Pop-tarts feel like a pretty defining part of my childhood. I’d always get to have pop tarts for breakfast on my birthday which otherwise would only be the ever-so-occasional snack. And oh how I loved them.
I would happily sit and dunk them into a glass of milk while watching my favorite shows and the world would seem just so blissfully happy at that moment.
As I got older, and became vegan, pop-tarts slowly became all but a distant memory. Something I enjoyed long ago that was no longer something suitable for me to eat. Or at least I thought.
Turns out, I probably should have done a little more digging into whether these delicious snacks are actually vegan. Because spoiler alert – some are! All those painfully pop-tart-devoid years…for nothing.
Now, I wouldn’t want the same fate for any of my other lovely vegans amongst us, so I thought I would take the time to let you all know exactly which pop-tarts are still up for grabs containing no animal products whatsoever.
So, let’s get straight to it.
Are Pop-Tarts Vegan?
Alas, in the majority of cases, no pop-tarts don’t tend to be vegan. With that being said, there are a few strong remaining survivors that are vegan. Yay.
It’s a little bit of a case of good news, bad news here. The good news is that there are still pop-tarts to snack on. The bad news is that you won’t have many flavors to choose from. In fact, there are all but three flavors that are appropriate for a vegan diet.
And the villain to blame here, perhaps besides Kellogg’s, is the icing.
Typically, pretty much any pop-tart has no animal products or byproducts in their pastry or their fillings. Except for Chocolate Fudge, Frosted Chocolat Chip, and Frosted Cookies and Creme.
The frosting that is smothered over the top of that pastry, though, that contains gelatin in its icing.
Meaning that not only is it not appropriate for vegans, but vegetarians can’t snack away at them either. Boo, gelatin-containing frosting! *Insert the world’s biggest frowny face here.*
Thankfully, a scarce few frosting-free pop-tarts remain meaning there is still something for the pop-tart-loving vegans and vegetarians. The last three unfrosted flavors include:
- Unfrosted Blueberry
- Unfrosted Strawberry
- Unfrosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon
Luckily, in my humble opinion, these are some of the most scrumptious flavors out there. The brown sugar cinnamon might be simplistic, but it goes to prove that you don’t need super fancy flavorings to make a delicious treat.
And in terms of other brands of pop-tarts, well things don’t look much better for those of us with dietary requirements.
There’s Bobo’s which does offer a few unfrosted plant-based flavors, but even Nature’s Path’s unfrosted flavors still contain honey and dairy in their glazes. There’s just no need – I need my pop-tarts!
Vegan Pop-Tart Recipes
I won’t lie, it was definitely still super exciting news to me that there was even just one pop-tart out there for me to dunk into my dairy-alternative milk come my next birthday. But with that being said, the lack of options is still bitterly disappointing.
Surely they can create a few great-tasting vegan versions of the good stuff? It’s not that hard.
How do I know it’s not that hard? Because I’ve made them myself. And if you’ve got those cravings that only a pop-tart could satisfy, then you don’t necessarily have to cart yourself to the store and scour the shelves for one of the elusive three flavors.
You can just make some yourself – and everything tastes nicer when you bake it yourself.
The key to the perfect pop-tart is getting that flaky crust just right. While it’s a fairly simple thing to make, don’t be too disheartened if it doesn’t go just right the first time. Practice makes perfect after all.
My Favorite Vegan Pop Tart Recipes
1. Homemade Vegan Strawberry Pop-Tarts
Why settle for an unfrosted pop-tart when you could smother your own homemade versions in a scrumptious vegan-friendly frosting? With no artificial flavors but plenty of flavor, it’s almost a no-brainer.
You can choose whether to make your own jam or use a store-bought option. I guess your choice will really just come down to how much spare time you have on your hands.
2. Fruity Vegan Supersized Pop-Tart
Bigger and better than ever, this is the pop-tart to end all other pop-tarts. But don’t be deceived by its supersize, it is all too easy to make this pop-tart disappear in a matter of minutes.
Devine and delicious, this recipe will soon make you forget about those branded flavors that you can’t eat. Kellogg’s Who?
3. Healthy Vegan Gluten-Free Cinnamon Sugar Pop Tart
Not only is this amazing tasting pop-tart vegan, but it’s also gluten-free too meaning that it’s suitable for pretty much everybody! I love a totally inclusive dessert, yay!
Again, this one is made mega-sized and will have you feeling like it’s you that has shrunk down in size. It’s made using oats and almonds, though, so the only people it won’t be appropriate for are those with nut allergies.
4. Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Pop-Tarts
I adore rhubarb anything so it’s probably not surprising that this has made its way onto my top four list. The bitterness of the rhubarb contrasts amazingly with the sweetness of the strawberries and it’s just so good.
And that’s before you’ve doused them in a stunning pomegranate-spiked drizzle. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
Final Thoughts
It’s definitely a bag of mixed feelings when it comes to pop-tarts. On the one hand, I’m just so thankful to be able to eat any of the flavors that I’ll take what I can get. On the other hand, it’s a little disappointing that there’s such a lack of flavors.
Especially since all it would take is introducing more unfrosted flavors to make the choice so much more varied.
But so is life, I suppose.
The good news, though, is that there are plenty of scrumptious vegan pop-tart recipes out there so we can still calm those all-encompassing pop-tart cravings.
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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