The Best Vegan Cereals In The UK

Wondering which cereals are vegan in the UK? This post will help you out. From accidentally vegan cereal to speciality cereal, you will find a cereal you can enjoy without eggs and dairy!

Cereal is a handy, convenient food for breakfast or a snack. There are many types to choose from, including popular Kellogg’s brands such as Coco Pops, Cornflakes, Rice Krispies and Weetabix. Many people assume cereal is vegan if it’s milk-free but sadly this is not the case.

Why is some cereal not vegan?

Many cereals are made with animal derived ingredients such as milk, honey, gelatine and sometimes even eggs. Other cereals may contain non-vegan e-numbers.

Some cereals may appear to be vegan because they don’t have milk, honey, or any other animal byproducts in them. However, the most common reason cereal is not vegan is because of the vitamin D added to it.

Why is vitamin D not vegan?

The 2 most common types of vitamin D are vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). D2 is the plant-based form, whereas D3 comes from the wool of sheep. Because this is an animal-derived source, it is not vegan. There is a vegan form of D3 which comes from algae but unfortunately it’s typically the sheep’s wool D3 that is added to breakfast cereals.

Which cereals are vegan?

Luckily, there are actually quite a few vegan cereal options in the UK. Below, I’ve listed the most popular brands along with vegan and/or budget-friendly, supermarket own-brand alternatives.

Are Coco pops vegan?

No, Kellogg’s Coco Pops are not vegan. Even though they may look vegan at first glance, because they don’t contain milk, it is actually the Vitamin D they are fortified with that makes them not vegan. Many of the off-brand Coco Pop alternatives contain milk, but there are 3 vegan Coco Pops options in the UK:

• Dove’s Farm cocoa rice pops
• Tesco free-from choco snaps
• Asda free-from choco snaps

The great thing is that all three of these Coco Pop alternatives are certified gluten-free too, which is perfect for those with gluten allergies or sensitivities.

Are Rice Krispies vegan?

No, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies are not vegan. Again, this is because of the Vitamin D added to them. There are a few vegan Rice Krispie options in the UK:

• Nestle GoFree gluten-free rice pops.
• Tesco free-from rice snaps
• Asda free-from rice snaps

These can be used to make tasty vegan desserts such as Rice Krispie treats and chocolate crispy cakes.

Are Corn Flakes vegan?

Kellogg’s Cornflakes are not vegan-friendly because of the animal-derived vitamin D in them. If you’d like to try a vegan alternative, here are the brands without vitamin D added to them:

• GoFree cornflakes
• Asda free-from cornflakes
• Tesco free-from cornflakes
• Whole Earth cornflakes
• Freee cornflakes
• Asda free-from Frosted flakes (These are similar to Kellogg’s Frosties. Frosties are not vegan so this Asda version makes a great alternative.)

Is Weetabix vegan?

Yes, original Weetabix, chocolate Weetabix, banana Weetabix and Oatibix are all vegan-friendly. The Weetabix minis and protein Weetabix are sadly not vegan due to cross contamination with milk products. Other similar vegan cereals include:

• Asda wheat bisks
• Asda chocolate wheat bisks
• Tesco wheat biscuits
• Waitrose wholewheat biscuits
• Aldi chocolate protein wheat biscuits. (This makes a great alternative to Protein Weetabix).
• Morrison’s wheat biscuits

What about porridge?

Can vegans eat porridge, or oatmeal as some call it? Yes, they sure can! All oats are vegan-friendly and contain no animal byproducts. Try one of these vegan breakfast recipes using oats:

• Peanut butter porridge. Creamy, comforting porridge oats with plant-based milk and peanut butter.
• Overnight oats. A healthy breakfast, perfect for meal prepping, that can be customised to your liking.
• Flapjacks. Classically British chewy, gooey and syrupy flapjacks. Aside from the oats, you’ll only need 3 ingredients to make them.
• Protein pancakes. This pancake recipe uses ground up oats instead of flour for a healthier, fibre-filled breakfast or brunch.

More vegan cereal options:

There are plenty more branded and off-brand vegan cereals that you’ll find in the UK supermarkets. Here are some of your options:

• ELEAT cereal. This is a UK-based company that sells completely vegan cereals. Options include chocolate, cinnamon and strawberry. Even more excitingly, the cereals are gluten-free, low in sugar and high in protein.
• Shreddies. Many variations of Shreddies are vegan, including the original Shreddies, frosted Shreddies, chocolate Shreddies and some of the limited edition flavours.
• Country Crisp. All of Jordan’s Country Crisp flavours are vegan except for the chocolate & hazelnut flavour.
• Shredded Wheat. The original, bite-sized, blueberry, apricot and red berry wheats are all vegan.
• Rice Krispies multigrain shapes. The blueberry and apple, and strawberry and apple variations are vegan but the original ones are not.
• Bran flakes. Asda, Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s all make vegan-friendly bran flakes.
• Nature’s Path. All Nature’s Path cereals are vegan. They have some delicious options, including a cereal that seems to be a dupe for Golden Nuggets, as well as one for Nesquik. Yum!

I’m sure I’ve missed a few out so please let me know if there are any vegan cereals you’d like me to add to the list. And if there are any you’re unsure about, just check for the vegan label on the packaging to be on the safe side.

Summary- can vegans eat cereal?

Yes, there are plenty of vegan cereals available to buy in the UK. Popular brands such as Coco Pops and Rice Krispies are not vegan but there are vegan-friendly alternatives, and there are many brands who specifically create plant-based cereals.