Oreos are one of the most popular cookies on the planet, and yes, they are generally considered vegan. The ingredient list does not include milk, eggs, or any obvious animal products. That said, there are a few things worth knowing before you grab a pack. Nabisco puts a cross-contact warning on the packaging because Oreos are made on shared equipment with milk-containing products. For most vegans, this is not a dealbreaker. But if you want to be extra careful, there are fully certified vegan alternatives like Newman-O's Organic cookies. Here is what you need to know about Oreo ingredients, which flavors are safe, and what to watch out for. What Ingredients to Look Out For in Oreos The most simple...

Starburst Jelly Beans are a popular Easter candy, but they're not vegan. The main issue is confectioner's glaze (also called shellac), which is a coating made from the secretions of lac insects. It gives the jelly beans their shiny finish, and there's no way around it. The regular Starburst chews have their own set of issues (gelatin is the big one there), so neither product works for a vegan diet. But there are plenty of vegan jelly beans out there that skip both confectioner's glaze and gelatin entirely. Below, we'll go through the full Starburst Jelly Beans ingredient list, explain exactly why they're not vegan, and cover the best vegan-friendly jelly bean alternatives you can buy right now. Starburst Jelly...

PEZ candy has been around since 1927, and those colorful little bricks are still one of the most recognizable candies in the world. If you follow a vegan diet, you'll be happy to know that PEZ candy is considered vegan. It doesn't contain gelatin, beeswax, shellac, or any clearly animal-derived ingredients. There are a couple of ingredients that fall into a gray area for stricter vegans, like sugar (which may be processed with bone char) and mono- and diglycerides (which can come from plant or animal sources). PEZ doesn't disclose the exact sourcing of these ingredients, so where you draw the line depends on your personal approach to veganism. Below, we'll go through every ingredient in PEZ candy, explain what's...

If you're new to veganism, ingredient labels can feel like a minefield. Cocoa butter sounds like it could contain dairy, but it doesn't. Cocoa butter is 100% vegan. It comes from the cocoa bean, which is a plant, and has nothing to do with dairy butter at all. The name trips people up because of the word "butter," but cocoa butter is simply the natural fat extracted from cocoa beans during chocolate production. It's what gives chocolate that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. You'll find it in chocolate bars, skincare products, lip balms, and lotions. Below, we'll cover where cocoa butter comes from, how it's made, whether it's dairy-free (yes), and how to use it in cooking and skincare. Is Cocoa Butter...

Fruit Gushers are one of those snacks most of us grew up with, and if you've recently gone vegan, you're probably wondering whether they're still on the table. Good news: Fruit Gushers are vegan. They don't contain gelatin, dairy, or any other animal-derived ingredients. That said, there are a few ingredients worth knowing about before you stock up. Some vegans take a stricter approach to food coloring and sugar processing, and Gushers do contain both artificial colors and sugar that may or may not be filtered through bone char. We'll break all of that down below so you can make an informed choice. Whether you're grabbing a box for yourself or packing snacks for your kids, here's everything you need...

Most soft drinks are vegan. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Sprite, Dr Pepper, and dozens of other popular sodas contain zero animal ingredients. You can drink them without worry. But "most" isn't "all." A handful of drinks use ingredients like cochineal (a red dye made from crushed insects), vitamin D3 from sheep's wool, or dairy-based flavorings that disqualify them. Some fall into a gray area depending on how strictly you define vegan. This guide covers the biggest soda and soft drink brands, flags the ones that aren't vegan, and breaks down the specific ingredients you should watch for on labels. If you want the deep dive on any individual drink, we've linked to our full breakdowns throughout. Which Soft Drinks Are Vegan? The...

Haribo gummy bears are not vegan. Gelatin is the third ingredient on the label, and it's made from animal bones and cartilage. The bears also contain beeswax. If you're sticking to a plant-based diet, you'll need to look elsewhere. The good news: several vegan gummy bear brands use pectin instead of gelatin, and they taste just as good. So, Are Haribo Gummy Bears Vegan? Gummy bears are a popular candy, and Haribo is one of the most well-known brands for this type of candy. However, just because a brand is a classic or is very well-known doesn't mean it's right for your diet. It's important to take a close look at all food labels to make sure they're vegan. Unfortunately...

Tater tots are one of those foods that seem obviously vegan. Potatoes, oil, salt. Done. But depending on the brand and how they're cooked, a few sneaky ingredients can show up. Here's what to look for and which brands are safe. What's In Tater Tots? Tater tots in their most basic form are pieces of minced or shredded potato that have been seasoned, formed into nuggets, and fried. But are tater tots vegan? The first question that is easily answered by anyone preparing tater tots is to find what oils are being used to cook them. It's easy to find out if the frying (or baking) method uses vegetable or animals fats, so avoiding the issue of consuming those products...

Most peppermints look vegan on the label. But several popular brands hide gelatin, dairy, or animal-derived stearic acid in the fine print. Here's which peppermint brands are safe and which ones to skip. Are Peppermints Vegan? Vegan Peppermint Brands Not all peppermints are created equal. Here are the brands you can feel good about grabbing. YumEarth Organic Wild Peppermint YumEarth is certified vegan by The Vegan Society, USDA Organic, and free from the top 9 allergens. The ingredients are organic cane sugar, organic brown rice syrup, and natural peppermint oil. The organic sugar is never processed with bone char. If you want zero gray area, this is the safest pick. Simply Mints Peppermint Three ingredients: cane sugar, peppermint oil, calcium...

Nesquik was a childhood staple for a lot of us. That chocolatey powder mixed into a cold glass of milk (or almond milk, these days) hits different when nostalgia kicks in. But if you are vegan, the ingredient label tells a different story. Sugar processing and a vitamin called biotin are the two biggest red flags. Here is why Nesquik does not make the cut, and what to drink instead. Nesquik Ingredients sugar cocoa (processed with alkali) soy lecithin carrageenan salt natural flavor spice vitamins and minerals: sodium ascorbate (vitamin C), ferric pyrophosphate (Iron), niacinimide, zinc oxide, thiamin hydrochloride, copper gluconate, manganese sulfate, and biotin At first glance this list may seem innocent. Unfortunately, the first offender is sugar. Although,...