When I transitioned to being a vegan I wish I would have had a list of things that were vegan in one place. A reference book of sorts. As time has gone on I've learned from trial and error. I've learned to always read labels and then read them again to double check.
Breadcrumbs (see I got smart!) When I use breadcrumbs (if I don't make them myself), I turn to these. Whole Wheat and a nice rough texture. I've found these in my regular, well stocked, grocery store.
Butter There are more expensive brands out there that some prefer over this brand but I find those brands less available to me and I just can't stomach paying almost $5 for a small thing of butter. By the way, it's not really butter, obviously, but I think I call it butter because I've always called it that. It's like calling a tissue a Kleenex even if it's not.
Peanut Chews I try to not eat junk food or candy very often but sometimes a craving is just a craving and it needs to be satisfied. Once in a while, in my pre-vegan days, I'd eat one of those fun size Snickers bars that my Dad always seems to have and I sort of miss having one every once in a while. That was until I found these. They don't taste exactly like a Snickers but they are pretty darn close. I plan on buying these in bulk around Halloween for the kids that come to my house. I might sneak a few for myself also.
Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers We love our crackers in my little family and I was so pleased to see that these fit the vegan bill. They do contain, further down the ingredient list, HFCS, which annoys me but we don't eat these so often that I worry about it much. It's not like it's the second ingredient like it was in the jelly I bought once.
Betty Crocker Bac-O's I eat usually one giant salad a day and sometimes I like a little crunch and a different flavor. I wouldn't dare use real bacon bits but I'll use these with wild abandon and I often do. I live life on the edge, I know.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls It's an ongoing joke in my family that we need to buy a TON of these tubes for family get togethers because one of my brother's eats them like crazy. Who doesn't? It was a pleasant surprise to hear they are vegan. *Throws fist in the air and pumps it* I could make these plain, add some Smart Balance butter, use veggies dogs to make pigs in a blanket or even add some jelly for a dessert. The options are limitless.
Oreo Cookies So, I have to be honest here and say that when I found out these were accidentally vegan I practically ate 7 containers worth. Then I remembered that I was vegan for health reasons also, so I needed to cut back on the super junk food. But it's sure nice to know that if there's a bowl of them around at a party somewhere that I can feel at least partially good about reaching for one of these delicious cookies.
Bisquick Baking Mix Usually I make my own pancakes from whole wheat flour and other ingredients but I always keep a box of this on hand for those spur of the moment pancake attacks. Sometimes a girl needs to just throw a few things in a bowl, stir them up and be done with it. And sometimes she's got a two-year-old tugging at her pants telling her to hurry it up already, sheesh lady.
Swedish Fish These little guys saved my movie going career. It also gave me a great option of candy to disperse to the little kids last Halloween. I didn't think they'd appreciate me giving them apples or kale. I love these little things so much. The Swedish fish, that it.
Once I bought plain breadcrumbs (Walmart store brand) and was shocked to see, after I'd used half the container, that my plain breadcrumbs contained a list of ingredients a mile long and that they contained milk. I was floored. Plain apparently isn't plain to all people.
Here's a short list of products that I know to be vegan and that my family and I use on a regular basis.
Breadcrumbs (see I got smart!) When I use breadcrumbs (if I don't make them myself), I turn to these. Whole Wheat and a nice rough texture. I've found these in my regular, well stocked, grocery store. Butter There are more expensive brands out there that some prefer over this brand but I find those brands less available to me and I just can't stomach paying almost $5 for a small thing of butter. By the way, it's not really butter, obviously, but I think I call it butter because I've always called it that. It's like calling a tissue a Kleenex even if it's not. 
Peanut Chews I try to not eat junk food or candy very often but sometimes a craving is just a craving and it needs to be satisfied. Once in a while, in my pre-vegan days, I'd eat one of those fun size Snickers bars that my Dad always seems to have and I sort of miss having one every once in a while. That was until I found these. They don't taste exactly like a Snickers but they are pretty darn close. I plan on buying these in bulk around Halloween for the kids that come to my house. I might sneak a few for myself also. 
Ritz Whole Wheat Crackers We love our crackers in my little family and I was so pleased to see that these fit the vegan bill. They do contain, further down the ingredient list, HFCS, which annoys me but we don't eat these so often that I worry about it much. It's not like it's the second ingredient like it was in the jelly I bought once.
Betty Crocker Bac-O's I eat usually one giant salad a day and sometimes I like a little crunch and a different flavor. I wouldn't dare use real bacon bits but I'll use these with wild abandon and I often do. I live life on the edge, I know.
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls It's an ongoing joke in my family that we need to buy a TON of these tubes for family get togethers because one of my brother's eats them like crazy. Who doesn't? It was a pleasant surprise to hear they are vegan. *Throws fist in the air and pumps it* I could make these plain, add some Smart Balance butter, use veggies dogs to make pigs in a blanket or even add some jelly for a dessert. The options are limitless. 
Oreo Cookies So, I have to be honest here and say that when I found out these were accidentally vegan I practically ate 7 containers worth. Then I remembered that I was vegan for health reasons also, so I needed to cut back on the super junk food. But it's sure nice to know that if there's a bowl of them around at a party somewhere that I can feel at least partially good about reaching for one of these delicious cookies. 
Bisquick Baking Mix Usually I make my own pancakes from whole wheat flour and other ingredients but I always keep a box of this on hand for those spur of the moment pancake attacks. Sometimes a girl needs to just throw a few things in a bowl, stir them up and be done with it. And sometimes she's got a two-year-old tugging at her pants telling her to hurry it up already, sheesh lady. Last but never least...
Swedish Fish These little guys saved my movie going career. It also gave me a great option of candy to disperse to the little kids last Halloween. I didn't think they'd appreciate me giving them apples or kale. I love these little things so much. The Swedish fish, that it.I should point out that none of these things, except maybe the breadcrumbs and the Bisquick, are healthy. But I would assume that I don't need to tell anyone that broccoli, whole wheat bread with the least amount of ingredients and soy milk are vegan. It's all about making healthy choices that you can live with. But at the same time it's OK to live a little and eat an artificially colored gummy fish now and again.
Hey I just wanted to write real quick to say I love y'alls blog and thanks for taking the time to teach us new ways to eat healthier. Well ok except maybe this post with you know the oreos and swedishfish lol. ;p Can't wait to get more ideas from you gals!
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