Best New Frozen Product

Applegate Farms Well Carved Meatballs

We’re big fans of the “blended” approach to meat products, which combines meat and plants to ultimately reduce the amount of animal protein used. It feels like an inclusive approach to conscious consumption, and Applegate Farms brings the concept to the frozen category with its delicious meatballs that combine high-quality organic veggies and legumes with animal protein. Like all of the company’s products, its Well Carved Meatballs support its mission to build a better food system that focuses on humanely raised meats, family farms and industrywide collaboration. Applegate’s holistic approach to developing responsible meat products is a game changer for the industry and an important step in rebuilding consumer confidence in the meat industry.

JUST Folded JUST Egg

Whether you’re looking to eliminate animal protein from your diet or are simply seeking nutritious and convenient plant-based alternatives for your daily life, the Folded JUST Egg is a revelation. This product taps into the ancient wisdom of the protein-packed mung bean (regularly used in Asia, though not nearly as common an ingredient in the U.S.) to create a shockingly convincing (and non-GMO) egg alternative that requires little prep to plop into a breakfast sandwich or chop into a stir-fry. Thanks to the tireless work of the product development team and food scientists, this product is not only spot on in terms of texture and flavor but its star ingredient became only the seventh plant protein isolate to receive FDA GRAS status. This is more than a great product; it’s a force with far-reaching market implications and a measurable environmental impact thanks to ingredients that consume 98% less water and emit 93% less CO² than animal proteins. Now we can safely say the egg came first!

Base Culture Original Keto Bread 

Sometimes the greatest innovations emerge when a simple product is executed really, really well. Anyone who has followed a paleo or keto diet knows that finding a perfect bread can be a rather daunting task; this company and our finalist product was born out of Base Culture founder Jordann Windschauer-Amatea’s own quest for paleo products done right. When in doubt, do it yourself. The low-carb, nutrient-packed finalist is made with wholesome ingredients such as almond butter, golden flax and honey that taste amazing and are good for you, too. But the real secret ingredient may be the fact that the company keeps all of its production in house to ensure that only the highest quality ingredients go in and top-notch products go out. The best thing since sliced bread is right.