

The difficulty of finding vegan food that tastes just as amazing as "regular" food is just one of the reasons some don't go all in on the plant-based lifestyle. One of the first things people think of before going vegan is having to give up traditional faves like cheese. What would life be like without classics like macaroni and grilled cheese?
As someone who has tried and failed to go vegan multiple times, I understand the importance of finding a brand that doesn't taste like, "What the heck?" but instead can compete with the real thing. Fortunately, embracing the vegan lifestyle doesn't mean you have to go without your cheesy go-tos. It's all about finding the perfect brand of cheese that still makes your taste buds dance as much as your non-vegan faves.
Below are 8 of the best vegan cheese brands that will make you a believer in vegan cheese.
1.Violife
Violifefoods.com
Violife is life! It's one of those brands that is as close to the real thing as you'll get. One of the reasons it's so popular is because its texture is super close to non-vegan cheeses. The Violife lineup includes Original Flavour Slices, Original Flavour Grated, Original Flavour Creamy, and the Mediterranean Block. It prides itself on making it even easier for those who want to venture into the plant-based lifestyle to say goodbye to dairy for good and still enjoy that cheesy taste.
2.Field Roast
FieldRoast.com
Field Roast is another brand changing the game in vegan food and cheeses. While it's known for its substitute meat options like sausages, roasts, and burgers, Field Roast also offers a vegan coconut cheese that is all the buzz. It comes in Creamy Original with Chao Tofu, Coconut Herb with Black Pepper, and Tomato Cayenne with Spicy Pepper. Place it on your burger or grilled cheese to get your life right.
3.New Roots
NewRoots.com
While New Roots uses old-fashioned methods to develop its products (fermentation and aging), the process obviously doesn't include using animals to do it. Instead, its ingredients consist of organic cashew milk and Himalayan salt. You won't find much more than that in New Roots' products, making it one of the cleanest in the industry.
4.Kinda Co.
TheKindaCo.com
Ellie Brown, who discovered Kinda Co. prides herself on being a cheese addict. So you can only imagine how similar the product tastes to the real thing. From the salty Greek Style flavor to Farmhouse (which is often likened to mature cheddar) and Cranberry (known for its tangy style), Kinda Co. doesn't lack variety. The company even sells vegan spreads like the Faux Lox + Dil Creamy Spread to fulfill your taste buds.
5.Punk Rawk Labs
Shutterstock
It was so necessary to include this women-owned company of gourmet cheeses. Its artisanal nut cheeses are often celebrated for being so similar to the real thing. It has four flavors -- Cashew Original, Cashew Herb, Cashew Smoked (I think I can get with this one!), and nacho cheese that's created with carrot juice and peppers.
6.Daiya Foods
DaiyaFoods.com
You don't have to give up your favorite comfort foods and snacks. Daiya Foods has products like Cheddar Style Deluxe Cheeze Sticks, Chive & Onion Cream Cheeze Style Bread, and Zesty Cheddar Style Deluxe Cheeze Sauce, so you'll never have to worry about having too much dip on your chip. The Daiya Cutting Board Collection Shreds come in different options packed with flavors like cheddar, pepper jack, and mozzarella. It's soy-free and can be sprinkled on pizza, lasagna, and all your Italian faves.
7.Follow Your Heart
FollowYourHeart.com
Your charcuterie board just went vegan. Brought to you by makers of Veganaise, Follow Your Heart features block cheeses in Mozzarella, Cheddar, Nacho, and Monterey Jack. The brand has evolved as its newest products are free of soy and include flavors like Garlic Herb, Mozzarella, American, and fan-favorite Provolone.
8.Treeline
TreelineCheese.com
It's all about flavor, right? Treeline is somehow mastered creating cheeses that are packed with flavor and doesn't have the reputation of being rubbery and chewy like other vegan cheeses. Instead, Treeline has been saluted for its variety of cheeses from Herb-Garlic, Chipotle-Serrano, Scallion, and good old Sea Salt and Pepper. Plus, it just rolled out new items -- Premium New York Style Cashew Cream Cheese and Classic and Cracker Pepper.
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
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Are You & Your Partner Financially Compatible? Here’s How To Tell.
