While many folks think that vegans are extremely limited in what they can eat, the vegan diet actually leaves plenty of room for indulgence! From dark chocolate to vegan-friendly sours and gummies, there is lots of vegan candy out there. Plus, plenty of candies that aren’t even marketed as “vegan” are completely free of pork gelatin and other animal products!
However, unexpected animal products are common ingredients in candies and packaged foods, so finding vegan-friendly sweet treats requires reading labels and ingredient lists. In this article, we delve into how to identify vegan candy, what to look for, and some go-to picks of the best vegan candies for when you’re craving a vegan sugar fix.
Common Animal Products in Candies
Traditional dairy-based chocolates are some of the most obvious non-vegan candies. But there are a number of sneakier animal products (like the infamous pork gelatin!), that are frequently found in sweet treats that vegans should check labels for. The most common of them are below:
Gelatin, which is made from animal bones and tendons
Casein or milk fat
Lard
Refined cane sugar, which may be processed with charred bone fragments
Carmine, which is used in some artificial color and confectioner’s glaze, and is made from beetles
E 904, E 120, 901, 904, 542, all of which are derived from animals
We know that this list seems intimidating, but we promise that there are vegan candies out there that are in line with the food ethics of vegans. To find them, remember that you must be diligent in checking ingredient lists as it’s easy for these additives to be snuck in where you’d least expect it!
So, you might be asking – are Jolly Ranchers vegan? What about Nerds and Gummy Bears? Are Starburst vegan? Unfortunately, not all of our faves come guilt-free… scroll down to learn more.
Common Candies that Contain Animal Products
We hate to be the bearers of bad news, but there ARE a few candies you’ll want to keep an eye out for if you want to stick to a vegan food diet. The following candies notoriously contain animal products:
Candy corn (contains gelatin, although they do make vegan options)
Starburst (contains gelatin derived from beef)
Gummy worms (contains gelatin)
Red candies (contains red dye, made from the dried bodies of female beetles)
Nerds (contains pork gelatin)
Altoids (contains pork gelatin)
Sour, Gummy, and Hard Candies that are Vegan-Friendly
Now onto the fun part! Sure, there are some candies you should avoid, but there are plenty more that you can keep enjoying. We’ve tracked down some of the best vegan candy out there, so you can rest easy as you feed your sweet tooth.
Below is a list of vegan-friendly candies that are commonly found and that will allow you to indulge whenever you’re in the mood without the worry of accidentally consuming pork gelatin or another animal product:
Airheads
Some varieties of Jolly Ranchers
Cracker Jacks
Smarties
RJ’s Raspberry Soft-Eating Licorice
Skittles
Sweet’s Fish (Non-GMO)
Sweet’s Lotsa Sour Candies
Blow Pops
Sweet’s Lemonade Rings
Dots
Sweet’s Sour Worms
Chocolate Candies that are Vegan-Friendly
Even though you probably wouldn’t think of chocolate as being vegan, many dark chocolates are actually also vegan foods. This is because, in most cases, dark chocolate is actually completely plant-based rather than being made with dairy products.
If you’re a chocolate lover who can’t bear to give up your favorite sweet treats, you’re in luck. Some of the best vegan candies happen to be chocolate! Take a look at some go-to brands to fill your chocolate cravings:
Crispy Cat Chocolate Bars
Newman’s Own Dark Chocolate Varieties
Kallari Chocolates
Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Varieties
Vegans Can Live Sweetly, Too
While it’s easy to equate being vegan with having everything delicious off-limits, as you can see, that’s certainly not the case. With a little research and vigilance, those who are committed to a diet free of strictly vegan foods can still enjoy vegan candy and many other indulgences.
However, it should be noted that companies do occasionally change ingredients that are in their products. With that being said, even if a candy was listed on the “vegan approved” list above, always check the ingredients on the wrapper prior to consuming to ensure that its compliancy has not changed.
Vegans should also be aware that many products that contain animal products don’t necessarily sound like they do. It’s important to get the most up-to-date information you can.
Luckily, we’ve done some of the hard work for you with our list of some of the best vegan candy out there. Happy snacking!
Fortunately, loads of candies are vegan, so we can indulge our cravings (mostly) guilt-free. Most dark chocolate is vegan, as are popular sweet treats such as Smarties (known as Rockets in Canada), Oreos, Airheads, Jujubes, and Swedish Fish (some Swedish Fish contain beeswax, so be sure to check the label).
Fortunately, loads of candies are vegan, so we can indulge our cravings (mostly) guilt-free. Most dark chocolate is vegan, as are popular sweet treats such as Smarties (known as Rockets in Canada), Oreos, Airheads, Jujubes, and Swedish Fish (some Swedish Fish contain beeswax, so be sure to check the label).
Fruity Sweets: Many fruity sweets, such as Skittles, Starburst, and Sour Patch Kids, are vegan-friendly. Hard Candies: Hard candies, such as lollipops and candy canes, are often vegan-friendly.
Many vegans refer to Oreos as “accidentally vegan,” meaning they don't contain animal products — but they weren't created to be a specifically vegan treat. Oreos do not contain milk, eggs, or any other animal-derived products, so they are technically vegan in that sense.
Starbursts were launched in the USA in 1967, and have since become hugely popular in the country. Unfortunately for American plant-based eaters, however, they feature gelatin in their ingredients. This means that they aren't suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
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.
Most types of Skittles are considered vegan, but not all. While Skittles Classic Fruits, Skittles Sour, Skittles Tropical and Wild Berry Skittles are all currently suitable for vegans, some special editions such as the Once in a Blue Moon Skittles are not, as the blue skittles contain animal product derivatives.
Lindt Excellence is pretty excellent chocolate (I always used to steal squares of it from the fridge when my mum wasn't looking) and it's pretty naturally vegan, too. The ingredients of these bars include cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla.
Jelly Tots® have always been suitable for vegan diets as they don't contain gelatine, but we have updated the packaging so they have a clear vegan message on pack, just like Fruit Pastilles.
Milk chocolate is made with skim milk, lactose, and milkfat meaning that M&Ms contain dairy and are not vegan. M&Ms also contain artificial colors which some vegans avoid due to concerns over animal testing during.
Most types of Skittles are considered vegan, but not all. While Skittles Classic Fruits, Skittles Sour, Skittles Tropical and Wild Berry Skittles are all currently suitable for vegans, some special editions such as the Once in a Blue Moon Skittles are not, as the blue skittles contain animal product derivatives.
Gummy bears (contains gelatin) Candy corn (contains gelatin, although they do make vegan options) Starburst (contains gelatin derived from beef) Gummy worms (contains gelatin)
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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