I don't often buy pre-packaged snack foods: lately I'm more of a whole, fresh produce sort of guy, or at least I'm trying real hard to be. But there are sometimes instances when it's entirely appropriate to devour fake, hyper-processed, and completely delicious edibles. My health-conscious tendencies tend to dissolve when I'm at the movie theater and want to suckle a bucket of carbonated corn syrup in the air-conditioned darkness, for example. It's a ritual and I'm not giving it up. When I do need to satisfy a sugar craving, the ingredients lists on mass-marketed snacks can sometimes be confounding. It's not always the easiest to tell whether something comes from an animal or not. Luckily, PETA has compiled a list of common grocery store foods that are entirely vegan. It's a handy reference for irresponsible vegans going on late night sugar binges--or for normal folk who just like throwing snacks into their grocery lists. Either way, here are a few surprises off the list. 

Fruit by the Foot

Just because it's gooey doesn't mean it's made of gelatin. To be fair, it's not really fruit, either. Just flattened, stretched, and coiled sugar. But delicious!

Goya Custard Flan Mix

I guess when you distill flan down to its bare, powdered essence, you lose all the eggs that make up most custards. I'm not sure if the instructions on this call for eggs or milk, but at least in its purchasable form, this pre-flan mix is entirely free of animal secretions. 

Swedish Fish

Both fish-free and surprisingly empty of gelatin. These have been a favorite since I was a wee one--and now there's no reason to give them up. Except maybe fear of tooth decay. But that's generally not reason enough for me. 

Kellogg's Pop Tarts (Unfrosted)

The frosting may be milky, but the tart itself isn't--so long as you get the brown sugar, blueberry, or strawberry kind. And let's face it, strawberry has always been the best kind of pop tart. Now you know there's no need to miss out just by going vegan. 

Murray Butter Cookies

Surprisingly butter-free! False advertising isn't always a bad thing. Nabisco's Nutter Butters are also delightfully void of animal fats. True story.

Sour Patch Kids

This is another one I was sure would be full of powdered animal, but there's no gelatin here either. Just corn and food coloring. Good to know my staple movie theater snack is safe.

Krispy Kreme Apple Pies

Yup. Just apples. And non-animal mystery goo. 

Pillsbury Apple Turnover

Same with this one. That little dough boy's more vegan friendly than I'd thought. 

Thomas New York Style Bagels

I always figured bagels had to be eggy. Guess there's a way to do 'em without. 

Jell-O Instant Banana Cream Pudding

Don't you just love when things like "cream" in the name turn out to be patently false? Again, this one's a mix, so I'm not sure if the instructions call for milky business, but even if so it's probably easy enough to work around with the power of milk substitutes. 

Duncan Hines Creamy Home-Style Frosting

I always assumed anything labeled "home-style" was bursting with lard. But there you go--even the creamiest of home-styles can take a walk on the vegan side. 

Red Bull

That "taurine" isn't actually derived from bulls, despite what the paranoid rumors might tell you.