Top 10 surprising vegan foods - Pure Free From (2024)

“It’s great for your health!”, “It helps to reduce your carbon footprint”, “Giving up dairy is good for your skin” – Sure, you’ve heard loads of reasons about why you should be cutting back on animal products and eating more vegan foods, but what happens if you just can’t bear to give up your favourite snacks?

Well, it might be easier than you think – there’s a whole heap of tasty treats and naturally vegan foods out there.

(Disclaimer: biscuits may have eaten for the purposes of this blog).

Crumpets

This might be an obvious one to some, but a quick poll with our vegan and dairy-free friends shows many mistakenly believe crumpets contained dairy. Wrong! We’re happy to report that most store brought crumpets are vegan-friendly, and they go just perfectly with a thick slather of Pure dairy-free spread.

Dark chocolate

Chocoholics assemble! Unlike milk and white chocolate which (unsurprisingly) contain milk, dark chocolate is made only with cocoa butter. It’s the ‘cocoa butter’ term which throws people off, but it actually comes from cocoa beans, meaning most dark chocolate is dairy-free and vegan. Try some in our indulgent Chocolate Biscuit Loaf or mouthwatering Chocolate Brownies.

Cream crackers

Don’t be fooled by the word ‘cream’ in the name. Instead of referring to cream in the ingredients, it’s actually the name of the method when the mixture is ‘creamed’ during the manufacturing process. Now, where did we put the chutney?

(Some) biscuits

There’s usually fierce debate over the nation’s favourite biscuit. Don’t feel left out, you can fight for your favourite too with many classics completely dairy-free and vegan friendly. Oreos, Chocolate Chip Hobnobs, party rings and chocolate bourbons are our favourites. Even the Lotus Biscoff – the thin caramel biscuit often served with coffee – is completely vegan. Grab a cuppa and get dunking!

(Some) crisps

Twiglets, Skips, Doritos, Pringles, Hula Hoops, McCoys – there’s lots of vegan-friendly potato snacks out there and some are even ‘meat’-flavoured. Amazing. Smokey bacon, prawn co*cktail, sizzling BBQ chicken and chargrilled steak are our go-tos when we’re making a crisp sandwich.

Ice Cream

Chunky Monkey, Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Cookie Dough – yes, we are reciting flavours of Ben & Jerry’s. But not just any flavours; these are all part of the brand’s non-diary range which is 100% certified vegan. Also check out Magnum, Cornetto, Booja Booja and Jude’s for vegan-friendly offerings.

Pasta

Although fresh pasta is made by mixing an egg with flour, most dried pasta is made with durum wheat and semolina, making it perfectly fine for vegans to eat. Just take care with the chilled varieties because they’ll probably contain egg.

Peanut butter

Crunchy, smooth, however you like it – the majority of peanut butters are made from just ground peanuts and a bit of added salt or sugar. According to PETA, they occasionally have added honey so check labels but most are vegan-friendly. Pass a spoon, please.

Breakfast cereals

Cereal is a tricky area when it comes to vegan foods. You probably know Weetabix and porridge is OK, but what if you fancy something a bit more exciting? Well Shreddies are your friend, and not just any Shreddies (although the ‘normal’ Shreddies are vegan too). Enjoy the Coco, Coco Caramel and Frosted varieties. Cereal for dinner, anyone?

Custard Powder

Yes, you read that correctly. Bird’s Traditional Custard Powder is made only with maize starch, salt, flavouring and colour (annatto). Mix it with your plant milk of choice and pour over bananas for a retro, vegan dessert which is just perfect for autumn evenings.

Top 10 surprising vegan foods - Pure Free From (2024)

FAQs

Top 10 surprising vegan foods - Pure Free From? ›

Beer and Wine

Isinglass, a gelatin-based substance derived from fish, is used as a clarifying agent in some beer and wine. Other non-vegan ingredients sometimes used are casein (from milk) and egg whites.

