Rice Krispies, a puffed rice cereal, has been a breakfast staple for generations. Snap, Crackle, and Pop are household names in homes around the world!
At first glance, there doesn’t seem to be any reason that this rice-based cereal wouldn’t be vegan. So, if you’re wondering whether Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are vegan, you’ve come to the right place!
Unfortunately for vegan cereal lovers, Rice Krispies aren’t vegan! But, it may not be for the reason you think. Let’s take a closer look at what makes Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal unsuitable for vegans, and what plant-based options are available.
What is Veganism?
Before we dive into the non-vegan ingredients in Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, let’s take a look at what following a vegan diet entails.
Veganism is a way of life that people choose either for the health benefits or if they seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty of animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose.
This means vegans will not consume any products that contain ingredients derived from animal sources or use animal products in the production process.
This includes the obvious products like dairy, eggs, and meat, but there are also less obvious non-vegan ingredients like gelatin, certain food colorants, and bone char, for example.
What Are Rice Krispies?
Rice Krispies are a type of puffed rice breakfast cereal made by Kellogg’s. The original recipe was developed in the early 1920s, and they are still one of the most popular breakfast cereals on the market today.
Kellogg’s coined the name and the infamous recipe, but there are also a few other generic puffed rice cereals made from similar ingredients.
What Ingredients are in Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Cereal?
For the casual observer, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies seem to be made of three main ingredients, including rice, sugar, and salt.
As the name suggests, Rice Krispies are primarily made from rice, which makes up almost 90% of the cereal.
While the original Rice Krispies have remained a household favorite, there have been many variations throughout the years. For example, in the past, traditional Rice Krispies included dehydrated marshmallow pieces and were known as Marshmallow Krispies!
As all vegans know, you have to study the full ingredient list closely to be sure a product is definitely free of any animal products.
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies’ full list of ingredients includes rice, sugar, salt, malt flavor, iron (Ferric Phosphate), Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E (Acetate), Niacinamide, Vitamin A (Palmitate), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B1 (Thiamine Hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D3.
What Makes Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Cereal Unsuitable for Vegans?
If you’re vegan, or just trying to live a more plant-based lifestyle, it can be hard to keep track of all the foods that are and aren’t considered vegan. This is especially true when it comes to difficult-to-decipher ingredients!
One of the main things that suggests Rice Krispies are not vegan is that their packaging and allergen information clearly indicate they are suitable for strict vegetarians only.
This may seem strange to most vegans, as none of the main ingredients appear to be derived from animal by-products.
You would think you could make Rice Krispies cereal vegan-friendly by simply serving it with plant-based milk like oat milk or soy milk. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.
While none of the ingredients look like they are derived from animal products, Rice Krispies aren’t vegan because they contain vitamin D3!
What is Vitamin D3 and Why is it Not Vegan?
If you looked at the ingredient list of Rice Krispies, saw ‘Vitamin D’, and thought nothing of it, you’re not alone!
After all, Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for bone health and immune system function, and studies have shown it may help reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Vitamin D is a tricky ingredient to break down, as it comes in both plant-based and animal-based forms. Often, products won’t clearly identify their ingredients and will just list Vitamin D instead of indicating whether it’s D2 or D3.
This can be problematic for vegans, as Vitamin D3 is mostly derived from animals. Vitamin D3 comes from lanolin, a wax secreted by wool-bearing animals, usually sheep. It’s also known as wool yolk or wool wax.
Lanolin is extracted from sheep’s wool by washing the wool in hot water with a special detergent that helps remove everything on the wool. From there, the wool wax or lanolin is extracted through a process called solvent extraction. This means Lanolin is derived from animal by-products, making it unsuitable for ethical vegans.
Vitamin D2 on the other hand is always safe for vegans, as it is produced in fungi and yeasts in plants.
In some cases, Vitamin D3 can also be extracted from lichen, a plant-based source. This is, however, rarely used in most food products.
Vegan Rice Krispies
Nowadays, most grocery stores have a long aisle of cereals and breakfast foods! The choices are endless, from chocolate cereals and Frosted Flakes to oats and healthy granola options.
Among the many cereal options, you may find a few different kinds of puffed rice cereals. While Kellogg’s is the main producer of Rice Krispies cereal, there are a few generic brands that produce an equally tasty version that may be safe for strict vegans.
