15 Foods You Might Not Realise Are Vegan Friendly

15 Foods You Might Not Know Are Plant Based

Vegans often get asked where we get our protein from, with the next most common question: “What do you actually eat?”

If you’re thinking of transitioning to a plant-based diet, you’ll be pleased to know that the following food items are all vegan – always double check the labels in case recipes and ingredients change over time.

Crisps generally

Lots of Walkers flavours, Salt and Vinegar McCoys, Skips and Pringles are all vegan. In fact, most of your favourite brands have vegan options. You can even eat most bacon, steak and BBQ flavours.

McDonalds chips, hash browns and apple pies

Absolute fast food, road-trip essentials – although we’ll leave it to you to decide on the ethical implications of supporting McDonalds.

Hobnobs

The best of all of the dipping biscuits. The plain and chocolate chip varieties of hobobs are both accidentally vegan.

Most pasta

Not the fresh, eggy kind, but the dry, semolina stuff you always make too much of? That stuff is usually vegan.

Most bread

For reasons most of us have never fathomed, some bread has milk in it. Other varieties have egg wash on the top to help with the sticking on of seeds, but you can get really great vegan bread from Warburtons, Hovis and Tescos.

Vegetable pasties from the West Cornwall Pasty Company

Delicious, nutritious and cruelty free!

Hummus

Packed full of protein and as delicious on bread as it is with carrot sticks, hummus is a staple part of most vegan diets.

Ketchup, brown sauce and mustard

Beware of anchovies in cheaper brands, but most condiments like these ones are vegan.

Jam, peanut butter and sandwich pickle

We love a good *something* on toast. You’ll be pleased to know that these popular *somethings* are vegan. You can also get vegan butters from Vitalife, Flora and Pure.

Skittles, Millions, Starbursts

Who doesn’t love a good sweetie? There are tonnes of accidentally vegan sweets. Some Haribo varieties are also vegan. Watch out for gelatine and beeswax, neither of which fit in with a plant-based diet.

Mr Kipling Treacle Tart

Vegans can also eat Mr Kipling apple and blackcurrant pies.

Co-op jam and custard doughnuts

Everybody loves a good doughnut!

Oreos originals

This is the one nobody seems to believe, but it’s true! Oreos original biscuits are vegan friendly.

Baked beans

Most of your favourite baked bean brands are vegan, though you should watch out for reduced sugar Heinz baked beans. It was recently revealed that there’s something in these that vegans can’t eat.

Instant noodles

Our favourites are Sainsbury’s Chicken Flavour Instant Noodles. Made with the only type of chicken flavour you need – the fake stuff!

 

Things you might think are vegan that aren’t…

Beer – Not all beers, lagers or ciders are vegan. Stay away from Kopparberg, Rekorderlig, Fosters, Carling and Stella.

Cereal – Lots of cereals are vegan, but some are not, and it might not be obvious from the ingredients. Kelloggs use a vitamin D3 derived from sheep wool in their cereal, which means that even the innocent looking cornflake is not vegan.

Tattoos – If you’re taking it really seriously, then you need to be careful who is inking your arms. Lots of tattooists use ink that is not vegan.

Orange juice – Sometimes they contain Omega-3 derived from fish oil or gelatin, whilst others contain vitamin D from sheep’s wool. Look for the 100% orange juice brands.

Protein powders – Often made with whey, you’ll no longer have your pick of the protein powders if you go plant-based, but luckily there are lots of delicious vegan flavoured shakes to choose from by Sun Warrior.