How Trader Joe's Successfully Pulled Off Its Vegan Buffalo Dip

According to a recent survey performed by Statista, 86% of respondents from around the world claimed that meat is a constant part of their diets. However, the number of people adhering to a plant-based lifestyle continues to grow, as illustrated by statistics cited by Soylent. In the US, 10% of adults currently describe themselves as vegan, while the number of vegans worldwide equals 79 million. Reasons for adhering to the vegan lifestyle range from concerns about the health effects of meat to the impact factory farming has on the environment and ethical concerns about animal consumption.

Fortunately for vegans these days, there's a wide range of plant-based products that offer excellent nutrition as well as undeniable flavor. Per Soylent, the market for vegan foods grew to $15.77 billion in 2021. Plant-based meat products are particularly popular these days, with a projected growth of 18.9% by the year 2026. Among the many other vegan-friendly products featured at Trader Joe's, the beloved supermarket chain also offers a plant-based version of a very spicy snack.

If you've ever attended a tailgate party, you know that Buffalo chicken wings are standard. As explained by Farm Flavor, the dish originated in Buffalo, NY at a local hangout called the Anchor Bar. While the origin story is debated, it's accepted that this was the place where wing first met hot sauce. Buffalo wings eventually evolved into Buffalo chicken dip, perfect with chips, crackers, and vegetables. According to Frank's Red Hot, Buffalo dip calls for hot sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese, cream cheese, and of course, chicken. While it might seem like a chicken-centered chip dip has no place in the pantheon of plant-based foods, Trader Joe's proved that theory wrong.

According to the vegan Buffalo style dip page, Trader Joe's version of this delicious dip is the product of carefully selected ingredients. Instead of chicken and cheese, this dip features red peppers, carrots, and cauliflower, in addition to lime juice to balance the spiciness of the cayenne pepper sauce. The result is a tasty and pleasantly textured dish that people can't get enough of. Just take one Redditor's comment on a post about the best new vegan items offered by Trader Joe's. The user states that they are not vegan but that they find the dip "amazing." Additionally, the user describes their husband as a "carnivore," but claims that he also enjoys the dip. Of course, shoppers at Trader Joe's are accustomed to an amazing assortment of snacks.

Along with its selection of grocery staples, Trader Joe's is also well known for being a snacker's paradise. Parade features a few of the chain's most noteworthy selections, which are sure to delight your family when they have a constant place in your pantry. Fans of crispy, salty snacks must sample the Inner Peas, which consist of perfectly salted baked green peas. Hitting a similar note in terms of saltiness and crunchiness, the chain's Honey Pretzel Wheat Sticks taste great on their own or when combined with one of the store's tasty dips.

For those with a sweet tooth, the dark chocolate Sunflower Seed Buttercups are ideal for people with nut allergies. If you're seeking a decadent snack to go with your nighttime ice cream ritual, the Belgian Butter Waffle Cookies are the perfect selection (Trader Joe's describes them as "somewhere between a freshly baked waffle cone and shortbread cookie"). Parade describes these sweet treats as a cross between shortbread cookies and waffle cones, which means they'll pair with all sorts of delicious ice cream flavors. No matter what snack you choose, you can rest assured the selection from Trader Joe's is sustainable, wholesome, and delicious.