnamon sweet, no icing needed! Instead, I slather some almond butter on the cinnamon-enriched slices after toasting. Quite irresistible! Dave’s also has sliced sandwich breads, including a spelt variety. So, that’s another option to consider for sliced lunch breads if this killer line is in your store.
Are there any vegan breads that you love and would like to add for readers? Please tell us your favorites.
Barbara says
Thank you Dreena for sharing this helpful post.
When kids love certain foods, it’s usually a good sign that it’s delicious. ^_^
I prefer soft bread over the rough ones as well.
Cheryl says
I’m looking for a store bought or bakery product whole grain wheat, vegan, bread without ANY oils, of any kind. No oil, eggs, dairy, or sugar. Do you know of any in Austin, Tx.? Much thanks and gratitude.
Danielle M says
Thank you so much for this post. I am going to make some suggestions to my grocery store 😀
Donna says
I have been buying great vegan breads from a little bakery in Vancouver called The Bakeshop. All the breads are vegan made with organic flours and whole grains. They also are sugar free which is great for diabetics.
Isabel says
Hi! So what kind of bread is your top pick? Which do you feed to your girls? Do you buy Ezekiel? That’s what I’ve got in my freezer right now! Great post!
April says
This is a great roundup! I recently just found One degree bread in the freezer section of my local whole foods. Can I ask how you defrost your bread so that it is soft and pliable? Toasting tends to make it- well, like toast! Thanks!
Dreena says
Thanks April. I either let it defrost fully on the counter, or just warm gently in the toaster until it softens, before it gets toasty.
Jason Antony says
Hey Dreena,
Thanks for mentioning the cocolithic breads – They are great but we often seem to have stock challenges as they want to stay a small bakery. We have just brought in a new gluten free bread from Oregon that’s about 80% organic. They are another small bakery called Camper Breads. We have a few options in their bread and also buns. It comes in Fridays around noon
Salish F-W says
Thanks for the write-up about Just Pies and Serious Breads. I sometimes like to google mum’s business just to see what’s out there as we never know what exists in the social media/journalists out there that have tried her bread. I did want to reply to what Jason wrote.
It is a family, home-based business that I grew up with and will continue to stay small. We’re not a big empire, just a small-town business that used to only be supported by locals at the farmers market, tourists in town and various health food stores from BC-Sk. I appreciate that other breads are highlighted because even I (the bakers daughter) will run out of bread and I can’t rapidly access mum’s product due to massive volume of orders and being 12 hour drive away. I will have to check out Silver Hills.
Oh and there is no website 🙂 The owner is a very low key and down-to earth, no technology allowed, wonderful role model.
Richa says
I’ve been baing my own whole and mixed grain breads for years now and whenever i do pick up the store or local bakery breads out of curiosity or need, i end up appreciating my own breads even more:)) dave’s breads remind me to make my version of his awesome breads! this is a great list to have.
Hannah says
My favourite kinds of food are those made by magicians.
Also, your mention of “squishy” breads suddenly brought back a childhood memory for me of grabbing a slice of fresh bread each Saturday morning after doing the grocery shopping with my parents, pulling off the crust (and eating it! always loved crusts; that’s why my hair is curly), and then “squishing” the rest of the bread into a little ball and eating that.
Kids are odd. 😉
Dreena says
I am laughing reading this Hannah, because my sister used to squish her white bread into balls too! We always looked at her like it was the most peculiar thing, but I bet you two are part of a whole “bread-ball-squishing” kid club! 😉 Don’t get me started on crusts… wish my girls had some affection you did!! You’re adorable, thanks for the note. 🙂
Carrie says
If Jim had his way, he’d eat Wonder Bread all the time. (yes, I KNOW!) I refuse to buy white bread, so he’s pretty much stuck with whatever I decide we’re having in the house. (I’m such a meanie). The bread I buy most often is Stonemill only because it’s readily available almost everywhere. Not all of the loaves are vegan, as some contain honey.
I checked the Silver Hills website and found that the bread is sold in a few stores in my city! I’m going to get some for sure. Also, that Peace Bomb looks incredible! Do you buy it in the States?
Dreena says
hahaha, Carrie. Good ol’ Wonder Bread, right? With Carnation milk in some Tetley Tea alongside. 😉 The Peace Bomb – yep, we get it in the States. IS the bomb!!!
