MyForest Foods MyBacon won because it solved the hardest problem in vegan bacon: making something that actually tastes like bacon without relying on liquid smoke dumped onto soy protein. The mycelium base (grown from mushroom roots, not assembled from isolates) produces a savory, smoky flavor that Sporked's Jordan Myrick scored 9.5/10, calling it 'one of the best plant-based meat substitutes we've ever had.' Chowhound's Audrey Farnsworth put it #1 out of 8 brands, noting it was 'smoky and bacon-tasting with no discernible mushroom flavor.'
The coconut oil coating is the real trick. Each strip comes pre-wrapped in coconut oil that melts in the pan like rendered fat, creating a layer of sizzling grease. That grease is what crisps the strips and fills the kitchen with a smell that's genuinely close to cooking real bacon. No soy or seitan product on this list does that.
VegNews editors chose MyBacon over the readers' winner (Lightlife) for their 2025 Editors' Vote, specifically citing its innovation in the plant-based bacon space. Vegan in the Freezer's Ligia Lugo scored it 4.5/5 in her weighted evaluation across 10 brands. Four independent sources, four top-tier placements.
The gluten-free and soy-free formulation also stands out. Most vegan bacons are built on wheat gluten or soy protein. MyBacon is neither, which opens the door for celiac and soy-sensitive buyers who'd otherwise have no option in this category.
What It Won't Do
Texture is MyBacon's weak spot. Vegan in the Freezer documented that thin parts crisp nicely but thick parts 'turn chewy and rubbery,' and Sporked compared the overall texture to Canadian bacon rather than strip bacon. The strips vary in thickness within the same package, so you'll get inconsistent results from one piece to the next. The sodium is also high at 340mg per serving, the highest Vegan in the Freezer measured across 10 brands. And at 6 oz per package with limited retail distribution, you're paying a premium per ounce for a product that's only available at Whole Foods and select natural grocers.
Lightlife Smart Bacon won the value pick because it's the only vegan bacon that combines two things no competitor matches: availability and price. Make It Dairy Free called it 'the most easily available vegan bacon on the market,' and at $4.99 for 5 oz, it costs 35-60% less per ounce than MyBacon or Thrilling Foods.
The consumer numbers back it up. VegNews readers chose Smart Bacon as the #1 Best Bacon for both 2024 and 2025, which represents roughly 100K+ voters who buy and eat this stuff regularly. That kind of repeat win in consumer voting means real-world satisfaction, not just editorial enthusiasm.
Smart Bacon crisps up well in a pan. VeggL's Jen specifically praised it for crisping 'the most' of the four brands she tested and said it 'tastes the most like bacon' thanks to its saltiness. Make It Dairy Free's Larisha Bernard confirmed it 'cooks easily, gets crispy.' For a product at this price point, the texture performance is solid.
Lightlife has been making plant-based products since 1979. The company has had four decades to optimize distribution, and it shows. You can walk into a Walmart, Target, Kroger, Whole Foods, or Publix and find Smart Bacon in the refrigerated section.
What It Won't Do
Smart Bacon's flavor is polarizing. Chowhound's reviewer described it as tasting 'more like turkey bacon than vegan bacon,' and Tasting Table called the texture 'dry, bacon bit-like, lacking authentic grease.' VeggL's Ryan ranked it dead last of four brands, saying it's 'not bacon in any way except texture.' The strips are thin, dry, and have none of the grease or chew of real bacon. It crisps, but it crisps like a cracker, not like a strip of fatty pork.
Who Should Buy Which
MyForest Foods MyBacon Original Recipe
Mycelium strips with coconut oil that crisp like the real thing
- You care about authentic bacon flavor above all else and want the closest thing to real bacon taste available in plant-based form
- You're gluten-free or soy-sensitive and need a vegan bacon that avoids both major allergen categories
- You shop at Whole Foods or natural grocers regularly and don't mind paying a premium for a specialty product
- You want the coconut oil sizzle and pan grease that makes cooking vegan bacon actually feel like cooking bacon
Lightlife Smart Bacon
The affordable everyday bacon found at every grocery store
- You shop at mainstream groceries and need a vegan bacon you can find without planning ahead or ordering online
- Budget matters and you're buying vegan bacon regularly, not as a one-time experiment
- You're new to vegan bacon and want the safest, most widely-validated first pick (100K+ consumer voters chose this)
- You mainly use bacon as a crispy topping for BLTs, salads, and sandwiches rather than as a standalone protein