As the population begins to realize all the many benefits of a plant-based diet, people are looking for more and more vegan options at their favorite fast food restaurants. Most people know how easy it is to eat vegan at places like Taco Bell and Wendy’s, but can you really eat vegan at a burger joint like Burger King? And no, I’m not talking about a stinking side salad – that’s way too easy.
I’m talking about menu items to satisfy your appetite when you’re hungry and broke AF and you just drove past the second Burger King within a three-mile radius. Here’s a list of my favorite vegan Burger King menu items from breakfast to lunch, and there’s even room for dessert.
1. French Fries
Can you really beat the greasy goodness of Burger King’s fries? Hot, thick, and crispy, and fried in 100 percent vegetable oil, you can munch on these bad boys for days unlike McDonald’s French fries. Burger King’s classic French fries contain a whopping 13 ingredients (see what I did there?). On the list of ingredients are potatoes, soybean oil, modified potato starch, rice flour, and potato dextrin.
#SpoonTip: If you’re concerned about cross contamination, keep in mind that this item is prepared in a fryer used for products containing non-vegan foods.
2. French Toast Sticks
Sweet, golden brown, and piping hot. French toast always brings back memories of my mom’s famous banana bread French toast, reserved for only the most special of occasions. My mom’s recipe, like many classic French toast recipes, contains milk and butter. These sticks, on the other hand, are absolutely animal-free, something that no other fast-food chain has been able to pull off.
3. Hash Browns
Oh, what a world. More crispy, potatoey (and vegan) goodness is on the menu at Burger King in the form of hash browns. Shaped into bite-sized pieces, it’s hard not to eat just one. My advice is to order a large and load up on vegan condiments like mustard and ketchup.
4. Dutch Apple Pie
No meal is complete without dessert. Apple pie is traditionally made with non-vegan ingredients like eggs and butter. But the Dutch apple pie at Burger King is surprisingly vegan-friendly, as it’s dairy- and egg-free. As part of Burger King’s Value Menu, this delicious slice of pie is priced at only a $1.
How does Burger King make this gooey apple pie vegan? The secret is margarine. Other ingredients include enriched flour, water, high fructose corn syrup, yeast, salt, and sweet whey.
5. Whopper Jr. (without meat or mayo)
Yes, even the Whopper Jr. is vegan with a few simple modifications. The bun alone is already vegan (but steer clear of the biscuits and croissants). When you place your order, ask for a Whopper Jr. with no meat or mayo (don’t be fazed by the funny look the cashier will shoot you or when they ask you to repeat your order). And then you have yourself a veggie sandwich.
6. Oatmeal
Also on the breakfast menu at Burger King is Quaker Oat’s original maple-flavored oatmeal, made with maple and brown sugar-flavored whole grain rolled oats. Just make sure you ask them to make it with water (technically, you could just make it at home, but who am I to judge?).
7. Drinks
Pour up, drank, head shot, drank. Burger King offers a variety of vegan drinks ranging from classics like Sprite and Dr. Pepper to good-ole lemonade. Sorry, but delicious Fruit Loop shakes are a big no-no and the same goes for the smoothies. No need to fret though, the ICEEs seem pretty legit. Take your pick from a Frozen Fanta Cherry ICEE or a Coke ICEE.
#SpoonTip: ICEEs contain refined sugars that may or may not have been processed through gelatin.
Now that you know which vegan Burger King menu items you should be ordering, you can enjoy fast food without stressing about hidden animal products.