Seitan is a plant-based meat alternative that is rapidly growing in popularity among the vegan community. Actually, even among the non-vegan community, this plant-based substitute so closely mimics the texture of meat that even non-vegans are giving it a try.
And to find it, you usually don’t have to look any further than your favorite grocery store or local health food store; how great is that?
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What Stores Carry Seitan?
Thankfully seitan can be found in most grocery stores, discount grocery stores, and health food stores. Here is a quick guide that breaks down the multitude of places you can find this fantastic plant-based meat substitute.
Grocery Stores
Your typical grocery store will likely have at least a brand or two of this meaty textured meatless wonder.
Here are a few grocery stores known to carry it:
Whole Foods– Whole Foods is all about the organic and the vegan lifestyle, so you won’t have any trouble finding seitan in this store. They have a good selection of brands, including Sweet Earth seitan. It is also a great place to look for vital wheat gluten if you are planning to make your own!
Sprouts-Sprouts is another grocery store that caters to a healthy lifestyle. It usually keeps its meat alternatives in a refrigerated section near its produce. It would be another great place to look for vital wheat gluten if you plan to make your own seitan.
Target- Check their natural foods section! They have one in their freezer aisle and on the edge of their produce section. They often have the Blackbird brand.
Trader Joe’s- To find seitan at Trader Joe’s, check-in their well-known Trader Joe’s meatless lover’s vegan section. It is always well stocked with tempeh, tofu, soy products, and yes, seitan! Perfect for you and all the healthy food-loving vegans in your life!
Ralphs- Many Ralphs also have an entire natural foods section. If not, check by their produce!
Kroger- Check the health food section in Kroger! They usually carry Sweet Earth and a few other seitan brands.
Harris Teeter-Check the refrigerated shelves at the edge of the produce!
Costco- Costco does carry seitan, although it may be limited in brands. But if you find seitan, you can buy it in bulk from this store and stock up. They have a meatless section where you may be able to find a few well-known brands.
Food Lion- You will most likely find seitan at Food Lion on the edge of their produce section. That is where they keep their vegan and vegetarian options.
Publix– In the produce department! Easy enough.
Safeway- Safeway carries both Sweet Earth and Upton brands of seitan in their store. They may have a few others on a store-to-store basis.
Whole Foods Market/Natural Foods Market
Your local natural foods store is pretty much a guaranteed hit to find vital wheat gluten, aka seitan.
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Here are a few whole foods and natural foods markets you may have heard of and are very likely to find seitan and find seitan products.
Erewhon– Erewhon is a local natural foods store in California. It has a massive section of seitan and other plant-based meat alternatives. If you are ever in the area…check them out!
EarthFare- EarthFare resides on the country’s eastern side and is also a prominent distributor of vegan products. Finding seitan here would be a breeze.
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Nature’s Way– Nature’s Way is a smaller chain that does carry seitan but might not have as much of a variety as some of the larger stores. But it is certainly worth a visit, especially if your favorite brand happens to be there.
Asian Market/Store– As seitan originated in Asia, it will show up in many Asian recipes. Therefore, it can be found in many Asian markets and is usually less expensive or at no additional cost than health food or grocery stores.
Pro Tip- Asian markets are a treasure trove for vegans. Many Asian recipes are vegan already and, if not, are easily substituted with plant-based alternatives.
They readily have items like seitan, tofu, and tempeh all in stock. Their wide recipe selection has perfected the flavor and taste of these alternatives, so don’t be shy to ask your local distributor for their favorite recipe!
Many natural foods stores are small and local, so check out any that might be in your area!
Where To Find Seitan In Grocery Stores
Near The Produce Section– Many grocery stores keep their plant-based meat alternatives by their plants! Makes sense to us! So check on the edge or even in the produce section of your local grocery store.
Refrigerated Section- Many grocery stores keep their seitan in their refrigerated section. Often there will be a special section that contains vegan and vegetarian options.
The Organic Food Section- Larger chain stores like Ralphs and Vons generally have an entire area dedicated to organic food options. So check the aisle signs in your local grocery store, find the organic section, and steer your course to plant-based vegan paradise!
“Meatless Section” – Wherever the meat alternative is kept in the grocery store is probably where the seitan products will be! Most stores have a special section to preserve foods for a plant-based diet. This usually has tofu, tempeh, and premade options like veggie burgers, faux sausage, etc.
Wherever They Keep the Tofu- When all else fails..look for the tofu! Seitan is found in most grocery stores right near the tofu. So chances are if you can locate the tofu, you can identify the seitan and seitan products.
Pro Tip– Before you start on your seitan treasure hunt, it might be helpful to google seitan packages to see what they look like ahead of time. You can check out specific brands through their website ahead of time; that way, you know just what to look for.
Or if you just aren’t interested in finding seitan in the grocery store, why not cut out the middle man and buy seitan online!
The good news is that seitan is readily available online, and here are a few places that carry it in the wide world of online shopping.
Where You Can Get Seitan Online
Amazon- Amazon carries multiple brands of seitan that can be shipped and delivered right to your door. You can also set up a repeat delivery and have it shipped right to you regularly!
Brand Websites- Have a favorite seitan brand? Go right to the source and order directly from the brand website. Many offer discounts on bulk orders, and it ensures all the money goes right into your favorite brand’s pocket. No middle man is necessary.
