CAUTION: Products May Appear More Vegan Than They Are!

I don't know about you but I can definitely say that I have officially arrived at label fatigue!!!  Upon entering the world of veganism decades ago (I just aged myself lol) I began participating in the daunting task of reading and interpreting labels on consumer products to ensure all ingredients were devoid of animal products, meaning they were cruelty free (not necessary plant based).  I have watched over the years how society as a whole has come to accept vegans into mainstream society, with new products popping up at markets on the daily. In addition, plant-based menu options are becoming readily available at fast-casual eateries as well as even the most unlikely of restaurants.  Vegan-dedicated joints are also sprouting up more and more.  I can honestly say I am thrilled to see this happening today, since I was teased and made to feel like a freak or outcast more times than I care to remember over the years.  Veganism is so familiar now that I have become somewhat lax about grocery shopping, assuming at first glance that many products are vegan when in fact, they actually contain some kind of unsuspecting animal product (grrrr).  With so many tasty and satisfying foods being plant-based and/or cruelty free (including SOME vegan cheeses), it begs the question, WHY???  WHY must I discover animal products in my otherwise vegan products and WHY must I always have to read the fine print (I often forget my glasses)???  I'm fortunate that I don't have any allergies so if I am careless and don't bother reading packages, labels or ingredients, should I consume honey, milk, whey protein, eggs or even dehydrated chicken, it wouldn't result in anything life threatening, just feeling like an idiot!  My advice to you would be not to become complacent.  Don't be lured by the flashy packaging or plant-friendly words. For the most part, products mean what they say.  To be certain, trust but verify.  Skip down to the line following the ingredients where it says "contains" or "may contain traces of...". Take a few minutes and make sure you have your reading glasses on you and do your due diligence... for the sake of the animals!!! Fortunately, there are plenty of 100% vegan alternatives to choose from where you don't have to settle for those products from companies that just couldn't help themselves. Should you care to take it one step further, feel free to contact such companies to "plant" the idea of substituting plant-based alternatives in place of their current animal ones. You'd be surprised...many folks either just don't know or don't exactly have faith in the integrity of vegan ingredients. I would venture to say they may be willing to try.  It's worth a shot...we can't give up in our quest to become a cruelty-free society.

Here are just some examples of some products I "fell" for which contain animal ingredients.  Please feel free to comment below to add to this list.