Review; Sprague Cannery Plant Based Chili

As I wandered through Walmart the other day, I stumbled upon these in the canned foods aisle.

Sprague Plant-Based Chili comes in 3 flavours – Sloppy Joe, 3 Bean, and White Bean and I bought mine at Walmart for $2.79/can.

I tried each chili on their own, and as a meal – my omnivore roommate also participated in the taste test, and provided his own commentary.

White Bean Chili
served with tortilla chips.

My thoughts: Noticeable tinned food smell upon opening – not wholly unpleasant but I was definitely reminded of why I’m not typically a tinned food person. Chili heated quickly and easily over medium heat in a sauce pan. Once it was warm it had a pleasant, beany smell. Very creamy – I noticed this flavour has “oat base” as one of the ingredients. Me, having consumed very little chili in my life, am unsure if “creamed chili” is normally a thing; it’s just okay here. A bit of TVP mixed in for some chew, and a mild spice. It was alright, but boring? Kinda gross? I wouldn’t buy it again. 6/10

Roommate: Very beany. And really unappetizing to look at. I like the chunks of fake meat or whatever that’s in it, but that’s about it. Decent kick. 4/10

Triple Bean Chili
served on a baked sweet potato.

My thoughts: Similar tinned food smell upon opening, although perhaps this recipe was a bit less pungent than the white bean version. Heated easily over medium heat in a sauce pan. Smell once heated was pleasant, a bit cumin-y. Flavour was towards tex-mex, if a bit subdued, and I really liked the inclusion of chick peas (or I suppose in this case, they are garbanzo beans). The TVP is great for some chew, but but not overwhelming. It went exceptionally well with the sweet potato. 8/10

Roommate: Very nice! A gentle kick and good mix of beans. WAY better than Stagg’s Vegetarian Chili, which I would give a 2. 7/10

Sloppy Joe Chili
served with classic coleslaw on a bun.

My thoughts: Slight tinned food smell; either this flavour has less of a smell or I’m just starting to get used to it. Heats easily in a sauce pan over medium heat. Pleasant smell once heated. Easily my favourite, the chili was smoky and the little black Adzuki beans paired well with the TVP and spice mix. A little on the bland side, but condiments take care of that and it allows you to serve the chili with pretty much whatever you like without it overtaking the entire meal. 9/10

Roommate: I wasn’t expecting the beans, but I like them! And the meaty texture. What I really like is that it’s a heat and serve Sloppy Joe mix in a can, because sometimes you just want an easy Sloppy Joe. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything even though it’s vegan. I’m EXCITED to buy this again. 8/10

Final Thoughts:

Overall, the Plant-Based Chili line from Sprague Cannery was a nice surprise! I must admit that going into this review, I was less than enthusiastic. Prepared canned foods have never been a favourite, and I’ve been let down pretty hard by prepared vegan foods in the past. Things are either spiced weird or have a strange smell and it’s just an overall bad time.

But with these, not only are all 3 edible, two of them are actually VERY GOOD. At less than 3 dollars a can, these Plant-Based Chili by Sprague are a quick and affordable meal option that’s easy to keep on hand in my pantry. These are a definite win for a quick dinner, or easy work lunch.

Roommate: I liked 2 out of 3 of them. I’m looking forward to getting more of that Sloppy Joe mix. For vegan chili it’s pretty great.

Have you tried any of Sprague’s Plant-Based Chili lineup? What should I review next? Let me know in the comments below.