As a vegan, it is common to have to double or even triple-check whether a product is suitable for you to consume, and while some items out there say they are vegan, they may not be, so we have done the research for you and are here to answer your questions. We may have some good news if you have been wondering whether the famous Ritz Cracker is suitable for a vegan diet. Still, you should read on to find this and other important information if you reintroduce them into your diet because it is not as easy.
Have you ever been to a party where they served a range of nibbles, and while you load your plate up with all the yummy foods like hummus, olives, breadsticks, and garlic mushrooms, you can't help but gaze longingly at the ritz crackers in the distance, not knowing whether you should or shouldn't take a few? Of course, these popular crackers are ideal for every kind of vegan dip or spread, but when you are unsure if they suit vegans, you tend to go without them.
Now, with our exciting information, you may soon be reaching for all the ritz crackers you see, so let's look at our findings below.
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What Are Ritz Crackers? The famous cracker
If you have never had a Ritz cracker but are perhaps looking at which foods may be vegan or not, then here is all you need to know. You may be familiar with this logo since it is a product sold worldwide, and it has been on supermarket shelves since 1934 in the United States. While the original Ritz cracker is disc-shaped and features a light spritz of salt, a host of other flavors have emerged since it all began.
It is not uncommon to see an entire shelf filled with Ritz flavors such as Original, Roasted Vegetable, Honey Wheat, Garlic Butter, Reduced Fat, Hint of Salt, Whole Wheat, Everything, and Ritz Fresh Stacks. Believe it or not, the Ritz cracker has even become a sandwich and can be found in peanut butter and cheddar cheese flavor. So while we ask ourselves, 'Are Ritz Crackers Vegan?' we must break it down because not all of these flavors are precisely vegan friendly. But don't worry, we will get to that further.
While the original Ritz crackers are deliciously tasty, the sweet tooths out there may have been drawn to the confectionary version, in which they have teamed up with Cadburys to offer a dairy milk cracker sandwich, but is this vegan-friendly? To get to the bottom of it, let's look at the range of crackers to see whether or not they are suitable for vegans and, if so, which ones you can pack into your shopping cart during your next visit to the grocery store.
Are Ritz Crackers Vegan? We may have good news
If you are salivating at the thought of a Ritz cracker and cannot wait to hear the answer to the question 'Are Ritz Crackers Vegan,' then let's not keep you waiting. Here is all you need to know about the correlation between the delectable Ritz Cracker and the vegan diet. The short answer is YES; however, don't rush to the store just yet, because Ritz carries both vegan and non-vegan crackers, and it is essential to know which ones are suitable for you to consume and which ones you should avoid, like the plague. As well as this, there may even be some hidden ingredients that you may not think twice about since they don't technically come from animals, but strict vegans should take note of these before rushing to the store to grab a packet of Ritz Crackers.
So let us break it down for you.
Are Ritz Crackers Vegan? Yes, a few are, and here are the vegan-friendly options.
- Originals (Original, Roasted Vegetable, Garlic Butter, Reduced Fat, Everything, Whole Wheat, Hint of Salt)
- Crisp & Thins (Salt and Vinegar, Barbecue, Tabasco)
- Toasted Chips (Multigrain, Pita)
- Cracker Sandwiches (Peanut Butter)
- Seasonal (Snowflake)
- Bacon Ritz (Natural Smoke Flavor)
Are Ritz Crackers Vegan? Not all of them – let's take a look below.
- Originals (Honey Wheat) - contains non-vegan honey.
