snack foods vegan

Snack Attack: 8 Foods That Are Actually Vegan

Think going vegan means committing yourself to a life of fruits and vegetables, with a few beans thrown in for protein? That couldn’t be further from the truth. While going vegan does require some sacrifice, there are still plenty of delicious foods to enjoy, including some everyday snacks that you might not have known are vegan. Find out what they are below:


1.

Oreos

oreos vegan snack foods
Source: Unsplash

Oreo cookies do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, so they’re safe for vegans. However, by the company’s own admission, the cookies are made in a factory where products with milk are made, so there may be some traces of milk. They’re generally considered to be a “gateway vegan” food, but you need to decide if the possible contamination makes Oreos worth it for you! 


2.

Lindt Cocoa Bars in 70%, 85% and 90% 

lindt vegan snack foods
Source: Unsplash

This may sound obvious, but the percentages in these bars refer to their cocoa content – the higher the cocoa content, the higher the likelihood that it is vegan. This is because the chocolate with high cocoa content will typically contain just a bit of sugar to add some sweetness. 

However, again, some of them could accidentally contain milk due to cross-contamination, so keep this in mind. 


3.

Peanut Butter

peanut butter vegan snack foods
Source: Unsplash

Most peanut butter is actually vegan, as it is usually a simple mixture of ground peanuts and salt, or with added oil and sugar. Sometimes, peanut butter will contain ingredients like honey, which is not vegan, and refined cane sugar, which is sometimes filtered and bleached using bone char, ground animal bone. Check out the ingredient list to be sure!

4.

Marmite

marmite vegan snack foods
Source: Unsplash

Love it or hate it, Marmite is suitable for vegans (except for the 70g jar, which the company says is currently vegetarian but will be seeking vegan approval from the European Vegetarian Union) and is actually a great source of Vitamin B12. Its main ingredient is yeast, which is vegan because while it is technically “alive,” it is neither an animal nor a plant. 


5.

Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars

nature valley
Source: @naturevalley_hk on Instagram

Nature Valley’s Apple Crisp, Cinnamon, Maple Brown Sugar, Peanut Butter, Pecan Crunch and Roasted Almond flavours are all vegan, since their ingredients are things like oats, nuts, fruits, peanuts, etc. The non-vegan flavours contain milk and refined sugar.


6.

Ritz Crackers

ritz crackers vegan snack foods
Source: @ritzcrackers on Instagram

The original Ritz Crackers are vegan, even though they have a cheese flavouring – to make it, they incorporate a natural flavouring in their recipe that makes the cracker taste like cheese without containing any dairy. They contain no animal ingredients, just vegetable oil, along with nutritional yeast, sea salt, baking powder and melted butter. 

However, if you want a specific flavour from Ritz, make sure to double check the ingredient list to make sure they don’t contain animal byproducts. 


7.

Skittles

skittles
Source: Unsplash

While Skittles originally contained gelatin, a protein obtained by boiling skin, tendons, ligaments and/or bones with water (graphic, we know), it’s been phased out and replaced with plant-based ingredients to make Skittles suitable for vegans.


8.

Lay’s Classic Potato Chips

lays vegan snack foods
Source: @lays on Instagram

You can’t go wrong with a bag of Lays. Suitable for vegans, the only ingredients in Lay’s original potato chips are potatoes, vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, and/or canola) and salt. 

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See also: 8 Delicious Recipes You Can Make With Leftover Pumpkin