Accidentally Vegan Foods You Didn’t Know About
Most of the people consider that becoming a vegan is extremely tough. They think so because the foods veganism doesn’t accept concern them the most. Whereas, a vegan diet offers you plenty of food items, just according to your taste. From breakfast to a late-night craving, everything is so easily available or simple to prepare.
And many of the most popular food chains like Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Jack in the Box and many others have come up with their vegan menu option where you can find all the right food items to quench your cravings.
Changing your diet into a vegan one has been made easier than ever. With the abundance of informative vegan food blogs on the internet and great books on veganism along with this being vegan guide, anyone can now get a proper guide to prepare delicious plant-based foods and eventually enter into a vegan lifestyle.
But, here’s a thing. Although vegan snacks are very simple to make, and for a quick snack, you can go for your favorite fruits and nuts, many of the packaged snacks are still not welcomed by vegans. It happens mainly because famous snacks and crisps, breakfast cereals, and eventually popular biscuits and cookies, which are loved by people across ages, are not promoted to be vegan products. But, most of them are vegan based on their ingredient list.
Today, we bring forth to you a list of 35 vegan foods, from cereals, food spreads to snacks, which you didn’t know about earlier.
Snacks that are Surprisingly Vegan
Did you know that Oreos, Marmite, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, and even some Doritos’ flavors are actually vegan? These popular unexpected vegan foods open a great source of snacks, which can be enjoyed anytime right from the package, which is very surprising for vegans. But the ingredients which are used to make these 35 foods you are going to know about are not animal-derived. So, they are completely free from any animal product.
This is absolutely good news for people trying to be vegan and somewhat having a dilemma of leaving behind their favorite snacks. However, the ingredient list of these vegan foods may include some controversial items among many vegans, like refined sugar.
So, everyone needs to go through the ingredient list to be fully satisfied with the food items. So, here’s the list of 35 foods you didn’t know were vegan.
1. Doritos
If you are a big fan of Doritos, you will be pleased to know that some flavors of Doritos are completely vegan. You can exactly check which of the Dorito flavors are vegan along with their ingredients with us.
Doritos is an American brand that manufactures delicious tortilla chips. There are 21 flavors of Doritos available in the market, and 3 of them are actually vegan. The 3 vegan flavors of Doritos are –
- Toasted Corn Tortilla Chips
- Spicy Sweet Chili
- Blaze
These 3 flavors do not include any animal by-product, and the flavoring in them is also free from non-vegan ingredients.
So, they are absolutely vegan-friendly. Otherwise, other flavors contain chicken or milk-based ingredients. Some Doritos flavors also contain pork that you can find out with us.
But you need to keep in mind that all of the flavors of Doritos are manufactured in the same line, so there remains a chance of cross-contamination.
2. Marmite
In the list of surprising vegan foods, Marmite comes next. Marmite is a popular food spread that is manufactured by Unilever.
Marmite is invented by Justus von Liebig, who was a German scientist. This food spread is made of yeast (learn how Yeast is vegan with us) extract, so it is a vegan-friendly option.
Also, Marmite is a healthy food paste as it is actually a phenomenal source of B vitamins, which includes the essential vitamin B12 also so here, you can get vitamin B12 with supplements on your vegan diet.
Marmite is a completely vegan food spread used to add a salty flavor to a particular food. It is dark brown and has a sticky consistency, which is typical of a food paste. This flavoring agent is also rich in umami, which means savoriness.
3. Jell-O Instant Pudding Mix
All love Jell-O Instant Pudding Mix because of its great taste and versatile nature, which means that you can enjoy it from the packaging as a sweet and delicious treat, or you can add this in your dessert recipes as an ingredient. You can use it as a pie filling also.
This product offers a great range of flavors, and most of them are vegan. Chocolate, Banana Cream, Pistachio, Vanilla, and Lemon – are the most popular flavors, and they are totally vegan-friendly.
Jell-O Instant Pudding Mix offers you to have a sweet indulgence that will not spoil your health. It is made without any artificial sweeteners and also does not include a high level of fructose. You must be fond of Bisquick mixes too. So, learn whether Bisquick is vegan in our vegan FAQs section.
4. Duncan Hines Cake Mixes
Duncan Hines Cake Mixes is a very popular cake mix that allows you to make very delicious and fluffy cakes within minutes.
