Deciphering which ingredients are vegetarian and vegan can feel like a full-time job, especially when eating at restaurants or at friends' houses.
Vegetarians Have a Comfort Zone
Every vegetarian and vegan has their own comfort level when it comes to animal products in their food.
Vegetarians need to decide how strict they will be. Those who cook for vegetarians needs to know ahead of time what is and is not acceptable.
Some ingredients listed here (like dairy products) may be suitable for vegetarians, but not for vegans. Some vegetarians might feel okay eating cheese made with rennet (from cows' stomachs), while other may not.
When planning a meal for a vegetarian, first confirm what that person is comfortable eating.
List of Hidden Animal Foods
This is a list of common (and some not-so-common) foods that contain hidden animal products, followed by which non-vegetarian ingredient they contain.
This list does not include common foods that are universally avoided by vegetarians/vegans. For example, vegans do not eat butter and vegetarians do not eat fish. First, brush up on what a vegetarian is.
The ingredients in packaged foods change regularly. When in doubt, read the label for the most up-to-date manufacturing information.
Canned Goods and Non-Perishables
- Soup base/stock/bouillon: meat or fish fat
- Vegetable soup: meat or poultry broth
- Worcestershire sauce: anchovies
- Lard: solid animal fat
- Caesar salad / dressing: anchovies, possibly bacon
- Refried beans: lard
- Beans in tomato sauce: pork
Bakery, Bread and Crackers
- Crackers: may contain animal-derived enzymes
- Amino L-cysteine: derived from animal hair or feathers
- Whey protein: a milk product
- Omega-3 enriched bread: may contain fish oil
Candy, Desserts and Confectionary
- Marshmallows: gelatin (made from animal bones)
- Hard / chewy candies like Skittles or Starburst brands: gelatin
- Jell-o or gelatin desserts: gelatin
- White sugar: filtered using animal bone char
- Pie crusts: store-bought and some homemade contain lard and/or butter
- Glazed/candied cherries: cochineal/carmine (insect colouring)
- Candies made with red food colouring: cochineal/carmine
- Candies made with shellac or confectioner's glaze: insect-derived ingredients
Produce
- Apples, candy apples: shiny read coating made from beetles (cochineal/carmine)
- Caesar salad (pre-packaged): anchovies, possibly bacon
Dairy/Frozen/Refrigerated Products
- Frozen hash brown potatoes: some contain lard
- Yogurt or sour cream (especially low-fat brands): gelatin
- DHA-enriched products (for example; milk, orange juice, margarine, cheese, bread but not omega-3 eggs): gelatin
- Cheese: rennet (scraped from the stomachs of cows)
- Margarine: gelatin, whey powder, casein
- Soy cheese: most contain casein (a milk protein) to help them melt
Beverages
- Beer
- Wine
Note: not all beers and wines are made using animal products. Whether a beverage is made using animal products or not, this information is not listed on the label. No animal ingredients are present in the final product (beer, wine) but some are filtered with animal products like isinglass.
- Bloody Mary cocktail: anchovies (in Worcestershire sauce)
- Bloody Caesar cocktails: clam juice and anchovies (in Worcestershire sauce)
- Fruitopia brand drinks: some flavours contain carmine (crushed insects) as a colouring
Other
- Medications: anything listed as a "gel-cap" contains gelatin
- Medications: red colouring in capsules may contain carmine
- “Natural colour”; “Natural flavour”: may be animal- derived (such as beef broth) or vegetable-derived. The source does not have to be specified on the label.
Non-Food Items
For many, vegetarianism and veganism extend beyond food to clothing and lifestyle. Many do not use:
- Leather, fur: animal skin, pelt
- Down bedding/comforters and pillows: duck or goose feathers
- Soap containing animal fat (sodium tallowate)
Join the Conversation