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Online Health Foods Markets/Natural Foods Stores-There are many online health food and natural markets that ship directly to the consumer, aka you. Many are also local and organic. Be sure to check reviews of any stores or brands you aren’t familiar with to ensure you get the best products and services.
As you can see, if you are wondering where to buy seitan, there are more than a few options of where to buy seitan and seitan products. But maybe you would rather have more control over what goes into your seitan… no worries, it is also reasonably easy to make your own.
What Is Seitan?
Seitan(pronounced say-tan) is a plant-based wheat meat substitute. It is made from vital wheat gluten, water, and spices. Sometimes the name seitan is used interchangeably with vital wheat gluten or wheat gluten as that is what it is made of.
It was created in Japan about 1000 years ago and is used to substitute meat and fish. It is often used interchangeably with tofu and tempeh in a plant-based diet as a meat substitute. That is why you will see it show up in many Asian recipes, vegetarian recipes, and vegan recipes.
Seitan is high in protein, low in fat, and is chock full of health benefits like selenium and calcium..yum! It is also low in carbs as the starch typically found in wheat gluten is simply washed away in making seitan. Win, win!
Here is a list of the nutrition facts of seitan:
- Calories: 104
- Protein: 21 grams
- Selenium: 16% of the RDI
- Iron: 8% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 7% of the RDI
- Calcium: 4% of the RDI
- Copper: 3% of the RDI
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Wheat grain is also low in fat, so no worries there! It is a low-calorie and low-stress, meat alternative, perfect for your vegan cookbook and lifestyle.
Brands of Seitan
There are a few brands of seitan that you are most likely to find in your local store; here are some of the more common brands.
Sweet Earth Natural Foods-Sweet Earth seitan is probably the most common brand you will encounter on your quest to find seitan. Many grocery stores carry the Sweet Earth seitan. It is readily available online through the Sweet Earth brand website or third-party distributors.
Pacific Foods- Pacific Foods is an organic brand of seitan carried by many retailers. It is one of the more common ones you will see, and even stores like Walmart often have it.
Uptons Naturals-Upton Naturals makes everything from seitan bacon to seitan sausages. It even makes chorizo seitan! So if you are looking for variety in your eating seitan journey, look no further than Uptons Naturals.
WestSoy- Does this brand sound familiar? If you read our article on Tempeh, then it should! WestSoy is a brand that makes tofu soy(as the name would imply) and makes its own seitan. They usually sell their seitan in strips, making it easy to cook and prepare.
Blackbird- Blackbird is another brand that is all about variety. They even have Texas BBQ flavored seitan! This brand often shows up in Target.
Making Your Own Seitan
Wheat flour kneading is a thing of the past with the development and availability of wheat gluten on the market. Making seitan has become a lot more simple over the past few years. Instead of massaging a ball of wheat flour for an hour, now you just pick up powdered vital wheat gluten and get on with your day and your recipe.
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Otherwise, you will simply need to prepare your own stock and whatever other ingredients you would like to add for flavor and taste.
Check out the vast array of homemade seitan recipes online and pick your favorite!
Preparing Seitan
There are several ways to prepare seitan.
You can fry it, bake it, or even make it into skewers and grill it! If you prefer your seitan to be a bit more on the chewy side, baking it may give you more control over its chewy or crunchy. But if you would rather it be as crunchy as they come, then frying it may give you the texture you desire.
Seitan makes any vegan dish a little more fun and protein-filled, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavorings and marinades and add seitan to any of your favorite vegan dishes.
Cooked seitan can be added to various vegan dishes to add a meaty texture or flavor; check out this vegan Tortilla soup recipe where you can substitute chicken flavored seitan to give this spicy soup an additional kick.
Vegan Tortilla Soup (w/Seitan): https://86lemons.com/tortilla-soup
Seitan FAQ
Is Seitan In the Frozen Section?
Not usually. Items like tofu, tempeh, and seitan do not generally freeze as well, so you are more likely to find them in the refrigerated sections than in the freezer section. But there may be premade meals containing seitan in the frozen section, so it may be worth looking.
Is Seitan Healthier Than Tofu?
It can depend on the brand, preparation, etc. Still, generally speaking, seitan is higher in protein and lower in fat than tofu, so it does win the healthier race by a nose. The difference is relatively negligible, truthfully. Both are great meat alternative options.
Is Seitan Gluten-Free?
No, as the original contains wheat, wheat, and vital wheat gluten, it is not gluten-free. However, the good news is some brands are gluten-free! A quick Google search will show you which seitan in the grocery stores and online do not contain gluten.
Does Seitan Contain Soy?
Seitan is generally soy-free! It is made from wheat, not soy, so it is excellent for people with a soy allergy or anyone who just wants to avoid soy. However, always be sure to check the label, as some brands do include additives that could potentially contain soy.
Is Seitan Good for Weight Loss?
Yes! This meat alternative is a gem for a healthy diet with low calories and high protein. It does tend to be high in sodium, however. But there are low sodium options of seitan. If you plan to make your own, several recipes can ensure the sodium is at a lower level.
Next you can find out where to buy tempeh, or find out if Jelly Bellys are vegan!
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