The vegan flavors are –
Moist Deluxe Butter Golden, Classic Yellow, Devil’s Food, Classic Carrot, Fudge Marble, Dark Chocolate Fudge, Swiss Chocolate, Red Velvet, Coconut Supreme, German Chocolate (you can prepare German Chocolate Cake using this Chocolate), Strawberry Supreme, Pineapple Supreme, Lemon Supreme
All these flavors of Duncan Hines Cake Mixes are vegan-friendly because they are free from any dairy products and eggs. So, go ahead and grab your favorite flavor without worrying about whether it is vegan or not.
5. Oreos
If you are searching for vegan-friendly foods, you can eat as a snack then grab a packet of Oreos. Oreos are actually vegan; they are made with no animal products. There lies a great confusion about these chocolate cookies. Many people think that it has dairy products in it. But they are actually free from dairy and animal-derived ingredients.
Non-vegan ingredients are not used in the making of Oreos. However, there is a high risk of contamination as a tiny amount of milk may enter into vegan Oreos and make them non-vegan friendly.
Oreos’ manufacturing process includes the same equipment, which is used to make some dairy-related products, so they can have small traces of milk.
6. Smucker’s Marshmallow Ice Cream Topping
Smucker’s Marshmallow Ice Cream Topping is very sweet and has a creamy texture that melts in your mouth like a dream. It is compatible with any ice cream flavor, so you don’t need to select anything specific for it.
Smucker’s Marshmallow Ice Cream Topping is a great treat for both adults and kids. Marshmallow is usually made from gelatin, which is an animal-derived ingredient created from cow hooves so, many vegans replace marshmallows with homemade macarons.
But the Smucker’s company has come up with a gelatin-free version now, which is completely suitable for vegans. Also, it has a little amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in it, so obviously, it will not be a bad choice for fitness enthusiasts.
7. Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate has proved to be one of the stress relievers, which can uplift your mood anytime. You will be amazed to know that the famous Hershey’s chocolate syrup is actually vegan.
Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup includes dairy-free ingredients. It mainly has corn syrup as a key ingredient. It contains a less amount of artificial preservatives and flavors, as stated by the company. Also, Hershey’s makes many gluten-free products, and the chocolate syrup is one of them.
So do not restrain yourself any further and mix this syrup with a glass of almond or soy milk to have a filling breakfast.
8. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
No family holiday menu is complete without a Pillsbury Crescent Roll. They are very delicious and easy to bake. These are the known facts about this product. What you probably don’t know about is they are vegan.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls are a quick fix for your sudden cravings. It is a very tasty and simple food for vegans as it is totally dairy-free. But, because many vegans do not consider palm oil as a vegan ingredient, you should be aware of the fact that Pillsbury Crescent Rolls are made from hydrogenated palm oil, which acts as a substitute for butter.
9. Ritz Crackers
Despite having a buttery flavor, Ritz Crackers are actually vegan. They are very popular and widely available in the market also.
Ritz Crackers can serve as a great appetizer in parties or gatherings. It can be enjoyed with a tasty dip. You can also eat them with your soups like the French Onion Soup.
Ritz Crackers are free from any animal-derived ingredient and dairy. So, vegans can enjoy it without any hesitation.
10. Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Frosting
This yummy Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Frosting is perfectly compatible with store-bought cakes and homemade cakes like the Angel Food Cake. This frosting adds a great flavor to the birthday cake you are planning to bake for your little one.
It is very simple to find frosting, which is available in any grocery store. It is not only dairy-free, but it is gluten-free also. So, if you or any of your family members have a gluten allergy, they can enjoy this frosting freely as it is not going to cause any trouble to them.
According to the Duncan Hines website, this company offers 11 different frosting varieties, which are undoubtedly vegan.
11. Taco Bell’s Bean Burrito
Taco Bell’s Bean Burrito falls under the unexpected vegan foods category. They are very popular because of their delicious taste. And, now you also know that they are vegan.
For a quick snack or a great meal, you can have it anytime, as Burritos are very versatile. All you have to do is to order one without the cheese part. Also, there are plenty of food options in Taco Bell, which can be made vegans, such as the black bean Quesarito, the black bean crunch wraps supreme, and the 7-layer burrito. You need to order them fresco style to have a vegan version of them.
12. Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists
Unlike the Taco Bell 7-layer Burrito or the Black Bean Quesarito, which you have to order in the fresco style to get all the dairy and animal products removed, Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists are fully vegan. This needs no additional directions to make it vegan-friendly as none of this food’s ingredients have an animal origin.
