Grocery stores carry an array of great-tasting âaccidentally veganâ food, including some items that you might not know are animal-free. âAccidentally veganâ foods werenât created for vegans but just happen to be free of cruelly derived ingredientsâmeaning thereâs no meat, eggs, dairy (i.e., the mammary secretions from cows or other animals), honey, or anything else that was stolen from an animal.
Please note that this list of âaccidentally veganâ products isnât comprehensiveâand it only applies to U.S.-based products, as ingredients can vary by region. Companies frequently change their formulations, so be sure to read labels prior to purchasing.
- Bisquick
- Campbellâs Mushroom Gravy
- Capân Crunch
- Chex Mix
- Cracker Jack
- Doritos Spicy Sweet Chili Tortilla Chips
- Dum-Dums
- Fritos
- Fruit by the Foot
- Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa
- Hersheyâs Chocolate Syrup
- Layâs Barbecue Flavored Chips
- Lotus Biscoff Cookies
- Marie Callenderâs Pies (Apple Crumb Cobbler, Blueberry, Cherry Crunch, Dutch Apple, Lattice Apple, Lattice Cherry, Lattice Peach, Peach Cobbler, Razzleberry Fruit, and Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel)
- Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
- Smuckerâs Uncrustables
- Thomasâ Bagels
How Do I Find âAccidentally Veganâ Foods?
If you think a product might be âaccidentally vegan,â just look at the ingredients list. Keep an eye out for meat extracts, eggs, milk, or honeyâcows, chickens, bees, and other animals are exploited and killed to produce these ingredients, so youâll want to steer clear of them. Hereâs a brief list of ingredients to flag for easier label scanning.
- Milk, casein, lactose, and whey: A mother cowâs milk is meant for her babies, but the dairy industry steals it to make these items.
- Eggs: Chickens are inquisitive individuals who love to stretch their wings in the sun.
- Honey and beeswax: Bees are smart, social animals who work hard to produce honey and beeswax in order to feed and support their hives.
- Lard: Pigs are playful and friendly, and they donât want to die so you can eat foods that contain fat from their bodies.
- Gelatin: Skin, tendons, bones, and other body parts from cows and pigs are used to create gelatin.
- Confectionerâs glaze/shellac: This is made from the bodies of crushed-up female lac insects.
- Vitamin D3: Some products may use a vegan version of this vitamin, but many times itâs extracted from sheepâs wool or fish oils.
- Carmine: This red food coloring is extracted from crushed-up female cochineal insects. It may also be called ânatural red 4.â
If youâre not sure how a certain ingredient is obtained, reach out to the company to confirm.
What About the âMay Containâ Warning?
The âmay containâ statement at the end of a productâs ingredients list is simply a notice that the item may have been exposed to an allergen during its production. The statementâs main purpose is to help consumers with severe allergies avoid a potentially life-threatening exposureâbut it doesnât mean that eggs, milk, or any other animal-derived ingredients are actually present.
While PETA supports being vegan, we put the task of vigorously reducing animal suffering ahead of personal purity. Shunning products that are 99% or more vegan but may contain trace amounts of animal-derived ingredients sends the message to manufacturers that thereâs no market for these foodsâand that ends up hurting more animals. For a more detailed explanation of PETAâs position, please click here.
If youâre not vegan yet, we have just the thing for you: our free vegan starter kit, with tips and information about going vegan. For animals, the environment, and your health, order one today: