Introducing Elizabeth’s Picks

How the PLANTVERSE™ Product Evaluation Program Works

The plant-based marketplace is growing quickly—but more choice does not always make choosing easier.

A product can be vegan, beautifully packaged and supported by a compelling marketing story, yet still fall short when it comes to taste, nutrition or simply doing what consumers expect it to do.

That is why I created Elizabeth’s Picks, a PLANTVERSE™ product evaluation program designed to help consumers discover plant-based and vegan products that are genuinely worth considering.

My goal is straightforward: help people make better purchasing decisions before they buy.

What Is Elizabeth’s Picks?

Elizabeth’s Picks is an independent product evaluation program built around three core criteria:

TASTE · NUTRITION · FUNCTION

Each product is considered within the context of its category. A snack should not be evaluated like a protein supplement, and a functional beverage should not be judged by the same standards as a frozen entrée.

The question is not simply, “Is this product plant-based?”

The better questions are: Does it taste good? Does the nutritional profile make sense for what it is? And does the product deliver on its intended purpose?

How the Evaluation Works

Taste considers the overall eating or drinking experience—including flavor, texture, aroma, balance and whether I would genuinely want to purchase and consume the product again.

Nutrition looks beyond front-of-package claims to consider the nutritional profile within the product’s category, including ingredients, protein, fiber, sugar, sodium, fats and other relevant nutritional attributes.

Function evaluates whether the product successfully delivers the benefit or consumer need it is designed to address. That could mean convenience, satiety, energy, protein, hydration, digestive support, meal replacement or another clearly defined purpose.

The strongest products bring all three together.

What Does “Elizabeth Approved” Mean?

Products that distinguish themselves through the evaluation may receive the Elizabeth Approved seal.

The seal is not intended to suggest that every approved product is nutritionally identical—or that there is one perfect way to eat. Instead, it identifies products that I believe perform particularly well within their respective category and intended use.

My objective is to provide context, not simply a score.

When a product is featured, I want consumers to understand what it does well, who it may be right for and why it earned recognition.

Why I Created It

I have spent my career evaluating products—from consumer packaged goods and professional food buying to plant-based nutrition and emerging food innovation.

Over time, one issue became increasingly clear: consumers are being asked to sort through an enormous number of products, claims, certifications, ingredients and marketing messages on their own.

For people trying to eat more plant-based foods, improve their nutrition or find products that support a particular goal, a disappointing purchase can mean more than wasted money. It can make a new habit harder to maintain.

Elizabeth’s Picks is designed to make that process easier.

What Comes Next

I’ll be reviewing products across food, beverage, wellness and other relevant plant-based categories and publishing evaluations through PLANTVERSE™.

Some will earn the Elizabeth Approved designation. Others may be worth discussing for a particular innovation, formulation or consumer need. The goal is not to feature everything—it is to identify products that deserve attention and explain why.

For brands, it is an opportunity to put products forward for thoughtful evaluation.

For consumers, it is a growing resource for finding products with a stronger combination of taste, nutrition and function.

And for me, it is a natural extension of what I have spent years doing: finding better products and helping other people discover them.

Welcome to Elizabeth’s Picks.

Explore the program and submit a product for consideration at Elizabeth’s Picks | PLANTVERSE™