Opinion 23 accidentally vegan food products & snacks in Australia

From ‘beef taco’ Shapes to chicken-flavoured 2 minute noodles and even Pringles – some of the foods you’d least expect are actually 100% vegan!

Brace yourself for a revelation that might just make you see plant-based eating in a new light … or at least shake up your snack game 😉

Perhaps you’ve heard the age-old question: What do vegans even eat?

Well, the surprising answer is that a vegan diet includes a lot of foods that most people already know and love. And no, I’m not just talking about the basics like fruits, veggies, and grains – there’s a whole realm of popular snack foods and convenience products out there too which a lot of people don’t even realise are vegan. 

In fact, you can find tasty plant-based products in literally every single supermarket aisle these days. 

Some of these products, however, aren’t specifically labelled or marketed as vegan-friendly, even though they are – and it’s these hidden treasures that we lovingly refer to as “accidentally vegan”. The more ingredient labels you check, the more unexpected treats you’ll find!

Here are some of my favourite secretly plant-based discoveries to inspire your next vegan shopping list:

1. Allen’s Jelly Beans

The humanoid, cap-wearing jelly bean on the packet may be legitimately haunting, but if you can get past that minor hurdle, Allen’s jelly beans are a delicious, vegan-friendly sugar boost.

2. Allen’s Spearmint Leaves 

Another moreish, nostalgic lolly option that happens to be gelatin-free! Allen’s spearmint leaves are the perfect breath-freshening sweet treat. 

3. Arnott’s Shapes, BBQ & Bueno Beef Taco flavour

They’re the last flavours you’d expect to be vegan, but strangely enough, Arnott’s BBQ Shapes and Bueno Beef Taco Shapes fit the bill. These meat-inspired savoury snacks contain absolutely no animal products. 

4. Arnott’s Raspberry Shortcake

Apparently, Aussies consume more than 4.5 million packs of raspberry shortcake biscuits every year … In my mind, this means two things: Our national loyalty to jam-filled biscuits must be unparalleled, and a lot of people are already reaching for vegan treats, probably without even knowing.

5. Boxed Cake Mixes (lots of them!)

Need cake and need it now? I completely understand. Check out the incredible range of Greens, Betty Crocker, and supermarket-brand cake mixes that are delightfully vegan and absolutely delicious. 

All you need to do when you follow the package instructions is make sure you use plant-based milk and an egg substitute in place of any dairy and eggs. Piece of cake – literally.

6. Burger Rings

I abstained from Burger Rings for ages before discovering that they were fully plant-based all along! Who knew that “big burger taste” didn’t come from actual burgers?

7. Cadbury Drinking Chocolate

Cadbury’s ultra-cosy hot chocolate powder just happens to be completely vegan. Pair it with your favourite plant-based milk and some vegan-friendly marshmallows, which you can buy from many wholefoods shops and an assortment of vegan retailers online.

8. Foster Clark’s Vanilla Flavored Custard Powder

Foster Clark’s tried and true classic custard powder is naturally vegan, and so delicious you’ll want to dollop it on everything. All you need is some plant milk to mix it with – soy milk or oat milk will give you the best results – and your dessert topping is sorted.

9. Gravox Supreme Gravy Mix

Despite gravy’s association with ‘meaty’ centrepieces, there’s actually a surprising number of accidentally vegan gravy mixes in stores these days. Gravox’s Supreme Gravy Mix is the one I usually go for because it’s reliably easy to find on the shelves, and tastes ridiculously indulgent.

10. Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup & Strawberry Syrup 

Not all Hershey’s dessert syrups are dairy-free, but these two flavours are – and they’re utterly delicious. Drizzle them over ice cream, pancakes, or straight into your mouth.

11. La Famiglia Garlic Bread Slices

I did a double-take the first time I checked the ingredients list of this one. No dairy to be found – these crunchy golden slices are made with melty, garlicky margarine instead of butter.

(Some of the other garlic products in the La Famiglia range are not vegan-friendly, so always check the label.)

