When people think of veganism, they still think of salad. This astounds me. I went vegan back in 2016 when Beyond Burgers didn’t exist, and Ben & Jerry’s only had two non-dairy flavors. But even then, there was vegan candy. Today, there’s even more. With so many vegan options in reach of the majority of the population, the justification for abusing animals continues to plummet.

You may think all candy is vegan because, for the most part, meat isn’t a trendy sweet treat. However, there are plenty of sneaky animal by-products hiding in your favorite confections.

Common Non-Vegan Ingredients in Candy are:

• Carmine (Ground beetles – used for color)
• Dairy (Cow’s breast milk – used for flavor and texture)
• Gelatin (Animal bones and collagen – used for texture)
• Honey (Bee vomit – used for texture and sweetener)
• Shellac (Bug excrement – used for shine)
• Artificial Coloring and Flavor (Tested on animals)

It should be noted that artificial coloring and flavoring are, by themselves, plant-based ingredients. However, these elements have a dark history of being tested on animals (like most things). It is up to you if you would like to support companies that use these ingredients (no one will take away your”‘vegan-card” if you do) or not. Personally, I used to eat them but have recently made the decision to stop. I much prefer the natural coloring from fruits and vegetables in my sweets or none at all.

Here are some of my favorite vegan candy brands. No need to check for animal products; each of these companies has been certified vegan.

Yum Earth is not only vegan but also organic, allergen-friendly, and free from artificial dyes and flavors. Yum Earth can be found at most health stores and popular grocery stores like Target and Woodman’s. You can also shop the full line of their products here.

Here are just some of the candies Yum Earth sells:

• Lollipops
• Gummy Bears
• Fruit Snacks
• Chews (Starburst alternative)
• Licorice
• And more

Vegobears are the new vegan gummy bear everyone is raving about. These non-GMO and organic gummy bears come in three delicious flavors and textures. With natural coloring from veggies, fruits, and berries, there’s no funny business here. Their products can be found at most major retailers or on their website.

These are their flavors:

• Malibu Foam (Cherry and Raspberry Foam)
• Venice Beach Sour (Lemon, Apple, and Pineapple)
• Santa Monica Sweet (Banana, Pineapple, and Strawberry)

Dandies’ Vegan Marshmallows are not only vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, artificial-free, and kosher, but also local. These fluffy treats are made right here in the Chicagoland area. They can be found at most grocery stores. Use their store locator to find a supplier near you.

Here are some of their flavors:

• Vanilla
• Jumbo Vanilla
• Mini Vanilla
• Peppermint
• Pumpkin
• Maple

My overall favorite vegan candy company is Katjes. Katjes is a German vegan candy company made for hippies by hippies. They source all of their natural and raw ingredients locally and have been carbon-neutral since 2020. They abstain from artificial ingredients as well as palm oil (a plant-based ingredient that is destroying the Bornean rainforests). They are also family-owned and ensure that they take good care of their community and our planet in all of their business practices. Although Katjes is a small candy company, you can still buy some of their products in person at World Market. If you can wait for shipping, head over to their website to see their entire product list.

My favorite Katjes candies are:

• Peace & Love
• Party Fred
• Sheroe’s Mix

There are many “accidentally” vegan candies available in every store. Sour Patch Kids, Dots, Skittles, and so on are all considered plant-based candies. However, they do contain artificial food coloring. If that ingredient is something you would like to abstain from, your choices are more limited. However, you should always do what you feel is best for you and your animal rights journey.