I know you’ve been giving these a double take in the store! In this vegan babybel review, I give my unfiltered thoughts as a vegan who misses dairy cheese.
As a dietitian (aka- a credentialed food and nutritino expert), I’ll also give you insight on the nutriiton and ingredients.
Pass the (vegan) cheese please!
Disclaimer: This review is based on the authors opinion. It is not personal dietary advice. Talk to your doctor about any health concerns or dietary changes. See our disclaimers for more details.
Quick Summary
Here’s a quick breakdown of the Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Very similar to a mild mozzarella cheese flavor
- Tasty
- Vitamin B12 and calcium added
Cons:
- Pricey
- Decent amount of saturated fat
- Not as nutrient dense as dairy cheese (but, you don’t need cheese to get enough nutrition! Check out our guide here to learn more)
Want to see me try them for the first time? Check out this short video over on my YouTube channel below!
What Are Vegan Babybels?
Vegan babybels (technically- Babybel® Plant-Based) are a 100% plant based cheese that is similar to the dairy version, but is dairy free.
That means that it does not come from a cow. It doesn’t have lactose or milk. It’s vegan friendly because it is not derived from an animal.
This product is also certified plant based, verified non GMO, and has the vegan trademark on the package.
One package comes with about 6 of these plant based cheeses, in a packing similar to the dairy versions (the wax casing is green instead of red as you can see in the picture above).
The outer package all the vegan cheeses comes in is made of 100% paper and is compostable, which is pretty cool!
How Do I Eat It? Where Can I Buy Them?
Take off the outer package, and peel back the green wax casing (via the wax seal) all the way around. Then you can slip the outer layer out!
While stock may vary, these can sometimes be found at Target, Whole Foods, and Meijer to name a few stores.
You can also buy them through stores like Whole foods.
Vegan Babybel Review
Taste
I was very impressed with this new vegan cheese!
It has a delicious dairy flavor- with this original version reminding me of a mild mozzarella.
I did not sense any aftertaste that is common in other plant based cheeses.
The flavor was cheesy, and savory, but not quite the Unami flavor that dairy cheese tends to have.
Mouthfeel was firm, a bit rubbery, and creamy when you bite into it.
My husband (who still eats regular cheese) thinks the regular babybel’s are more soft. He did enjoy it though, and thought it was vaguely similar!
Ingredients
Here’s the ingredients on the back Babybel plant based as copied from the picture above:
“Ingredients: Water, modified food starch, coconut oil, calcium citrate, No More Than 2% of Each: salt, natural flavor, citric acid, beta-carotene (color) cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12)”
Water and modified food starch likely add to the the shape and stability of this product.
Coconut oil provides the creamy mouthfeel that is familiar to cheese. Coconut oil is one of the oils highest in saturated fat, so it’s not the ideal choice in terms of nutrition, but this oil is more solid at room temperature than vegetable oils. That’s probably why it is used.
Calcium citrate adds calcium, and the salt and natural flavor helps contribute to the taste profile.
The beta-carotene for color is a precursor to vitamin A.
The added cyanocobalamin is a more stable form of vitamin B12 and used in a lot of vitamin B12 fortified foods.
Nutrition
Here’s the nutrition facts for one 20 gram piece as copied from the picture above:
- Calories: 50
- Total fat: 3.5 grams
- Saturated fat: 3 grams
- Sodium: 150 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 4 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
- Sugars: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Calcium: 140 milligrams
- Vitamin B12: 0.3 micrograms
I love that vitamin B12 and calcium are added to this product! These are nutrients found in dairy cheese.
Unlike dairy cheese, this one doesn’t have any iodine or protein. There are plenty of other ways to meet your iodine and protein needs as a vegan though, so that is a-ok!
The saturated fat in this product is on the higher side at 3 grams per serving. This comes from the coconut oil. Saturated fat should be kept low in a healthy diet as keeping intake low may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease(1).
Here’s a quick comparison of the original babybel vs the babybel plant based:
| Calories | Saturated Fat | Sodium | Protein | Calcium | |
| Babybel® Original Cheese(2) | 70 | 3.5 grams | 160 milligrams | 4 grams | 140 milligrams |
| Babybel® Plant-Based | 50 | 3 grams | 150 milligrams | 0 grams | 140 milligrams |
The original dairy version has 4 grams of protein, whereas, the plant based one has none.
The vegan cheese version has 20 less calories, 10 milligrams less sodium, and half a gram less saturated fat than the dairy version.
Interestingly, both have the same amount of calcium! It’s exciting that calcium is being added to more and more plant based products like calcium fortified plant milk! Calcium can sometimes be tricky to get enough of on a vegan diet(3). So I love that this “cheese” has some!
Portion
Per weight, the portion size is the same as the dairy version at 20 grams per serving(2).
Visually, it looks like a nice amount to pair with bread, crackers, and/or fruit!
I even melted a bit on some bread and it melted very nicely – so you could take it that angle as well!
Price
I got these at Meijer for $5.49 USD. This was not on sale when it was purchased.
Here’s a comparison to other areas that carry it (please note, prices can vary):
- Target: $4.49 USD
- Meijer: $5.49 USD
- Whole Foods: $5.79 USD
In comparison to dairy babybel, the vegan versions are more expensive. For example, Target sells dairy Babybel’s for about $3.99 USD compared to $4.49 USD at Target for the plant based version.
In comparison to other vegan cheeses, this seems like a fairly typical price – which is still a bit pricey.
So I’d highly recommend trying to get this when it’s on sale if you are curious about trying this!
Final Verdict on Plant Based Babybel Cheese
I would definitely buy these again!
As a vegan, I get dairy cheese cravings, and sometimes vegan recipes just don’t nip those cravings! New vegans and even those who have been living this way for a while will get what I’m saying! 😉
Pros
- Tasty
- Reminiscent of mild mozzarella in flavor.
- Creamy
- Savory
- Vitamin B 12 fortified
- Calcium fortified
- Vegan friendly
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Saturated fat is on the higher side
- Lacking protein
- Lacking other nutrients that dairy cheese provides (like iodine)
Was this snack news to you? Is this your favorite store bought vegan cheese too? Let me know in the comments!
If you read the article and enjoyed it, you might like to view some of our other vegan food reviews including:
–Harvest Snaps Review
–Tattooed Chef Acai Bowl Review
–Aldi Vegan Meatballs Review
–Sunrise Energy Bars Review
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