12. Maggi Chicken-flavour 2 Minute Noodles

‘Chicken’ might be front and centre on the packaging, but no chickens were harmed in the making of these instant noodles or their flavour sachets. That chicken-y flavour is just an illusion created using a clever combination of seasonings and spices. 

13. Massel Chicken-style Stock & Beef-style Stock 

It completely blew my mind when someone told me these meaty-looking stocks (in cube, powder, and liquid form) were entirely plant-based – and to be honest, it kind of levelled up my cooking game, too.

Vegan-friendly cooking stocks are a great shortcut to adding depth and complexity to your savoury dishes. I use Massel’s chicken-style stock in everything from soups to creamy pasta sauces, and the beef-style stock in hearty dishes like stews or TVP bolognese.

14. McKenzie’s Ready to Bake Cookies

Perfect for cookie-lovers in a hurry, these ready-to-bake choc chip cookies are completely egg-free, dairy-free, and downright addictive. Your kitchen has never smelled better!

15. Mission Chilli & Lime Tortilla Chips 

Ideal for dipping, crunching, or piling high with guacamole, these Mission tortilla chips are a vegan snack-lover’s dream. They’re absolutely loaded with tangy, zesty flavour (the kind that coats your fingers and gets everywhere) making them a great plant-based alternative to cheesy Doritos. 

16. Nice N’ Tasty Chicken Salt

Despite the name, this iconic Aussie seasoning doesn’t actually contain anything chicken-derived, so you can add that salty, umami kick to your hot chips (or rice dishes, or popcorn…) with total peace of mind.

17. Nuttelex

It’s not immediately obvious that Nuttelex butter is dairy-free and vegan, not even when you dig into the tub. It spreads, melts, and tastes remarkably like traditional butter, and is just as at home on a slice of toast as it is in vegan baking recipes.  

There’s a reason Nuttelex tops our list of plant-based butter recommendations.

18. Oreos (certain flavours)

Amazing news – lots of flavours in the Australian range of Oreos are vegan-friendly! Those on the vegan-approved list include Original, Birthday Cake, Double Stuff, Golden, Choc Split, Double Stuff New York Cheesecake, and Chocolate-flavoured Oreos. 

19. Praise Fat-free Mayonnaise

Since there’s nothing obvious on the front of the bottle that identifies it as egg-free, you’d be forgiven for looking past this classic-looking mayo – but it’s secretly vegan mayo in disguise, and it’s healthier but just as rich and creamy as the original. 

20. Pringles, BBQ & Original

Much like Pringles, this list of accidentally vegan products is stacking up! Both the BBQ and Original flavours of Pringles are vegan-friendly. Look for the purple and red tubes respectively.

21. Shortcrust & Puff Pastry 

Some things are just begging to be wrapped in pastry – and the good news is, there’s actually quite a large selection of vegan-friendly frozen shortcrust and puff pastry sheets to choose from. 

Look for brands such as Borg’s, Coles, Homeland, and Pampas in the freezer section. You’ll find that several of their options use vegetable-based ingredients instead of butter, and bake like a dream. Plant-based pies and tarts, coming right up! 

22. Sour Patch Kids

Doesn’t your mouth just start watering at the thought of these gems? Unlike some other chewy lollies, Sour Patch Kids don’t contain any gelatin or bug-derived food colourings (yep, that’s a thing), so they’re entirely vegan-friendly.

23. Weis Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

Weis offers a variety of fruity, refreshing sorbets that are completely dairy-free, but their most surprising vegan offering is this lusciously rich and creamy chocolate sorbet. It’s ridiculously decadent (seriously – not icy like the word ‘sorbet’ sometimes implies) and one of my absolute favourite plant-based frozen treats on the market today.

 

With mouthwatering vegan food to be found just about everywhere these days, it’s never been easier to explore all the benefits – and indulgences – of a plant-based lifestyle. 

There are so many amazing accidentally vegan foods to discover (or in some cases, rediscover) that every shopping trip can feel like a bit of a treasure hunt.

No doubt you’ll find even more options as you browse and get to know your local store’s range. I’d love to hear what products you think should be on the next list we do!

Image: © Arnott’s