The plant-based world has conquered burgers, nuggets, milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and everything in between. But there’s one frontier that remains the true test of vegan power: snacks. VegNews readers hit the polls hard in our first-ever VegNews Snack Awards, and it’s clear the golden age of vegan snacking has officially arrived. Whether you’re after cheesy puffs, fruity gummies, or the perfect protein bar, these winning bites prove that plant-based indulgence is better than ever.
Best Cheesy Snack: Hippeas Cheezy Cheddar Pops
Snack time gets an upgrade with Hippeas’ airy-yet-satisfying Cheezy Cheddar Pops, delivering a finger-coating crunch packed with plant-based protein and nostalgic cheddar flavor.
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2nd Place: Babybel Plant-Based Cheese
3rd Place: Back to Nature Cheezy Crackers
Best Chip: Siete
From grain-free jalapeño-lime tortilla chips to fuego-dusted potato crisps, this $1.2 billion brand redefines the chip aisle with big-time crunch and bold, Mexican-inspired flavors. Your guacamole, salsa, and queso just found their perfect pairing.
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2nd Place: Hippeas
3rd Place: Zapp’s
Best Cracker: Simple Mills
Made from nut and seed flours, Simple Mills’ crispy squares deliver a delicate crunch with real ingredients. They’re equally at home on charcuterie boards, paired with your favorite hummus, or crumbled onto salads.
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2nd Place: Back to Nature
3rd Place: Mary’s Gone Crackers
Best Puff: Hippeas
With flavors like quintessential white cheddar, limited-edition Grillo’s Pickles, and salty-sweet churro, Hippeas dominates the puff category. And a dose of chickpea-powered protein makes them basically a health food.
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2nd Place: Earth Balance
3rd Place: LesserEvil
Best Popcorn: LesserEvil
This popcorn powerhouse proves simple can be spectacular, with organic butterfly kernels popped in coconut oil and dusted with Himalayan pink salt (or, if you’re like us, opt for plant-based flavors like garlic parmesan or white cheddar).
2nd Place: Boomchickapop
3rd Place: SkinnyPop
Best Pretzel: Snyder’s of Hanover
The 116-year-old pretzel brand delivers all the crunch snackers could want thanks to these hunks of sourdough hard pretzels. And between spicy buffalo wing and jalapeño flavors, pretzels have never been hotter.
2nd Place: Stellar Snacks
3rd Place: Quinn
Best Nut Snack: Hu Kitchen Chocolate-Covered Nuts
Decadence meets simplicity in Hu’s chocolate-enrobed nuts, marrying rich, fair-trade dark chocolate and a touch of vanilla bean with perfectly roasted cashews and almonds.
2nd Place: Pocket’s Chocolates Chocolate-Covered Almonds
3rd Place: Sahale Snacks Glazed Nut Mixes
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Best Jerky: Louisville Vegan Jerky Company
Next-level flavors (think sesame chicken, loaded nachos, and spicy sweet gochujang) plus satisfying chew make this high-protein, soy jerky the undisputed road trip essential.
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2nd Place: Primal Spirit
3rd Place: Pan’s Mushroom Jerky
Best Whole Food Snack: Love Corn Crunchy Corn
Corn, sunflower oil, and craveable seasoning like sour cream and onion, salt and vinegar, and dairy-free cheddar—these ultra-crunchy snacks are about as simple (and satisfying) as it gets.
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2nd Place: Gimme Roasted Seaweed Snacks
3rd Place: Biena Chickpea Snacks
Best Bar: Nature’s Bakery
Whole wheat, hearty oats, and jammy figs come together for a soft-baked, feel-good bar (in flavors like peach apricot, strawberry, and pumpkin spice) that’s perfect for lunchboxes, hikes, or slaying your afternoon slump.
2nd Place: Lärabar
3rd Place: GoMacro
Best Protein Snack: Lenny & Larry’s Protein Cookies
Oversized and at the intersection of soft and chewy, these cookies sneak in serious protein with each bite. Dessert vibes, gym cred—we’re all in.
2nd Place: Clif Bar Builders Bars
3rd Place: Outstanding Foods Cheese Balls
Best Fruity Snack: Annie’s Berry Patch Bunny Fruit Snacks
Cute bunny shapes and juicy berry flavors make Annie’s the leader of the fruit snack pack. Kids love them, grown-ups stash them—everybunny wins.
2nd Place: SmartSweets Peach Rings
3rd Place: YumEarth Fruit Snacks
Best Sweet Snack: Abe’s Mini Muffins
Moist, tender, and available in a wide range of flavors like wild blueberry and chocolate chip to zucchini and apple cider doughnut, Abe’s mini muffins capture bakery bliss in a bite-sized package.
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2nd Place: Hu Kitchen Hunks
3rd Place: MadeGood Granola Bites
Best Trader Joe’s Snack: Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets
Salty on the outside, creamy on the inside—these Trader Joe’s nuggets are the best of both worlds. And hey, if you want to dip them in chocolate, fold them into cookie dough, or crush them onto a sundae, we won’t stop you.
2nd Place: Dried Mango
3rd Place: Chili and Lime Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips
Best Accidentally Vegan Snack: Oreos
The king of cookies reigns supreme. Nostalgic, dunkable, and endlessly versatile (we can’t get enough of the new Reese’s peanut butter variety), Oreos remain the ultimate plant-based treat hiding in plain sight.
2nd Place: Biscoff Cookies
3rd Place: Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos
Best Snack of All Time: Hippeas
No vegan snack brand has infiltrated the mainstream quite like Hippeas. Grab a bag at the local coffee shop, hotel minibar, movie theater, sports stadium, college campus, or airline snack shop—virtually wherever you are, a crunchy, puffy, vegan snack is likely nearby.
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2nd Place: Oreos
3rd Place: LesserEvil
Our VegNews Snack Awards prize winners!
All VegNews Snack Awards voters were automatically entered to win one of 10 vegan snack box deliveries from Vegan Essentials—the one-stop shopping destination for all-things vegan. From cheese to chocolate to meats to–yes—snacks galore, Vegan Essentials has thousands of plant-based products you can’t find anywhere else. We’ve been shopping with them for two decades! Congratulations to all of our 2025 VegNews Snack Awards winners …
Amber Miller
Deneice Hall
Holly Al-Jibory
Joe Crider
Kevin O’Leary
Nancy Keuch Rosa
Rebecca Hippier
Sheri Weistaner
Steven Eubanks
Victoria Lear
And don’t forget to get your hot winner deals from Vegan Essentials! They won’t last long.
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Richard Bowie (@wichiebowie) is VegNews' editorial director based in Oakland, CA.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