Taco Bell’s Cinnamon Twists can be eaten as it is. It is certified by PETA to be a vegan-friendly food. So beat your craving and enjoy this flavorful snack.
13. Cadbury Bournville Dark Chocolate
Cadbury is one of the brands which is respected by people throughout many generations. You have probably heard your grandma talking about its classic milk chocolate and that same richness of taste is present till now.
Though Cadbury’s milk chocolate does not have any vegan version of it, Cadbury Bournville Dark Chocolate is vegan-friendly chocolate. The vegan recipe of Bournville is milk-free.
Apart from the Bournville Dark Chocolate, Cadbury does not include many other vegan chocolates. However, this year, they have announced that their most popular milk chocolate will have a vegan version.
So, it is going to be an absolute delight if this milk chocolate filled with age-old goodness comes with a vegan version. Till then, you can prepare your vegan milk chocolate at home.
14. Popcorn
This is not as shocking as other food items on this list. From the very beginning, popcorn has been one of the vegan-friendly foods. But, because many brands are now manufacturing popcorns containing different flavors, some are not vegan. Like the cheese or butter-flavored popcorn contain animal-derived ingredients.
So, choose popcorn, which has no added flavors. Also, they are very easy to make. It is a corn kernel that pops when we add heat to the kernel. If you are making them at home for a movie night or binge-watching any show on Netflix, use any vegetable oil in the place of butter. You can check out several vegan popcorn brands that offer numerous vegan flavors.
15. Nairn’s Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits
Nairn’s Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits are filled with the goodness of oats. It offers you only natural flavor. Also, it has a smaller number of calories, so it is of course, a healthy indulgence.
Nairn’s Dark Chocolate Chip Oat Biscuits are totally vegan. Also, it includes no artificial flavors or colors. It is going to be a great companion with any plant-based breakfast.
Or you can have it whenever that little hunger starts to creep in. If you miss the Nutter Butter cookies then check our post one ‘Are Nutter Butter’s vegan’ and then think of consuming it.
16. McVitie’s Hobnobs Choc Chip
McVitie’s Hobnobs Choc Chip is one of the vegan snacks. It is made of wholemeal and oat. The manufacturing process of this snack does not include any hydrogenated vegetable oil. It is also free from artificial flavors or colors.
Most of the biscuit brands owned by supermarkets manufacture vegan biscuits, but in most cases, the flavored chocolate ones are not vegan-friendly. But that’s not the case with Hobnobs Choco Chip.
These biscuits are also packed with numerous choco chips to ensure that you do not have any bite without the amazing chocolate flavor.
17. Mr Kipling Apple & Blackcurrant Pies
Mr Kipling is a trustworthy vegan dessert brand that makes delicious pies, fruit pies, and other items like jam tarts, which are completely free from animal-derived ingredients. Their cakes have a great place in the heart of their customers for over 50 years now.
You can either heat the Mr Kipling Apple & Blackcurrant Pies or eat them cold. These classic cakes offer only goodness and no harmful artificial flavors or colors. These pies are a great option if you are looking for tasty desserts.
18. Bourbon Biscuits
If there is any biscuit that can be enjoyed by each member of the family, it is, undoubtedly, a pack of Bourbon biscuits. In the list of accidentally vegan foods, we have seen most of the food items are not promoted to be vegan directly.
That’s why the public doesn’t know that some products of these popular brands are certainly vegan-friendly. Bourbon Biscuits are one of them.
Most of the time, Bourbon Biscuits are vegan. But there is a similar product called ‘Bourbon Creams’, which is one of Tesco’s versions. This would be a safer option for vegans.
19. Rich Tea Biscuits
As the name suggests, Rich Tea Biscuits goes the best with a cup of tea or coffee. But they can also be eaten like a light snack in between heavy and proper meals.
Rich Tea Biscuits are essentially made from wheat flour, malt extract, sugar, and vegetable oil, and none of them are animal-derived. So, vegans welcome your new tea-buddy, and have wonderful tea time.
20. Fox’s Party Rings
If you have a kid, you know very well about this product. Fox’s Party Rings are immensely popular among little ones. They are icing, very sweet flat cookies that resemble the shape of a ring.
Fox’s Party Rings are a vegan-friendly candy. It offers many colorful rings that have the same flavors. But the brand states that there may be chances of cross-contamination. There are also some vegan gummy brands you can try out other than the Fox’s party rings.
