Veganism is on the rise! And great vegan junk food along with it. Look at the numbers…a 360% increase in the UK, 300% in the U.S. That’s just two countries! More people looking for vegan foods means more commercial innovation and production, which is a good thing for vegans who want to indulge from time to time. There is a world of options to meet the needs of discriminating vegan junk food eaters everywhere.
But do real vegans eat junk food?
Generally, vegans are kind of a principled crew. We’re likely to be concerned about health, the environment, or animal welfare, sometimes all three.
But principled doesn’t have to mean austere! After all, who doesn’t love junk food? Something you can grab on the run to keep the hunger demons at bay. Something that doesn’t require more from you than a twist of your wrist to open a box or bag.
You can have your principles and eat your junk food too! As with your other food choices, you can find junk food that’s not only vegan but sustainably produced, sometimes gluten-free, sometimes nut-free, and catering to many other specific allergies or food preferences.
Let’s get right to it! A list of 18 indulgent AND principled vegan junk foods:
These are just a few specific examples of good vegan junk food choices. To avoid snarfing up whatever lands in front of you when you’re hungry, you’ll eventually want a vegan junk food plan — but that’s a story for another time. Right now, these luscious indulgences will help you get an idea of the dazzling variety waiting for you out there.
Some of these items are from a great list of brands Vegan Junk Box has put together (The UK’s Naughtiest Vegan Snack Subscription Box). Others are readily available in local stores or via online sources like Amazon.
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FAVORITES
- Skinny Pop. Popcorn is always a top vegan junk food recommendation. For that matter, popcorn is the best all-around junk food. Popcorn is easy enough to make . . . but if you’re having one of “those” moments, try Skinny Pop, always fully popped, light, and delicious. You can get the full skinny pack
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini-Chips. Chocolate chips are a good sweet snack because it takes time to savor each little chip. Many chips contain hidden dairy products, though. A good brand that is truly vegan is Enjoy Life.
- Hummus. Sabra is a tasty commercial hummus, easily available in most places. Enjoy with Stacy’s Pita Chips or veggies of your choice.
- Nuts. Raw or toasted walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and other kinds of nuts make great snack choices. Choose brands without additives. Nuts are rich in good fats, fiber, and protein. You can also jazz up your nutty life with Salty Dog Nuts.
SAVORY
- Hanover Organic Ancient Grains Spelt Pretzels. Who doesn’t love pretzels with that layer of coarse salt that hits your tongue first thing?! Most are vegan (“accidentally,” we might say), but why not go that next step and get whole-grain pretzels instead of plain flour pretzels?
- Indie Bay. Jazz up your pretzel life with pretzel thins and pretzel bites. Most items are vegan. All are marked.
- HIPPEAS. Organic Chickpea Snacks with Vegan White Cheddar. Slightly reminiscent of Cheetos – but these puffed, crunchy, salty snacks are made with chickpeas for HapPea snacking.
- Terra Real Vegetable Chips. (Crisps). There are so many delicious alternatives to potato chips (crisps). Try these thin-sliced, crispy, delicious chips created with a variety of colorful veggies.
- Sun Chips. (Crisps). The Original recipe is vegan.
- Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Flavor Squares. “Remember those cheese crackers you grew up with? These aren’t them. That’s right, these little squares pack a cheese-flavored punch like you wouldn’t believe. Free from dairy, trans fat, and GMOs, they’re made with the finest finger-licking ingredients we could find.” While you’re on the site, check out their Vegan Aged White Cheddar Flavor Puffs.
- The British Crisp Co. and Salty Dog Crisps. (Chips). Two brands of crisps (chips) for your pleasure. The British Crisp Co. handcooks their crisps in the UK using exclusively British potatoes. Salty Dog Crisps are “hand-cooked crisps that bite back . . . a pampered potato is a happy potato, so every spud has a relaxing rubdown before being diligently dunked in soothing sunflower oil, with its jacket left on.”
SWEET
- Sponge – Vegan Cakes and Brownies! Next day delivery in the U.K.
- Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars. Granola Bars have way too much sugar in them for a healthy breakfast, but they are good for a little energy burst and also deliver those healthy, whole grain oats.
- Nature’s Bakery Whole Wheat Fig Bars. Fill up that cookie jar with these delicious high-fiber bar cookies. As excellent sources of minerals like calcium, copper, potassium, manganese, iron, selenium, and zinc, figs are a great choice for your bones as well as your sweet tooth. Check out the other bar cookies on the site as well, including gluten-free.
- ape. “We’ve cut the monkey business, making snacks with only the best plant-based ingredients and tastiest natural flavors, so you can snack happy.” Check out both Bites and Puffs.
- Mummy Meagz Rocky Road Bars. Mummy Meagz “takes the world’s favorite snacks and makes them vegan!” Check out her Rocky Road, “No nuts, no fruit. Just all the good stuff.” Choose the Original Rocky Road or Sea Salt and Cinder Toffee Rocky Road.
- Manner Vienna Wafers. An old stand-by, still just as yummy.
- Brave Roasted chickpeas, dark chocolate. How can you go wrong?
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There’s an app for that!
Now you might think it would take less time to plant a garden, harvest the veggies and cook them yourself than to track down these and many more vegan junk foods, read the labels, and figure out how they fit with the rest of your dietary needs.
But we’ve got your back. We’ve made an assistant for that! Foodlama is free and fast to add as an extension to your browser. Just let us know you and your household’s dietary requirements, restrictions, or preferences, and we’ve got the rest!” That includes letting you know what you can and can’t have as you shop — and offering helpful suggestions for alternatives. Visit foodlama to learn more.
