THE BEST PLANT-BASED FOODS AT TARGET

(Special kudos to anyone who can name the 1990s big screen John Hughes gem that features Target as the backdrop for an overnight caper done wrong; featuring one would-be loser who envisions “Jimget” when reporting for his overnight shift.) 

Our first stop in Target is…Starbucks! As anyone who’s entered the store in the past few years can attest, Starbucks coffee shops adorn the entrance of most Target stores. A little known fun fact: Starbucks Rewards members can get free refills during their Target shopping excursions! The catch? You can’t leave the store and you can only get certain freebies: coffee, iced coffee, and iced teas. If you aren’t a Rewards member, it will run you .50¢. (Same refill policy goes for Starbucks stand-alone shops too.) Now, a not-so-fun fact: While many Target stores also feature Pizza Hut Expresses, sadly they don’t currently feature any plant-based eats. That said, if you still need to energize your shopping spree sans coffee, you can pick up a soft pretzel (no butter) and an Icee at the good ol’ Target food court. We do love our coffee though so, with our almond milk latte firmly in hand, we hit the grocery aisles of Target.

Our methodical trek through the grocery aisles started in produce. Target has the basics covered for sure, making it a viable grocery stop for standard items like apples, bananas, bell peppers, onions, carrots, and greens.  We even spotted a few seasonal items like pomegranates and apple pears. But shoppers beware: if you are on the hunt for any “specialty” produce, let’s say serrano peppers or shiitake mushrooms, you likely aren’t going to find them at Target.   

Many of the available fresh fruits and veg are labeled Good & Gather, which Target aficionados know as the stores’ flagship food label brand. Old-time Target shoppers might remember the Simply Balanced and Archer Farms brands, which Good & Gather has supplanted. Good & Gather products tout no artificial flavors, synthetic colors, artificial sweeteners, or high-fructose corn syrup; much like Kroger’s Simple Truth brand and Meijer’s True Goodness. While not all Good & Gather products are vegan (or even vegetarian), we found a few in the refrigerated aisles worth talking about.

Chief among these refrigerator finds? Dressings and dips! Good & Gather plant based pizza flavored dip and Caesar dressing seemed like no brainers! We enjoyed each of these creamy blends with gusto; the pizza dip paired with chips for a light splurge and the Caesar dressing atop greens for a savory lunch. While we are (regrettably) new to the world of pizza flavored dip, we found this oregano-forward dip simply delightful. The next time we buy (we may be late to the pizza dip game, but we are now hooked), we plan to couple with soft pretzels (drool). Also atop the list for our next Target run? The sister flavor to the Caesar dressing we loved so much: plant-based green goddess.

The Good & Gather plant based goodness doesn’t stop there. We browned its meatless ground (made from pea protein) for taco Tuesday and were not disappointed. The meat had an appealing texture, aroma, and overall flavor. (And at $5.99 for 16 oz, it’s a bit more affordable than name brands like Beyond and Impossible). Trust us when we say that this makes eating your peas even more enjoyable!

While we were keen to explore all of the Good & Gather vegan eats we could get our hands on, we’d be remiss if we didn’t share the plethora of brand name refrigerated vegan items we came across as well.  Dairy-free Oui (our fav), So Delicious, and Silk yogurts abound, in classic 5 oz containers, as well as in 4-packs and 24 oz mega containers. Target also features top vegan cheesemakers like Chao and Miyoko’s (including its new cheddar sticks!), Good Foods spicy queso blanco dip, Tofurky deli slices, Field Roast sausages, Beyond meatless ground, Cleveland Kitchen fermented plant based marinades, and ReddiWhip non-dairy topping. While not all staples per se, this Target customer appreciated shopping the brand leaders in these pretty relevant categories.   

Another headliner from our cruise down the refrigerator aisle? Non-dairy creamers as far as the eye could see! From plain janes to festive favorites, Target shelves were stacked with options: Starbucks, Oatly, Califia Farms, Nut Pods, Silk, Coffee Mate’s Natural Bliss, and even Good & Gather branded options. We aren’t sure why Target is so deep in plant based coffee creamer products, but we aren’t one to question awesomeness when it comes in charming flavors like maple brown sugar, caramel vanilla, and pumpkin spice. Coffee, anyone?

After hitting the veritable jackpot in the non-dairy creamer section, we meandered into frozen eats and were just as delighted to find options *galore*. Between the ready-to-heat meals, frozen snacks, and patties, we were looking at an entire freezer chock full of plant based eats. (While we loved that this cooler was label “plant based” we caution shoppers to read labels closely. Fat Rabbit brand, for instance, is labeled “plant based” but also contains dairy.) We found many of our favorites like MorningStar, Sweet Earth and Gardein, as well as some intriguing newer retail brands like Purple Carrot and The Tattooed Chef. Although mesmerized by the outright wall of Sweet Earth ready-to-heat and eat meals, we decided instead to branch out and taste test some of the newer (and Target specific) offerings.

We started with Good & Gather plant based meatless chick’n tenders. While not what we would consider a healthy staple (packed with sodium), these tenders were just as tasty as their name brand counterparts, but cheaper (9 oz for $3.29).  

Wunder Nuggets by Crafty Counter made for an equally tasty (and gluten free) snack but with more nutritional value (hello, dietary fiber!) thanks to navy beans, chickpeas, flaxseeds, beets and cauliflower. We were feeling frisky, so we opted for the harissa spiced version. Yummy! Think falafel vibes but with more flavor and dare we say, many more dipping sauce options. (While the nuggets didn’t come with dipping sauce, we snacked on them with a sweet and sour, BBQ, and even ranch… talk about versatility!)

Next up: Wholly Veggie! buffalo cauliflower wings. We’ve tried more than our fair share of vegan buffalo wings, most hitting well below the mark. These however, we found crispy, spicy, and a little too easy to polish off; with just enough sauce to make the flavor pop, but not too much to make you sweat. We paired with vegan ranch out of habit, but these beauts don’t really require any additional sauce. 

The frozen delights didn’t end there. We found our way to the non-dairy frozen treats and hovered for a while. So very many choices! Pints of vegan frozen treasures from So Delicious, Nada Moo, Ben & Jerry’s, Oatly, and Halo Top, not to mention Target’s own Favorite Day brand. With our cart bursting with treats (yes it looked like we were throwing some sort of vegan birthday party), we peeled ourselves away but not before spying My Mochi desserts, Magnum and So Delicious dipped bars, and Daiya cheesecake. 

The Vegan Mary is a plant-based consultant, connoisseur, and writer, based in Oakland County. Mary holds a certificate of Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell University, as well as a Master’s degree in Business. Her continuing education includes multiple food and nutrition courses at Harvard and Stanford Universities. She spent the last two decades as a marketing executive before turning her sites and her experiences to vegan consultancy. TVM services clients across the US. When she’s not cooking (or eating!), her passions include physical fitness, reading, and traveling. Find her on Instagram @the.veganmary and on Facebook @therealveganmary.