My go-to childhood snack was Pop-Tarts, specifically the Strawberry and S’mores Pop-Tarts. I’d always assumed that there’s probably some sort of dairy or egg ingredient in all Pop-Tarts and that they wouldn’t be vegan-friendly, but this isn’t actually true for all flavors. So if you’ve ever wondered, “are Pop-Tarts vegan?” you’re in luck. Keep these vegan Pop-Tarts flavors in mind during your next grocery store run, because they’re for kids and college students alike, no matter what your dietary restrictions are.
The Non-Vegan Ingredients
The two main non-vegan ingredients found in most Pop-Tarts are milk, which can also be found in the form of whey, and gelatin. Sadly, every frosted Pop-Tarts flavor contains gelatin in the frosting, but there are still three very delicious, unfrosted Pop-Tart flavors that are vegan-friendly. Keep an eye-out for these ingredients in your snack to make sure it’s okay to eat.
The Vegan Flavors
The first vegan Pop-Tart flavor is a childhood classic for me: Unfrosted Strawberry. While I’m a big fan of the Frosted Strawberry flavor, it can sometimes be overpoweringly sweet. That’s where Unfrosted Strawberry comes in—the same goes for Unfrosted Blueberry, which is another go-to vegan option.
The last option is less fruity, but hands down one of the best Pop-Tart flavors: Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon. This one tastes like the toast your mom used to make you with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon, but in toaster-pastry form. It’s that good.
#SpoonTip: Throw it back to your childhood and pop these vegan Pop-Tarts in the toaster for a minute. They’ll come out perfectly warm and ready to eat. It’s the perfect drunk snack, along with these other foods you never would’ve guessed were vegan.
Are we really sure they’re vegan?
Some vegans may be skeptical of the food dyes that are used in Pop-Tarts, specifically Red-40 and Yellow-6, because of the claim that these dyes are made out of crushed insects. However, they’re not. Although they’re made out of an equally questionable ingredient—usually coal or petroleum byproducts—they’re vegan-friendly. If you’re trying to stay away from these food dyes though, you can still opt for eating the Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart.
If you’re still skeptical, DIY your Pop-Tarts
If you want to try making your own Pop-Tarts, try out this Pop-Tarts cereal recipe so you can eat more than just one. Just make sure to buy vegan pie crust, which is surprisingly easy to find—most pastry dough and pie crust is actually vegan (like this Pillsbury one). Replace the milk with non-dairy milk.
Although most Pop-Tarts flavors aren’t vegan, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on these perfect treats. Whether you’re vegan or not, some of the best flavors out there are actually the vegan ones.