Whether you’ve extended your Veganuary, you’re a plant-based warrior, or you’re just plain interested in exploring healthy food options – you may be surprised to know that many of your favourite snacks may be completely vegan without you knowing it.
A stereotype that vegans only eat salad comes from the serious restrictions of this particular diet, where you don’t eat anything at all that derives from animals. This includes meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and even honey.
But while these ‘rules’ may lead you to question what you actually can eat as a vegan – apart from fruit and vegetables – there is a whole plethora of ‘accidentally’ vegan treats and savoury snacks that you probably eat all the time, even if you don’t follow the diet.
These foods just so happened to be plant-based, without being specifically marketed towards a vegan audience. Here are ten snacks you probably didn’t realise were vegan – see if any of your favourites make an appearance on this list.
1. Oreos
While advertisements and marketing for Oreos always involves dunking them into a glass of milk, they don’t contain any dairy themselves.
And although most vegans are aware of this plant-based triumph, not all Oreo lovers will know that these chocolatey biscuits are 100 per cent vegan. Next time you twist and lick an Oreo, try dunking it in a glass of non-dairy milk for a completely animal-free sweet treat.
2. Bourbon biscuits
Despite their chocolatey cream centre, Bourbon biscuits are totally vegan, and most UK supermarkets do a cheap own-brand version of the treat. You can be comfortable in the knowledge that a good old cuppa and biscuit won’t be ruined for you if you decide to venture into a plant-based diet – but you’ll just need to be careful about what milk you use.
3. Love Hearts
Valentine’s Day may have been and gone, but these sweeties are loved year-round by everyone with a sweet tooth – vegan or not. Many sweeties contain gelatine, which is derived from animals, but Love Hearts are safe for vegans to consume as they please.
4. Skittles
This chewy sweet is a staple in the UK, and you probably didn’t know that they used to contain an ingredient made from insects. Cochineal extract is a red dye that comes from the dried bodies of female cochineal insects, and was used to make red skittles. However, the makers have (thankfully) stopped using the ingredient in the sweets, making them 100 per cent plant-based.
5. Biscoff biscuits
The third biscuit on our list, you may not be aware that Lotus Biscoff biscuits are fully plant-based. Biscoff spread is also vegan, and you might notice that the plant-based option in ice cream or milkshake shops is almost always Biscoff flavoured.
But who can complain? There’s a reason it’s so widely loved by vegans – it’s delicious.
6. Kettle chips
If you’re a vegan buying crisps, it’s best to check the ingredients, as many crisps contain milk powder. But Sea Salt, Sea Salt and Balsamic Vinegar and Cracked Pepper Kettle chips are all safe for plant-based people to eat.
7. Doritos
Chilli Heatwave and Lightly Salted Doritos are both vegan. But watch out for Tangy Cheese and Cool Original flavours of the tortilla chips, as these both contain non-vegan ingredients.
8. Walkers crisps
A timeless element of a Brit’s packed lunch, there are a few flavours of Walkers that are completely animal-free.
These include Ready Salted, Salt and Vinegar, Pickled Onion, Prawn Cocktail, Worcester Sauce, Crinkles Simply Sea Salted, Chipsticks Salt ‘n’ Vinegar Flavour, Sensations Lime & Coriander Chutney Poppadoms, Sensations Balsamic Vinegar & Caramelised Onion, Sunbites Sweet Chilli, Sunbites Original, Sausage and Brown Sauce.
It’s safe to say your lunch box is safe if you decide to switch to a vegan diet.
9. Co-op doughnuts
While most bakery products contain egg or milk, one supermarket is looking out for vegans with their own-brand bakery doughnuts, baked in-store. Co-op’s jam doughnuts and custard doughnuts are both plant-based, should you find yourself craving baked goods when trying out veganism.
10. Mr Kipling
Mr Kipling hasn’t abandoned their vegan customers either. Their Treacle Tart and their Apple and Blackcurrant Pies are all completely vegan, which you might not have realised.
Next time you chomp into a warm Mr Kipling apple pie, you don’t have to feel guilty for treating yourself. Instead, think of the animals you’re saving by consuming a completely plant-based product.