We all know we should only eat three adequate meals a day – or variations of such, like 5 small meals. We know this. But that doesn’t stop us from stuffing hunks of bread or spoonfuls of peanut butter into our mouths at 3 in the morning.
Snacks are part of the slice of life, the variety that keeps us sane in the monotony of day to day, though we tend to want to keep them at least a little healthy when we do eat them.
One of the fairly healthy snacks that people tend to go for nowadays is that of kind bars.
However, snacks can be problematic for those that are on a specific and restricted diet, especially those who are vegan. Checking whether these snacks have animal products is a constant struggle.
With this in mind, we decided to answer the question: Are kind bars vegan? In this article.
What Is A Kind Bar?
Kind bars are a relatively new kind of snack or granola bar, with the company being founded in 2004 by Daniel Lubetzky.
They are a healthy snack bar that is normally made from grains, fruits, and nuts that is held together with a kind of sticky syrupy substance that then has a kind of flavored cream drizzled on top of them.
While only a fairly young company, it has continued to grow and gain strength for that entire time. Within its first year of operation, Kind Bars LLC made over $1 million and in 2017 the Mars Company purchased the entire company, bringing it into the big leagues.
This ingredient structure not only makes the kind bars delicious, but also means that they are full of nutrients, including crucial minerals and vitamins that can be hard to find in other foods.
These ingredients are also often nutrient rich, while being relatively low in saturated fat or sugars, which is a bonus.
The variety of kind bars is also great for the consumer, as everyone is uniquely different to the one before it. Generally, there are 8 kinds of Kind bars:
- Nut bars
- Protein bars
- Healthy grain bars
- Breakfast bars
- Minis
- Thins
- Energy bars
- Fruit bars
Each of these bars provides a delicious and unique flavor, as well as being an excellent source of nutrients and a snack that can be enjoyed by most people.
Are Kind Bars Vegan?
Unfortunately, Kind bars are not vegan, which is disappointing for a lot of vegans to hear, we know. While they are more friendly to those on a more vegetarian based diet, they do use animal products and sometimes in great abundance.
Of the 54 Kind bar varieties, only 3 are considered vegan friendly. This is because the majority of them contain honey, which is a product produced by bees – living animals.
If you are a vegetarian or a person dabbling in vegetarian or veganism, then they could be something that you could consume.
However, of the 54 Kind bar varieties, only 42 are suitable for vegetarians or those with a more flexible vegan diet, since the rest contain some variation of milk in them – normally a kind of milk powder or powdered milk.
The three kinds of kind bars that are suitable for vegans are the Dark Chocolate Cocoa and the Peanut Butter Banana Dark Chocolate Breakfast bars and the Mango Apple Chia Flavor Fruit bar.
The rest are unfortunately off limits, if you are staying true to a truly vegan diet plan.
However, Kind is always expanding its product line and production, so it is best to keep an eye out for new products in the future.
Best Vegan Snack Bars
It is annoying that Kind doesn’t offer more vegan products, but that doesn’t mean you should give up in your search for more vegan friendly snacks. To help you out, we have created a little list for you to get ideas from:
Vegan Kind Bars
Yes, we know we just railed a little bit against Kind bars, but there are at least 3 types of Kind bars that are delicious and completely vegan.
Considering how much in terms of calories, nutrients, proteins, vitamins, and minerals there are in these little bars, you shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to have one of their options.
Louisville Vegan Jerky
Again, yes! There is such a thing as vegan jerky. This jerky is made from soy protein, garlic, onion, and a litany of different spices, being as close to jerky you are going to get without hurting an animal to get it.
Another great thing about this brand of jerky is that it is gluten-free, GMO free, and made from local sources within the Kentucky area, so it is above board on so many levels. With 21 grams of protein per bag, it is the perfect food to have as a midnight snack.
Lenny and Larry’s Vegan Cookies
If you’ve been in the vegan game for a while, you know about Lenny and Larry’s, the vegan cookies that just won’t quit. Everyone loves them, because they are amazing.
While they can be a little pricey, it is worth the expense as each cookie is free from high-fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and sugar alcohols.
This means that they are fairly natural in their ingredient list, with the cookies unlikely to cause you or your body problems in the future.
Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Squares
Another well-known group in the vegan market game, Earth Balance, make a variety of vegan products, but none are more beloved than their vegan cheddar squares.
We admit, they are not as flavorful as the real thing, but they are an excellent alternative that will still provide you with a wonderful snack that you will love.
Conclusion
Kind bars are not vegan, unfortunately. The majority of them contain animal products, with only 3 of the 54 bars being vegan friendly (see more about what makes something vegan-friendly here). This is not great, but at least 3 are vegan and there are plenty of other vegan snacks that you can eat.
One of the most common things I talk to my clients about is calories, but so few of them actually know anything about them.
Calories is not a dirty word. If you remove emotion from it, it is simply a unit of energy.
We need calories to live and thrive, and knowing how many to consume is important to ensure that you’re living a healthy lifestyle.
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