21. Walkers Crisps
Walkers is a British company that makes many tasty snacks. It is based mainly in Ireland and the UK. Their potato crisps are one of their best-selling products.
Walkers Crisps come in various flavors. Some of them are vegan-friendly. The vegan flavors of Walkers Crisps are listed below –
Ready Salted, Worcester Sauce, Salt and Vinegar, Prawn Cocktail, Sunbites Sweet Chilli, Chipsticks Salt ‘n’ Vinegar Flavour, Sausage and Brown Sauce, Crinkles Simply Sea Salted, Sensations Balsamic Vinegar & Caramelized Onion, Sunbites Original, Sensations Lime & Coriander Chutney Poppadoms
All these flavors are suitable for vegans.
22. Pringles
These yummy potato chips come in a varied range of flavors. It has actually occupied the fourth position to be the most popular snack item.
Most of the flavors of Pringles, which are found in the UK, are suitable for vegans. But because Pringles is not a 100% vegan brand, their other flavors contain animal products. Like, the Salt and Vinegar flavored variety has lactose in it, which is a milk-derived ingredient.
It is very surprising to notice that the bacon flavored Pringles are vegan-friendly, but the salt and vinegar flavored one includes animal products.
Check the detailed description on how Pringles are vegan in our FAQs section.
Similarly, Pringles Cheese and Onion and Pringles Prawn Cocktail Flavor are not vegan-friendly. The vegan flavors are –
- Pringles Texas BBQ Sauce
- Pringles Paprika
- Pringles Original
- Pringles Smokey Bacon Flavour
- Pringles Sweet Chilli
23. Kettle Chips
Kettle Chips are manufactured by an international company called Kettle Foods, which also creates Nut Butters and tortilla chips along with potato chips. In the US, it has become the largest potato chips making brand.
Kettle markets their company stating their products being all-natural. Their crunchy kettle chips offer a great range of flavors, and some of them are vegan-friendly. These are –
- Sweet Chili Salsa Tortilla Chips
- Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar
- Lightly Salted
- Sea Salt & Crushed Black Peppercorns
- Sea Salt Tortilla Chips
Among the many flavors kettle chips come in, these are the only suitable ones for every vegan out there.
24. Cereals
Because of the high sugar content, many people are now excluding breakfast cereals from their everyday diet. But the predominant perception of breakfast cereals being vegan is not always correct.
Most cereals contain lanolin and honey, which make them non-vegan food items. Some cereals are vegan-friendly(check vegan cereals brands), such as Kellogg’s Special K and All-Bran, Nestle’s Shredded Wheat, Jordan’s Country Crisps, Quaker Oats (original) are vegan.
Learn about what cereals are vegan and which are not with this article one what cereals are vegan.
25. Peanut Butter
According to PETA, Peanut Butter is totally suitable for vegans. They essentially contain ground peanuts and salt only. Some brands use added sugar and oil to enhance the taste.
Finding a non-vegan peanut butter is going to be very rare. Only some brands use honey as a flavoring. So, as always, vegans should check the ingredient list thoroughly. You can check out whether Jif Peanut Butter is vegan or not with us.
26. Baked Beans
If you are looking for a good source of protein, choose baked beans. They are naturally vegan and offer a great amount of plant-based protein to your vegan diet.
You can simply add baked beans to your regular diet to ensure that your body gets the essential protein. It is also good for people who are involved in some muscle building or mass gaining exercise.
27. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is found in most of the households in the world; it is that common. It is made from maple trees, so it is a vegan product. Check a detailed explanation on why maple syrup is vegan in our vegan FAQs section.
The only thing people need to keep in mind is that some non-vegan ingredients may be used to make this syrup. Some brands manufacture maple syrups containing some added flavors like honey or even butter.
So apart from that, people should not hesitate to buy a maple syrup without any added flavor and use it as a substitute for sugar.
28. Tomato Ketchup
Tomato ketchup is one of the surprising vegan foods. Many different brands follow different recipes to make tomato ketchup, but the good news is, many modern ways, as well as the traditional way of making tomato sauce, do not include any non-vegan ingredient.
Heinz, the most popular brand in the UK, declares that their tomato ketchup is vegan-friendly. Unlike their other products, Heinz Tomato Ketchup does not contain some non-vegan elements. Check this detailed guide on how is ketchup vegan with us.
