Pistons' Cade Cunningham reveals his go-to snack on vegan diet

Cade Cunningham has been navigating a vegan diet has come in tandem with his basketball career. It's why the Detroit Pistons' superstar guard has partnered with Daiya Foods, a company that specializes in plant-based and dairy-free food products. Cunningham paid a visit to the Kroger Marketplace in S

Basketball Zone

SEE ALL

SB Nation

Can Austin Reaves be who the Lakers think he is?

Rookie Wire

Where do Charlotte Hornets players rank among top-100 in the NBA?

Arizona Republic

Retired? 'All news' to Lonzo Ball, responds on social media to reports

What is the story about?

Cade Cunningham has been navigating a vegan diet has come in tandem with his basketball career.

It's why the Detroit Pistons' superstar guard has partnered with Daiya Foods, a company that specializes in plant-based and dairy-free food products. Cunningham paid a visit to the Kroger Marketplace in Sterling Heights on Thursday, Sept. 17, to advertise the company's new Cheesecake Bites, which are frozen treats featuring a dairy-less cheesecake center wrapped in chocolate.

Cunningham acknowledges he isn't a big dessert eater as a professional athlete – his go-to snack is roasted pumpkin seeds. But the cheesecake bites, at 100 calories a serving, fit his dietary needs.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham dribbles against Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner during the first half of Game 2 of the first round of the NBA playoffs at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on April 22, 2026.

"It’s

great," Cunningham said last Thursday. "A dairy-free dessert, I think that’s a really cool thing. It’s not a lot of good ones and it’s one that I really enjoy, these cheesecake bites. The company in general, I think they make a great product and I’m excited about it."

Now entering Year 6 of his NBA career, Cunningham has ascended to the game's elite tier. He earned All-NBA first team honors last season, becoming the first Pistons player to do so since Grant Hill in 1997, after averaging 23.9 points, 9.9 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game. Cunningham led the franchise to its third-ever 60-win season and to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

He has added muscle and weight to his frame without eating meat, which he credits to a high-calorie diet and the help of the Pistons' performance dietitian, Taylor Call, and his personal chef.

"At the end of the day it’s about doing whatever is best for my body, listening to my body," Cunningham said. "That’s been the main thing. I do bloodwork every year to figure out where my different levels are at vitamins-wise, just to see where everything is at. The main thing is trying to find ways to keep all of that at peak levels so that I can perform the best I can. The Pistons have a great team that help me do all that stuff."

[ MUST WATCH: Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]