Product review: Backwerk Vegan Sandwich

It's Germany.

If you're a vegan and you need food from a chain store that's not a grocery store, what are you going to eat?

That's a question I asked myself last month, as I reverted to be vegan for a new year's reboot. It's hard enough to find vegan food in the US; once I was reduced to ordering a bowl of oatmeal and some French fries from a diner. In Germany, it's even harder because this is the land of meat n' potatoes or salads drenched in yogurt dressing.

Backwerk, a chain of bakeries, offered a pleasant surprise with their new vegan menu. One can choose among wraps, bagels, and sandwiches filled vegetables, falafel, avacados, and/or tofu. Vegan yogurt topped with fruit is also available.

I bought the "Frische Schnitte Vollkorn Vegan" sandwich, which was on whole-grain bread with a vegan spread which seemed somewhere between a butter and a fake cream cheese, with tomatoes, rocket lettuce, and cucumbers inside. I enjoyed the nutty, thick bread and found it quite filling, though not calorie dense - a win! I think it could have used some more vegetables inside but it hit the spot and cost less than 3 euros. For vegans who need something on the go, Backwerk's offerings can help one avoid a sad and unhealthful lunch of pommes frites.