With nearly half of all marriages that end in divorce citing finances as the nail in the coffin to deading their relationship, financial compatibility is one aspect of long-term compatibility that doesn't get talked about enough. Beyond the circular 50/50 discourse and whatever hot-button issues regarding providers and the like, at its core, financial compatibility is about how well your financial behaviors, values, and long-term goals align with those of your partner.
More than it is about how much money a person makes or doesn't make, financial compatibility focuses on how you think about money, how you spend your money, and most importantly, how you plan for the future with your money. Think, questions about money mindsets, spending habits, debt, budget, etc. Are you a saver and he's a spender? Do you see money as a tool for freedom? Does he see it as something to hold on tightly to as a means of survival? Can you talk about your financial goals and plans openly?
Knowing if you and your partner are financially compatible can save a lot of heartache, a lot of headaches, and a lot of money in the end. Keep reading for a few key indicators to pay attention to and learn whether or not you and your partner are truly aligned financially.
Signs You’re Financially Compatible
1. You can talk about money without judgment.
Conversations about money aren't something you dread. You're able to talk to your partner freely and openly about money matters, like debts, bills, the budget, etc., even when it is uncomfortable. There is an understanding that talking about money doesn't have to be something you're on the defense about, instead it's an opportunity for transparency, clarity, and solutions.
2. You respect each other's money personalities.
What is a money personality? According to Ken Honda, author of Happy Money, a money personality is our "approach and emotional responses to money" and there are seven money personalities we can fall under. These personalities can help us understand our own relationship with money, as well as our partner's. For example, maybe you're someone who likes to treat yourself to a fancy dinner once a month and your partner is someone who believes ordering takeout and not cooking meals at home is a cardinal sin.
When you can respect each other's money personalities, neither approach is subjected to judgment and shifts can be made in each other's spending habits as needed and from a place of love versus guilt or shame.
3. You agree on what it means to have "financial security."
Whether it’s building a stacked emergency fund, paying off debt before putting a downpayment on a home or being able to splurge on a baecation without checking your account balance before the bill arrives, your definitions of what it means to be financially secure are in sync, or at least compatible enough to reach a compromise.
4. You are not each other's "financial parent."
You’re not constantly teaching, fixing, or stressing out over what the other person is doing with their money. Although I fast-forwarded through a lot of the most recent season of Love Is Blind, I did pay attention to Virginia and Devin and money seemed to be a recurring theme in their conversations. It was clear Virginia had her ish together when it came to money and her financial plans for the future and Devin was not quite on her level.
Though she said no at the altar for additional reasons, I could also see how sis could eventually get very tired of being her partner's second mama, so to speak. And that's the thing about being your partner's "financial parent," eventually, you could end up feeling like you are one-half of a "parenting" or "teaching" dynamic with your partner instead of feeling like you're equals in a partnership.
5. You make financial decisions with each other in mind, not for each other.
Whether it’s booking a trip, deciding which debt to tackle first, saving up for a big purchase, or planning out your next move, there’s a mutual respect for each other’s input. Those shared goals might look like wealth, freedom, stability, or just a debt-free life that feels soft and secure.
You don’t have to be chasing the same bag in the same exact way, but you do need to be aligned on the vision. What you're building should feel like a joint venture with shared effort and purpose, not one of y’all making major money moves like you're still single. Making financial decisions is not just about where the money goes, it's about where you’re going together.
6. You're aligned when it comes to the big stuff.
Financial compatibility extends to the long-term of money management. The legacy, structure, and shared responsibility that comes with decisions like shared accounts, estate planning, having babies, or even blending families. Will you split bills or combine income? Who’s taking time off if you have a child? How do y’all feel about generational wealth or investing for your family’s future? You and your partner have had the real conversations.
These conversations can’t wait until after the wedding or until after a baby’s here. They’re the foundation for how you function as a unit, and if you're not aligned, or at least willing to get on the same page, that incompatibility can cause friction in the end that love alone can't fix.
Love is cute and all, but building an empire together? That’s the real flex. Tap into our new series Making Cents to see what financial compatibility really looks like when love and legacy go hand in hand.
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