What foods are surprisingly vegan? ›

18 Snacks and Foods You Didn't Know Were Vegan
  • Sriracha Mayo. I'm just as surprised as you are that Flying Goose's brilliant sriracha mayo is completely plant-based. ...
  • Hackney Gelato Dark Chocolate Sorbetto. ...
  • Lotus Biscoff Spread. ...
  • Lindt Excellence 70% Dark Chocolate. ...
  • Ritz Crackers. ...
  • Jacob's Cream Crackers. ...
  • Oreos. ...
  • Twiglets.
Jan 11, 2023

What does 100% vegan eat? ›

The vegan diet
  • eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
  • base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates (choose wholegrain where possible)
  • have some fortified dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts (choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options)

What is surprisingly not vegan? ›

Beer and Wine

Isinglass, a gelatin-based substance derived from fish, is used as a clarifying agent in some beer and wine. Other non-vegan ingredients sometimes used are casein (from milk) and egg whites.

What is the most eaten vegan food? ›

Some of the most widely enjoyed vegan foods are legumes, nuts and seeds, chickpeas, and black beans. Nuts and nut butters are packed with nutrients. Airheads, Cracker Jack, Cinnamon Life Cereal, Fritos, and Fruit By the Foot are also vegan foods that are widely enjoyed.

How to go 100% vegan? ›

Cut out all animal derived ingredients and incorporate lots of whole grains, beans, legumes, tofu, nuts, and seeds for a healthy vegan diet. Swap out all of your favourite non-vegan items for vegan alternatives. Many people find that relying on vegan burgers, hot dogs, deli slices, cheeses, etc.

What sweets are accidentally vegan? ›

12 sweets you didn't know were vegan
  • Candy Kittens. Colourfully polka dotty and full of flavour. ...
  • Haribo Rainbow Range. Most Haribo sweets do contain gelatine, but, if it's Tangfastics you're missing, you're in luck. ...
  • Jelly Tots. Yes. ...
  • Lemon Sherbets. ...
  • M&S Own Brand. ...
  • Millions. ...
  • Sherbety Snacks. ...
  • Swizzels.

What fruit is not vegan friendly? ›

While avoiding all animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs, vegans often supplement their meals with plenty of fresh plant varieties. But there's one pesky fruit, the fig, that doesn't exactly fit into the "vegan-friendly" category.

What nuts are not vegan? ›

Nuts. Nuts are a nutritious food that many vegans eat. However, some varieties, such as Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts, contain gelatin. Gelatin is a protein that comes from collagen, a material that makes up bone, cartilage, and skin.

Is peanut butter vegan? ›

The bottom line. Most types of peanut butter are free of animal products and can be enjoyed as part of a vegan diet. However, some varieties are made in facilities that also process animal products or contain refined sugar that was produced using bone char or non-vegan ingredients like honey or fish oil.

What is the most unhealthy vegan food? ›

Mock meats and cheeses: These processed foods generally contain lots of additives. They also provide you with far fewer vitamins and minerals than whole, protein-rich plant foods like beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds. Some dairy-free milks: Sweetened dairy-free milks generally contain a good amount of added sugar.

What do extreme vegans eat? ›

Vegan diets, substitutions, and meat analogues. Vegan diets are based on grains and other seeds, legumes (particularly beans), fruits, vegetables, edible mushrooms, and nuts. The main difference between a vegan and vegetarian diet is that vegans exclude dairy products, eggs, and honey.

Which country is #1 for vegans? ›

India. Three of India's major religions — Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism — teach the practice of ahimsa, or non-violence towards all beings. Because of this religious tradition, India has the highest percentage of vegetarians out of all the countries in the world.

What is a super vegan? ›

Super vegans are committed to a plant based diet and look for products certified by The Vegan Society, Cruelty Free International and other reputable organisations. There are multiple benefits of veganism but most people are attracted to the impact it has on farmed animals and fish.

What foods are naturally vegan? ›

On a vegan diet, you can eat foods made from plants, including:
  • Fruits and vegetables.
  • Legumes such as peas, beans, and lentils.
  • Nuts and seeds.
  • Breads, rice, and pasta.
  • Vegetable oils.
Nov 3, 2023

What food is truly vegan? ›

Vegans avoid animal-based sources of protein and iron, such as meat, poultry, fish, and eggs. Therefore, it's important to replace these animal products with protein- and iron-rich plant-based alternatives such as legumes. Beans, lentils, and peas are great options that contain 10–20 grams of protein per cooked cup.

What is an accidental vegan? ›

What makes something “accidentally vegan“? * These are foods that were not created with the purpose of feeding vegans but rather were a happy accident showing that delicious treats of all kinds can be made without using dairy products, honey, or other animal-derived ingredients.

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