Tara says
Dreena,
Do you buy Dave’s here in the lower mainland? Looking for a spelt bread or one that is non-wheat that is yummy. After a cleanse I have discovered it was the wheat in my diet that makes me lethargic and cranky:(
Dreena says
Hi Tara, no unfortunately I don’t think Dave’s is in Canada at all. We buy it at the co-op in Bellingham. 🙂
Robin says
Bread Alone is a great brand that’s easy to find in NYC, both in stores and farmers’ markets. Some loaves are vegan and whole-grain, others are not. All are delicious.
Ivy says
The only bread I can get at the regular supermarket is Ezekiel. I can get Rudi’s and Whole Foods breads, some of which are vegan, at Whole Foods, of course. Trader Joe’s is a smaller chain; I don’t live near one. I need to bake if I want decent vegan sandwich bread. Then comes slicing it all neatly into even slices.
Beth@hellobesu says
I always buy that Trader Joe’s bread! It’s so good! I would love to try that veganic bread though. Looks good! Off to see if I can find it somewhere around here! Thank you!
Catherine (FOOD SNOB) says
When I don’t have time to make bread, I’ll pick up a loaf of Rudi’s 100% whole wheat from the co-op. We like it!
ameyfm says
Great Post, Dreena! I really love the One Degree bread, and also Dave’s Killer Breads. I was so happy when they started carrying Dave’s bread here in California. Trader Joes has one called California Complete Protein that I really like. It has 5 gr of protein in each slice, which is pretty awesome. I’ve never seen the Silver Hills bread, I wonder if it’s only in Canada.
It’s funny because I do make bread sometimes, and other times I buy fresh bread from the local bakery, but there’s still a place for store-bought sandwich bread in my life!
🙂
Nichole says
Great post!
I adore the Silver Hills bread, Macks Flax and Hemptation are my absolute favorites. I find Dave’s Killer Bread to be too sweet for my tastes. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the other brands you mentioned, I love bread, always looking for new good stuff!
Dreena says
Nichole, good point for other readers about the sweetness level in Dave’s breads. Certainly the baguette has a sweeter note, which we enjoy with certain dishes. Are the sliced breads similarly sweet? Thanks for chiming in!
Jenc says
If you are lucky enough to live near a Breadsmith they have amazing bread that is free of additives, preservatives or dough conditioners. Not all their breads are vegan, but their “core” breads are. I have found this brand at Whole Foods as well, but it may be just a local thing.
Jenc says
Oh and to see if you are near one …. http://www.breadsmith.com 🙂
Doug says
Breadsmith breads are all flour based – to be avoided. This thread is for sprouted grain breads – a much more digestible bread that requires an entirely different process than the confection euphemistically known as flour. What’s truly unique in terms of sprouted breads is a flourless and naturally leavened whole grain bread and the only people I know who do that is ColumbiaCountyBread.com.
D.
ameyfm says
wow, that Columbia Country Bread looks super yum!!
Jenc says
I thought this post was about WHOLE GRAIN bread, not only sprouted. Breadsmith does carry whole grain varieties.
Bea says
You have GOT to try Luce’s Gluten Free Artisan Breads. You make them at home but his process is so simple and quick that even an unskilled baker (that would be me) can produce a fabulous loaf of italian or sourdough. Think of the kind you get in a bakery. YUM! And Charles is the sweetest, most helpful fellow.
http://www.lucegfbread.com/
Dreena says
Bea, this is a new product to me! Thanks for mentioning it, I’m sure others will be interested in trying it too. 🙂
Angelique Miller says
We use Dave’s Killer “Blues” bread at our vegan cafe, Baagan (in northern CA) and everyone loves it! It’s delicious and we feel good about the organic wholesome vegan ingredients.
Dreena says
Please share the link to your cafe here, Angelique, if you have a website – would love my readers to know about your vegan cafe!! 🙂
Alexis @ Hummusapien says
I LOVE this post! It’s sucha shame how most grocery store breads are full of preservatives. I buy Ezekiel, but like you said, I would definitley prefer a softer bread! That Trader Joe’s one looks like a great alternative–I’m definitley gonna pick that up next time I’m there.
Dreena says
Thank you Alexis. Yes, the most widely available breads in large grocery chains are rife with preservatives, and typically use refined flours. Hope you find the TJs one!