- Crisp & Thins (Original Creamy Onion & Sea Salt, Cream Cheese & Onion, Cheddar, Jalapeño Cheddar)
- Fresh Stacks (Original, Whole Wheat)
- Bits (Peanut Butter, Cheese)
- Toasted Chips (Original, Cheddar, Sour Cream & Onion, Veggie)
- Cracker Sandwiches (Cheese)
- Seasonal (Fudge)
- Cheese Crispers (Four Cheese & Herb, Cheddar)
Why Are Some Ritz Crackers Vegan and Some Are Not? - Let us explain
Ritz Crackers seem to be a safe bet when looking for a quick, easy, and vegan-friendly option, but as we mentioned, not all of them are safe bets. One of the big giveaways is that some of the varieties contain traces of milk, and it is essential to watch out for this warning on the nutritional information. When it comes to the Honey Wheat original crackers, these contain natural honey, which is not vegan friendly, of course. In contrast, the Bacon Ritz, which you may believe is non-vegan at first glance, contains a natural smoke flavor, not real bacon. Take a look at the products list here, which will let you know which of your favorites may have traces of milk or not.
While many of the Ritz Crackers varieties are vegan friendly, if you look at the ingredients list, it is essential to recognize which ones may contain traces of milk and have been used with the same equipment as those which are non-vegan. As well as this, let us take a look at the ingredients list of the original Ritz Crackers below:
Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Soybean Oil, Sugar, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Salt, Leavening (Baking Soda and Calcium Phosphate), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soy Lecithin, Malted Barley Flour, Natural Flavor.
At first glance, these ingredients appear to contain no animal products, making many of the Ritz Crackers vegan friendly. However, it is unclear how the sugar and natural flavors are sourced, which could determine the honest answer to the question – Are Ritz Crackers Vegan? However, from a dietary standpoint, many of the varieties of Ritz Crackers are suitable for vegans and do not contain any animal products apart from honey, which we mentioned above.
Good news, right?
There are some varieties of Ritz that you will notice immediately are non-vegan, such as the entire Cheese Blend range, which contains real cheese, milk, and its derivatives, as well as the Fudge covered crackers that you will spot on the shelves during the holidays. So, while it may be easy to assume that all Ritz Crackers are vegan, it is always best to double-check the product list, even if you are 99% sure it is vegan – You never know!
And on that note, here are some things you SHOULD know when choosing Ritz Crackers.
Are Ritz Crackers Vegan? Important things to know
From a nutritional standpoint, Ritz Crackers are not as bad as some other processed foods; however, they are not the healthiest. Considering they contain sugar, salt, and fat, they are best consumed in moderation since we all know that not all foods deemed vegan-friendly turn out to be the healthiest choices. There are a variety of healthy versions of Ritz out there if you want to cut out all the nasties, but let's face it, there is nothing like an original Ritz Cracker, so as long as you don't eat them in excess, there is no harm in a delicious vegan treat.
While we have mentioned a few of the Ritz Crackers which are vegan and non-vegan, there are some that you can assume are not vegan such as Garlic Butter or Barbeque, which don't contain animal ingredients, so it is always best to refer to the elements for total clarity. The good news is there are many vegan Ritz options; you just need to seek them out and enjoy them.
Regarding the nutritional facts regarding Ritz Crackers, here is an outline of what to expect per 5 crackers.
- 80 Calories
- 5g Fat (1g Saturated)
- 105mg Sodium
- 10g Carbohydrates (1g Sugar)
- 1g Protein
- 2% RDI of Calcium
- 4% RDI of Iron
Final Thoughts – Are Ritz Crackers Vegan?
So, now that we have uncovered the answer to the question 'Are Ritz Crackers Vegan?', we can safely say that those following a vegan diet will have plenty of choices regarding which crackers to indulge in. Strict vegans should undoubtedly be aware of particular ingredients which we have listed above and decide whether they would instead source an alternative Ritz Cracker or not. However, it is excellent news that many Ritz Crackers out there contain no animal ingredients.
Yes, leading a vegan lifestyle can be tricky at times, trying to uncover the ingredients of your favorite foods and snacks and the source at which they are processed. Still, we learn more and more every day that there are a host of vegan-friendly options we don't need to give up; plus, it is the ultimate way to practice the art of 'conscious eating,' also known as 'mindful eating.'
So now that you know which Ritz Crackers are vegan and which may not be, you can consciously decide which to indulge in, all