It’s officially the spookiest day of the year, and what better way to celebrate than by heading to the kitchen to bake some festive treats? We’ve done you a solid by rounding up all of our favorite creepy (and delicious) Halloween recipes in one place. From eyeball cupcakes to graveyard mousse pots, our guide has you covered. Still need to stock up on candy? Get ready for trick-or-treaters with our guide to vegan Halloween candy.
In between Halloween prep, take a break and catch up on all the latest vegan food news. There’s plenty to sink your teeth into this week—from new products hitting shelves to an exciting restaurant opening and even a special plant-based experience in the Hamptons.
Eat Just
Eat Just debuts new easy-squeeze vegan pancake mix
Eat Just has officially made those chilly fall and winter Sunday mornings a little more exciting. The vegan egg brand has launched new Power Jacks pancake mixes, available in original, cinnamon roll, and chocolate chip flavors. The refrigerated pouches are simple to use: just pour, flip, and eat. The mixes have already been spotted at Target, so keep an eye out on your next grocery run.
Impossible Foods
Walmart stocks up on new plant-based meat from Eat Just, Impossible Foods, and Daring
Lately, there have been plenty of headlines about the decline of the plant-based meat industry. But if you need a little reassurance that exciting products are still hitting shelves, just head to Walmart. The retailer has recently added several new options, including Daring’s Original Shredded and Original Diced Plant Chicken, multiple flavors of Just Meat Chicken, and Impossible Corn Dogs.
Mission Barns
Cultivated meat is set to make its retail debut for the first time
Cultivated meat—real meat grown from animal cells inside a lab, without the need for slaughter—will make its retail debut on November 1. Mission Barns will sell its cultivated pork meatballs at Berkeley Bowl, an independent, family-owned grocery store in Berkeley, CA—this marks the first time cultivated meat will be available in retail stores anywhere in the world.
Available for $13.99, the product will be sold as part of Mission Barns’ four-part tasting series. The first event of the series kicks off on November 1. Customers can purchase the cultivated pork meatballs starting at 3pm as part of a limited sale. A product demonstration will follow at 4pm.
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This is only the beginning for Mission Barns’ retail expansion. “Next, we’re focusing on co-developed products in partnership with other food brands—bringing our cultivated pork to market through collaborations that make it even easier for consumers to find and enjoy,” Bianca Le, PhD, Head of Special Projects and External Affairs for Mission Barns, told VegNews.
The company’s cultivated pork meatballs have already proven to be a hit among diners. At Mission Barns’ recent restaurant debut at Fiorella in San Francisco, guests initially “had mixed opinions about cultivated meat” prior to sampling it, but “after enjoying a five-course meal, four of which featured Mission Barns’ cultivated pork, 100 percent said their ‘opinion became more positive’,” Le said.
Insomnia Cookies
Insomnia Cookies launches exciting new deals for World Vegan Day
World Vegan Day is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for a delicious way to celebrate, we’ve got the perfect idea: Insomnia Cookies. All weekend long, the brand will offer a buy one, get one free (BOGO) special on its Vegan Classic Cookies—including Birthday Cake Classic, Chocolate Chunk, Double Chocolate Chunk, and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip.
“At Insomnia, we’re all about celebrating every kind of cookie lover—whether you’re plant-based, cookie-obsessed, or just looking for a warm, delicious indulgence,” Amrita Dutta-Gupta, Vice President of Marketing at Insomnia, told VegNews. “World Vegan Day is our excuse to shout out our vegan Insomniacs and invite everyone to get a taste of our warm, indulgent, totally plant-based lineup.”
In addition to the BOGO offer, Insomnia rewards members can score Vegan Classic Cookies for just $1 each on November 1.
Elmhurst
Elmhurst’s beloved seasonal flavors are officially back
Arguably, the best part of this time of year is all the delicious seasonal flavors hitting the shelves. And we’re thrilled to report that some of Elmhurst’s most beloved festive offerings are back. Keep an eye out for the brand’s creamy, sweet, and spiced Apple Pie Spice Blend, made with oats and cashews, as well as its rich, egg-free Dairy-Free OatNog. The latter is perfect for any winter cocktails you have planned.
MyForest Foods
Mycelium bacon and pork lands in Whole Foods
If you’re trying to stay away from ultra-processed foods, but you’re craving the meaty, smoky, umami taste of bacon, you need to try MyForest Foods’ MyBacon. It’s deliciously bacon-y, but it’s made with oyster mushroom mycelium. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to sample it for yourself, because it just landed in Whole Foods Markets across the US. The brand is also launching another umami-packed meaty product in stores, called MyPulledPork.
“Because we grow the mycelium as large ‘whole’ pieces, it almost looks like fused threads, which ultimately creates an amazingly ‘similar to meat’ texture experience,” MyForest Foods’ chief marketing officer, Sarah-Marie Cole, previously explained to VegNews. “The amazing texture helps amplify the taste. It is part of delivering the ‘all senses’ experience that you would expect when eating bacon.”
Fifth House
Modern Love executive chef opens new vegan restaurant in Omaha
It’s been almost a year since we said a heartfelt goodbye to popular vegan restaurant Modern Love in Omaha, NE. And now, finally, some good news: Modern Love’s executive chef Liam Smith is back with a whole new concept, and, of course, it’s vegan. Fifth House promises to be “the vegan joint of your dreams.”
The new restaurant opened earlier this week, and guests can expect a three-course prix fixe menu. To begin, guests can choose between arancini stuffed with cashew mozzarella or oyster mushroom calamari. Pasta takes center stage for the second course, and diners can opt for roasted garlic alfredo or spaghetti and beet-based meatballs. And for dessert, it’s a choice between tiramisu or ice cream. Fifth House’s Grand Opening Nights run through Sunday, November 2 with a special Founders’ Halloween Gala on October 31. Guests attending the gala can expect an expanded, four-course prix fixe menu.
Priyanka Naik
Chef Priyanka Naik is bringing South Asian vegan food to The Hamptons
Award-winning plant-based chef Priyanka Naik is heading to the Hamptons. Naik is the first South Asian chef to be invited to host The Chef’s Table at the prestigious Shou Sugi Ban House. The initiative invites chefs to craft an intimate, multi-course meal for guests that is “elemental, unforgettable, and alive.”
“The guests can expect an Indian-forward, five-course prix fixe meal that takes them throughout India,” said Naik, who was born and raised in New York City and has long loved the Hamptons for its focus on local agriculture and global cuisine.
“We’ll go through the street foods of Mumbai, make a quick pit stop in my home region of Maharashtra and Karnataka, then head south before ending on a sweet note in North India,” she continued. “I want people to learn about the diversity, beauty, and culture of India through this menu.”
Of course, all of the food will be vegan, with plenty of gluten-free options, too. Find out how to reserve a table here.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.