Other brands have used a similar recipe to make a healthier vegan and gluten-free alternative.
For example, Trader Joe’s Organic Crisp Rice Cereal is vegan-friendly! While this cereal has many of the same ingredients as Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, it does not contain any animal-based ingredients, making it a great vegan-friendly alternative.
Another vegan alternative is Nature’s Path Organic Crispy Rice Cereal, which is fully plant-based.
There may be a few other vegan crispy rice cereals available, depending on your location and grocery stores.
To be safe, the best thing to do is check the allergen and ingredient list of these alternative options to ensure they are safe for vegans.
Once you’ve found a vegan crispy rice cereal that you enjoy, there are a few ways to serve it!
If you’re looking for a crispy snack, eating the cereal without any plant milk is an option. You can also make a classic cereal using plant milk like oat or soy. Or if you want something different, you could add vegan yogurt to your cereal instead or make plant-based rice crispy treats!
Are Rice Krispie Treats Vegan?
One of the reasons this breakfast cereal is so beloved is that it is the main ingredient in Rice Krispie Treats.
If you’ve never had Rice Krispie Treat before, they’re a type of dessert made by combining Rice Krispies with melted gooey marshmallows. It’s sticky, sweet, and delicious!
Unfortunately, because Rice Krispies aren’t vegan and regular marshmallows also contain ingredients derived from animal by-products, these treats aren’t usually plant-based.
However, it’s possible to make vegan Rice Krispie treats by substituting a few of the main ingredients.
How Do You Make Vegan Rice Krispie Treats?
Not only are these classic treats a childhood favorite, but they’re also super easy to make for vegans! These no-bake crispy squares are a great option when you’re in the mood for something sweet.
To make one batch of these tasty vegan treats, you’ll need these main ingredients:
- 2 x 10-ounce bags of vegan marshmallows (any brand that does not contain gelatin should be safe for vegans)
- 175 grams of vegan butter (if you don’t have any vegan butter, you can use coconut oil instead)
- 8 cups of vegan Rice Krispies or any vegan cereal with a similar texture (we recommend Trader Joe’s crisp rice cereal)
- half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
Note: this crispy treats recipe is naturally sweet because of the melted marshmallows, but if you want to add a bit more sweetness, you can add maple syrup.
Once you have your ingredients, the process of making your vegan Rice Krispies Treats is fairly straightforward. Just follow these simple steps:
- Prepare a banking tray by lining it with parchment paper and spraying it with some oil or greasing it with vegan butter.
- Start by melting the vegan butter in a large pot. You can also use a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, and melt the butter in the microwave instead.
- Once the butter is melted, add the vegan marshmallows and continue stirring until they melt. You ideally want the mixture to be gooey with a few marshmallow chunks.
- Remove the large pot from the heat, add the vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
- Next, fold in the vegan cereal using a big spoon or spatula until all the cereal is coated in the melted marshmallow mixture.
- Transfer the gooey marshmallow-cereal mixture to the greased parchment paper and start pressing it down until it forms an even layer.
- Set aside in the fridge for an hour or two to cool, and then enjoy!
Pro-tip: If you want to add a little something extra to your vegan Rice Krispie Treats, you can add vegan dark chocolate chips! The melted chocolate combines perfectly with the melted marshmallows.
You’ll likely want to eat these tasty no-bake dessert squares in one go, but you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature (only if you’ll be eating them within a few hours).
Can You Make Vegan Rice Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter?
Another tasty twist on these classic crispy rice treats is to make them with peanut butter!
The great news for vegans is that most kinds of peanut butter are free from any ingredients derived from animal sources!
To make these peanut butter crispy treats, simply use the same vegan recipe as above, and add ½ a cup of peanut butter.
If you decide to make a batch of peanut butter treats, we recommend adding some extra melted chocolate on the top. To do this, melt any vegan chocolate of your choice in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
Once you have laid out the crispy mixture on the parchment paper, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top and set aside to cool.
Can Vegans Eat Rice Krispies?
Vegans cannot eat the traditional Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal because it contains animal by-products. But that doesn’t mean they have to miss out on eating crispy rice cereals!
There are a few vegan-friendly crispy rice cereals available at most grocery stores and whole foods markets, that taste just as good.! Enjoy!
