Are you interested in finding out if Rice Krispie Treats are vegan?
Rice Krispie treats are snacks made from Rice Krispies and sold under the Kellogg’s brand. These treats are made by melting butter over a saucepan. Marshmallows are added. Stir Rice Krispies cereal into the cereal until it is nicely coated. The mixture must then be transferred into a 13x9x2 inch pan coated with cooking spray and left to cool.
These deliciously crispy treats are a favorite among many children but are they vegan-friendly? Continue reading to find out.
Table of Contents
Are Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats Vegan?
The answer is: No
Rice Krispie Treats are not suitable for vegans because they contain ingredients such as milk, gelatin and natural and artificial flavors which contain animal based ingredients or ingredients such as sugar that may have come in contact with animals.
What Are Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats Made Of?
Nutritional Information
Ingredients
Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats are made from the following ingredients:
Toasted rice cereal (rice, sugar, salt, malt flavor, niacinamide, reduced iron, vitamin B2 [riboflavin], folic acid), corn syrup, fructose, vegetable oil (soybean and palm oil with TBHQ for freshness), sugar, corn syrup solids. Contains 2% or less of vegetable glycerin, dextrose, gelatin, natural and artificial flavors (contains milk), salt, DATEM, acetylated monoglycerides, soy lecithin, BHT for freshness.
Why Are Rice Krispie Treats Not Vegan-Friendly?
Rice Krispie Treats contain ingredients that are not vegan. Let us go into deeper detail on why these ingredients are not vegan.
- Sugar: Comes from sugar canes or beets. Sugar from beets is vegan but sugar from sugar canes is a bit more ambiguous. This is because this sugar may undergo a filtering process involving bone char. Bone char is animal bones that have been burned at high temperatures until they are a powder-like substance. We can assume that the sugar used in Rice Krispie Treats is not vegan because of the contact it makes with bone char.
- Milk: Milk is an animal byproduct and is not a part of the vegan diet.
- Gelatin: Made from boiling animal skin, tendons, ligaments, and bones and that is why the gelatin in this product is not vegan.
- Natural and artificial flavors: May be sourced from animals or plants. It is unclear where Kellogg’s sources their natural flavors from. Artificial flavors are controversial because they are often tested on animals which is unethical and considered as animal cruelty.
Final Thoughts
Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats have been popular and loved for many years. However, they are not vegan-friendly. This is because they contain ingredients that are not vegan because they are animal byproducts, and some because of ethical reasons. Milk and gelatin are clearly not vegan while sugar and natural and artificial flavors are ambiguous.
We must note that Kellogg’s is making strides towards sustainability and being environmentally responsible by making their cereal packaging recyclable and supporting farmers worldwide. We can only hope that they will also make moves to incorporate more vegan products under their brand.
For more information please visit www.kelloggs.com.