So you’ve made the important first step. You’ve decided, whether for health reasons or environmental ones (or both!), to incorporate tofu into your diet. But now what? Maybe you’re in the produce section at your favourite grocery store, staring at all the different varieties of tofu; extra firm, firm, medium firm, … and your head is spinning - which one should you choose? Or perhaps you’re staring into the fridge, and staring right back at you is that block of tofu that you bought last week… and you don’t have a clue what to do with it. Feeling lost?  With this colour coded Sunrise guide, you’ll be a tofu guru in no time.
 

The Green and Purple Packs – The Big Firm 

 
Sunrise Extra Firm (green pack) and Firm (purple pack) tofu are the firmest and meatiest of the bunch. They will hold their own; it will take some serious manhandling for them to lose their shape. As such, they work great sliced, diced and cubed, whether in a Thai or Indian curry, on the BBQ grill brushed with your favourite sauce, in a salad and let’s not forget  tofu’s dear old friend, the stirfry. These stronger varieties will also fall apart at your command. Many people don’t realize that they are terrific crumbled; just use your hands. This makes the tofu similar to the consistency of ground meat; ready to be added to lasagna, chili, spaghetti sauce, tacos, burgers, lettuce wraps… just think of any recipe where you would normally put ground meat and substitute away.
 

The Red Pack -  The In Between

Sunrise Medium Firm Tofu (red pack) is in between the firm and soft varieties. It will hold up fairly well when handled lightly, but has a softer, smoother texture. You can cube it up and add it to soups and stirfries – you just have to be gentle when stirring. You can also mess with it and get some tasty results. Try mashing it up and adding it to casseroles and lasagnas. Mashed medium firm tofu, when mixed with a dash of turmeric, masquerades very nicely as scrambled eggs. Medium firm can also be blended or pureed and added to dips, dressings, sauces, creamy soups… even cheesecake!
 

The Blue Pack – The Soft Touch

Sunrise Soft Tofu, in the blue pack, is the most delicate tofu with a soft and silky texture. This makes it the perfect tofu for blending and whisking. Add it to soups, sauces, dips, shakes and dressings, making a deceptively creamy alternative; deceptive in that you have added virtually no fat to a recipe that is usually laden with it. Soft tofu also works well in baking – use it to replace buttermilk, yogurt… even eggs!
 

The kaleidoscope – The Sweet Tooth Saviours

Our tofu dessert comes in a kaleidoscope of colours, corresponding to the various mouthwatering flavours – banana, coconut, peach mango, ginger and of course original. Low in fat and a source of calcium, they are a great way to satisfy that sweet tooth, sans guilt! They are tasty eaten on their own out of the package; refreshing with a soft texture. They are also a terrific addition to smoothies; try replacing yogurt with your favourite flavour of tofu dessert – you may never go back! You can also use dessert tofu in baking up your favourite goodies, as a replacement for eggs and oil, slashing the cholesterol and fat… yes, even chocolate cake  can be healthier!
 

If you still need some guidance, or want more ideas, be sure to browse our tofu recipe section. You can search by product if there is a particular variety of tofu that has you stumped.
 

This list of tofu applications is by no means exhaustive. We would love to hear how you use the different types of tofu in your meals and snacks …throw in your 2 cents.