Gardein Rolls Out Pocket Meals (AKA Vegan Hot Pockets)
Hot Pockets are the ultimate convenience food, a microwaveable Godsend for busy eaters everywhere. But vegan-friendly? Forget it. The Nestlé-made meals are chock full of meat and dairy products.
Luckily, Gardein has the backs of plant-based eaters everywhere. The company just launched a new line of Pocket Meals—meatless versions of the popular on-the-go product, perfect for a grab and go bite.
The pockets come in three varieties: crispy chick’n and kale, Italian meat-free sausage, and BBQ pulled porkless shreds. Here’s the skinny on each flavor from Gardein:
Crispy Chick’n Pocket Meal: Each individual pocket meal has crispy chick’n on the outside and kale, barley and sundried tomatoes on the inside. Packed with 22g of protein, it’s an excellent source of vitamin A and a good source of fiber & iron. Made with non-GMO soy and wheat, ancient grains and veggies, this cholesterol-free, vegan and kosher pocket is a healthier and convenient meal ready in five minutes.
Italian Meat-Free Sausage Pocket Meal: Ready in three minutes, each soft dinner roll is filled with Italian meat-free sausage, roasted red peppers, sweet potatoes and spinach and is a good source of iron and vitamin A. Made with non-GMO soy and wheat, ancient grains and veggies, the meal provides 6g of protein per pocket and is cholesterol-free, vegan and kosher.
BBQ Pulled Porkless Shreds Pocket Meal: A tangy, barbecue, pulled porkless pocket meal you can’t get enough of. Ready in two minutes and made with non-GMO soy and wheat, ancient grains and veggies, each pocket meal contains 10g of protein, is a good source of iron, has zero cholesterol and is vegan and kosher.
So far they’re only available at select retailers, including Whole Foods in Southern California, Arizona and Nevada, Albertsons in Southern California, Safeway stores (starting in May) and others in the western part of the U.S. (and Canada!). But the folks at Gardein tell me more retailers are signing on by the day, so be on the lookout in your grocer’s freezer.
Gardein also offers a few other microwaveable treats, including beefless sliders, chipotle black bean sliders and crispy chick’n sliders.
Three cheers for Gardein’s version of vegan Hot Pockets—because we all need the assistance of the almighty microwave every now and then.
I know this is an old article, but I just wanted to say I love the pizza and pulled pork ones! Pulled pork pockets are no longer available at my WalMart, (sadly, because dang they were good!), but the pizza ones are always there. I usually can’t resist eating two at a time. I’m veggie, but I hope to eat more vegan stuff for my health in the coming months.