Most of us like a little butter on our toast, or for cooking and baking. Here are some vegan butter brands, without palm oil. This helps to protect the habitats of orangutans and other endangered species.
Keep butter away from pets (due to salt and garlic). Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Never give leftovers like buttered sandwiches to garden birds or wildfowl, as fat smears on feathers, affecting waterproofing/insulation. Never give birds crusty, stale or mouldy bread.
85% of palm oil is not sustainable. RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) has been criticised on if its palm oil is genuinely deforestation-free. This makes it impossible for anyone to make a responsible, sustainable choice. Marcel van Wing
The Best Vegan Butter Brands
Flora Plant B+tter has now made over all its butters to be vegan and free from palm oil. Showing that some some companies are not stick-in-the-mud but embrace change – kudos to them! It does not allow children nor monkeys, to harvest coconuts.
Lurpak is a quality butter that now has a dairy-free version. It’s sold everywhere and has a very ‘buttery’ taste.
The Flower Farm is a Dutch brand sold in supermarkets, made with shea butter (not for latex allergies) that grows wild on the African savannah, where plum-like fruits fall off trees naturally, harvested by hand. There is a version for children with extra calcium.
Founder Marcel van Wing spent 4 years in Indonesia. He says swapping to this brand could remove 17 kilos of palm oil demand yearly, for a family of four. He believes orangutans (our closest relatives) are like ‘greed-free versions of humans’.
Despite the boyish charm of this ‘Dutch Dale Vince’ with his long hair and sneakers, don’t be fooled: he’s a savvy businessman determined to preserve Indonesian rainforests.
Mouse’s Favourite (in compostable packaging) is made with cashews and rapeseed oil, flavoured with salt and dyes with turmeric. Created by a Jersey native (who grew up amid ‘creamy yoghurt and cheese’), this spreads from the fridge and freezes well (thaw in the fridge an hour before). Good on thick bread with sliced cucumber, or use for mash potato or crumpets.
Mergulo is a premium brand adored by chefs, made with salty cashews and sold in plastic-free packaging. Blended with coconut oil, its founder is a chef who sells this brand nationwide.
Miyoko’s Creamery (USA) is a good inspiration for us, as it’s made with oats (which could be locally-grown here to make butter). Many livestock farmers are transfarming over, leaving animals to live in peace. This lets long-held farms flourish, yet takes advantage of the huge oat milk market.
Make Your Own Vegan Butter
This vegan butter (Jessica in the Kitchen) can be spread on bread or toast, and or use for baking. Made with soy milk or full-fat cashew milk, it contains sea salt and apple cider vinegar and refined coconut oil. It has cheesy-tasting nutritional yeast too. You can leave out soaked cashews, but it won’t be as creamy (and won’t brown). Also try Jessica’s recipe for vegan buttermilk.
Why Don’t Vegans Eat Butter or Dairy?
Compassion in World Farming was actually set up by a concerned dairy farmer. It says that intensive dairy farms (which produce nearly all milk for commercial foods) spend most times indoors and suffer stress, from over-milking.
Early separation from calves (males are sometimes shot after birth due to not being of financial value, or exported for veal) causes great stress. If you drink milk or eat dairy, choose free-range organic.