29. Jus-Rol Pastry (Some Varieties)
Though not all the Jus-Rol pastries are not vegan-friendly, some of them actually are. Because the key ingredients which are used in the making of these pastries are flour, yeast, different types of flavorings, and vegetable oil, it is obvious that the flavorings majorly include the non-vegan elements. Otherwise, the rest of the key ingredients are not animal-derived.
However, some of the Jus-Rol pastries, such as vol-au-vents, puff pastry (Learn how to prepare puff pastry with us), and shortcrust pastry, are free from animal products. Though the traditional way of preparing pastries invites butter, this company went for butter substitutes, and their vegan desserts are very successful and popular among the masses.
30. Tesco Bacon Rashers Snacks
Baked snacks are always healthier than fried ones. Tesco offers these baked snacks which have a bacon flavor. Though it has a bacon flavor, it is one of the vegan snacks as no animal product is used in the making of this food item.
Tesco is a very well-known brand, and its products have been consistently satisfying. These baked snacks are very crunchy and go very well with any type of dip. Consider Tesco Bacon Rashers Snacks to be the main snack in your next house party. You can also check if Hummus are vegan with us.
31. Hash Browns
Hash Browns are a common American breakfast item. They are vegan and do not have any animal-derived ingredients in them.
This crunchy potato snack is loved by people regardless of their diet background. Also, they are very easy and simple to prepare at home as the recipe is quite basic and does not include a lot of ingredients.
Some recipes require some types of spices or herbs to enhance the flavor. But these flavorings are totally optional.
32. Reggae Reggae Sauce
Reggae Reggae Sauce is a barbeque sauce, an essential item to bring with your barbeque party. It is a versatile product that can be used as an ingredient in many soups, stews, marinated tofu, and stir-fry. You can also make the use of this product by serving it as a dipping sauce.
The great news is, this well-known barbeque sauce by Levi Roots is surprisingly vegan. You can use this sauce with the tasty vegan barbeque and enjoy every bite of its heavenly taste.
Keep in mind that it is a spicy sauce, so do not overdo it. Otherwise, you can go for the mild version, which is less spicy than the original one.
33. Potato Waffles
Potato Waffles are a delightful savory dish that is perfect for vegans. Three simple ingredients can make a delicious potato waffle; these are the potato, seasoning, and oil. It is also a versatile food that can be fried, grilled, baked, or you can have it as a snack item or a side dish.
Certain types of potato waffles are not suitable for vegans. Because milk and eggs are widely used in the recipe of this snack. So, if you are at a restaurant, you need to make sure that your waffles plate does not have any animal products.
Waffle House is a very well-known chain of restaurants which offers vegan waffles. The frozen store-bought waffles can sometimes be non-vegan. So, as usual, check out the ingredient-list to ensure everything.
34. Soft Drinks
Sodas are vegan-friendly. And if you are wondering about Coca Cola, let me confirm that it is also suitable for vegans. You can check this guide on ‘which sodas are vegan’ to understand the best ones that you can have.
According to their statement, beverages that are made by Coca Cola are vegan. So that means you no longer have to deal with the confusion and be rest assured that your diet coke or the zero-sugar coke along with the classic one by Coca Cola are vegan drinks.
35. Skips
If you are wondering that there is no way that this prawn flavored snack could be vegan, you are wrong. Despite the strong flavor, skips are vegan.
Many added flavoring agents are used to give skips their mouth-watering flavor. But they are vegan-friendly. So, you can eat some if you are feeling low and want a blast of flavors in your mouth, or you can simply find an answer for your sudden cravings. You also might be fond of Takis, check whether Takis are vegan or not with us.
Conclusion
Based on the research, it is clearly stated that the brands which are very famous and sometimes even common in our kitchens do not market their products as vegan items. The reason behind this hypocrisy should be questioned.
Apart from that, getting to know about many vegan snacks that you can eat right from the packaging can surely make someone’s day. These plant-based snacks are healthier than non-vegan ones.
Still, they should be consumed in a measured way. Also, some of the brands do not use any artificial flavorings or colors in their products, so they will not cause any problem or allergic reaction to your body.
My life literally revolves around optimum health and sustainable living by being a devotional vegan. My mission is to create a community of like minded vegans to go forth in creating a better and brighter world for humans, animals and the planet. Just like Gandhi once said: “The greatness of a nation and it’s moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” – Gandhi
