Say the word “grits” to most people and they’re likely to think of the creamy cornmeal dish from the American South, traditionally made with lots of butter and milk…often topped with cheese and served with accompaniments like sausage, ham, or shrimp. But do grits really need to be made (and served) with animal products to taste good?  Here’s what you need to know if you're a vegan who loves this classic Southern comfort food dish. All About Cornmeal Grits   The dish we know as grits is actually Native American in origin, a kind of porridge made from boiling coarse, stone-ground corn in water.  Unlike many other grains which originated in the Old World, corn is a New World plant...

Are Spring Rolls Vegan? With numerous tofu and vegetable dishes available at Asian restaurants, it seems like nothing could possibly go wrong for a hungry vegan. Unfortunately, just because a menu item doesn’t list meat, egg or dairy in its description does not guarantee it is animal-product free. Many Asian dishes require soaking tofu in chicken broth or stirring oyster sauce in with rice noodles. One item, however, appears completely harmless: spring rolls. They’re just noodles and veggies, right? Let’s take a deeper look at how this traditional Spring Festival food is made to answer the question, are spring rolls vegan? Disclaimer Before delving into what makes a spring roll a spring roll, it is important to mention that there...

Are Ring Pops Vegan? If you've ever wished for gaudy jewelry that was edible too, you've probably wondered, "Are Ring Pops vegan?" Fortunately for your jewelry-candy needs, Ring Pops are generally considered vegan. In fact, over the years, Ring Pops have been included on many lists of vegan-friendly candies. Therefore, most vegans feel okay about eating these sugary treats and sharing them with their friends. What's in a Ring Pop? There are a number of varieties of Ring Pops. Not only are there the classic fruity ones, but there are also Twisted, Sour and shaped Ring Pops. The ingredients vary slightly among the various flavors of Ring Pops, but the classic fruity flavors usually have similar ingredients. Here's what's typically...

When you’re a vegan, it’s not always easy finding food at mainstream grocery stores. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone to the store expecting an item to be cruelty-free only to discover animal by-products in the ingredients. So, Are Fruit Gushers Vegan? The company who makes Fruit Gushers, General Mills, recently decided to let the public know what ingredients went into this popular fruit snack. What was the verdict? It turns out that Fruit Gushers don’t contain any animal by-products. Therefore, Fruit Gushers are vegan. Feelin' snacky? You can pick up some original vegan Gushers here. Let’s Talk About The Ingredients Unfortunately, finding vegan-friendly fruit snacks still isn't necessarily as simple as a quick jaunt down the...

You know Spring is coming when you see Girl Scouts around your neighborhood selling those little green boxes of cookies.  We all have fond memories of eating our favorite Girl Scout Cookies as kids, but if you are now vegan, you may be wondering if these iconic treats are for you.  We took a closer look at one of the most popular Girl Scout Cookies, Thin Mints, to find out - and.....Thin Mints Are Vegan! Have a sweet tooth? Order some Thin Mints on Amazon, or read on for more! Thin Mints Ingredients List Enriched flour Sugar Vegetable oil Cocoa processed with alkali Caramel color Leavening Cocoa Invert sugar Cornstarch Salt Soy Lecithin Natural and artificial flavors Oil of peppermint Are...

One of the best parts about Spring time is getting to enjoy jelly beans. However, there are many jelly beans being made that are not vegan-friendly. Products that are vegan must have no ingredients that include animals or animal by-products. So, are starburst jelly beans vegan? Unfortunately, the Starburst brand of jelly beans does contain confectionery glaze. This type of glaze is widely used on candies to give them a shine. However, confectionery glaze is an insect by-product. Although these candies aren't vegan checkout these vegan friendly Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans! Many jelly beans lose any chance they have of being allowed in a vegan, or vegetarian diet, due to the inclusion of gelatin. Gelatin is an animal by-product which...

Like most people, vegans love crunchy snacks with a little salt and spice. But if you like your snacks more than a little spicy, you’re probably wondering about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. These super-hot snack puffs are hugely popular, in fact, they’re Frito-Lay’s #1 seller. But are Hot Cheetos vegan? Unfortunately not, but if you are living a plant based lifestlye and want a vegan snack - check out these vegan cheese its! Flamin' Hot Cheetos Ingredients Enriched Corn Meal Vegetable Oil Flamin' Hot Seasoning Sugar Yeast Extract Monosodium Glutamate Citric Acid Artificial Color Sunflower Oil Hydrolyzed Corn Protein Cheddar Cheese Onion Powder Whey Garlic Powder Whey Protein Concentrate Buttermilk Corn Syrup Solids Salt The front of the bag says “made...

Are Starbursts Vegan? You remember unwrapping Starbursts- those juicy, fruity little squares as a child, trying out different flavor combos and fighting with your friends about which flavor was the best. But as a vegan, will you be able to relive these sweet memories? Are Starbursts vegan? Unfortunately Starbursts are not vegan as they contain gelatin. Read on for a Starbursts ingredients list, and a few healthier vegan starbursts alternatives! Starbursts Ingredients: CORN SYRUP SUGAR APPLE JUICE FROM CONCENTRATE GELATIN FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED CITRIC ACID PECTIN NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS COLORING (RED 40, YELLOW 5) Great if you're gluten-free, but not great if you're vegan or vegetarian. Gelatin Strikes Again Unfortunately, the ingredient which makes starbursts not vegan is gelatin. Gelatin...

If you've never tried this sweet and colorful gel treat, it's about time you did. Not only boasting a great name for a delicious dessert, Turkish Delights have the added prestige of being the original inspiration for the jelly bean. While it's true that they're delicious, however, is Turkish Delight vegan? The good news is that there are just a few things to watch out for if you want to be sure that it's a cruelty-free treat. What's in Turkish Delight? A dessert dating back hundreds of years, Turkish Delight has many different recipes that change across time and cultures. However, there are some core ingredients that never change. In the end, it's a scrumptious balance of chewy and soft,...