Are Funyuns Vegan?

With their crispy, crunchy texture and irresistible, delicious flavors, Funyuns have become one of the most popular go-to snacks in the world. But, in a world where an increasing number of people are switching to a plant-based diet, one question remains; are Funyuns vegan?

To answer this question once and for all, we took an in-depth look at both Original and Flamin’ Hot Funyuns. Keep reading to find out what we discovered!

Are Funyuns Vegan?

If you’re in a hurry and need a short answer to your question without looking at the full ingredients list, we can tell you that neither Original Funyuns nor Flamin’ Hot Funyuns are vegan. 

Each of these contains dairy products including buttermilk, milk, and cheese. So, not only are they not vegan-friendly, but they are also unsuitable for anybody that has a dairy allergy.

If you’d like to know what else both Original and Flamin’ Hot Funyuns contain, you can find a full list of their ingredients below. 

Original Funyuns

Let’s take a look at Original Funyuns, first of all. They are arguably the most popular flavor, but are they vegan? 

Here’s a full breakdown of the ingredients that make up Original Funyuns:

  • Enriched Corn Meal
  • Corn Meal
  • Ferrous Sulfate
  • Niacin
  • Thiamin Mononitrate
  • Riboflavin
  • Folic Acid
  • Vegetable Oil (Sunflower, Corn, and Canola)
  • Salt 
  • Corn Starch 
  • Sugar 
  • Corn Flour 
  • Buttermilk Powder
  • Maltodextrin
  • Onion Powder
  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Hydrolyzed Corn Protein
  • Dextrose
  • Garlic Powder
  • Natural Flavors 
  • Gum Arabic

As we can see from the list of ingredients outlined above, Original Funyuns contain buttermilk powder. For this reason, they are not suitable for vegans. 

Flamin’ Hot Funyuns

Flamin’ Hot Funyuns are the perfect choice for anybody that likes their snacks with a spicy kick! But can you eat them if you’re following a vegan diet? Again, we took a look at the full list of ingredients to find out.

Here’s everything that goes into making Flamin’ Hot Funyuns:

  • Enriched Corn Meal
  • Corn Meal
  • Ferrous Sulfate
  • Niacin
  • Thiamin Mononitrate
  • Riboflavin
  • Folic Acid
  • Soybean Oil
  • Salt
  • Corn Starch
  • Buttermilk Powder
  • Sugar
  • Corn Flour
  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Autolyzed Yeast Extract
  • Sunflower Oil
  • Milk
  • Cheese Cultures
  • Salt Enzymes
  • Hydrolyzed Corn Gluten
  • Artificial Colors
  • Citric Acid
  • Whey
  • Onion Powder
  • Corn Syrup Solids
  • Lactose
  • Garlic Powder
  • Corn Maltodextrin
  • Non-Fat Milk
  • Sodium Caseinate
  • Disodium Phosphate
  • Sodium Diacetate
  • Gum Arabic

Since Flamin’ Hot Funyuns contain buttermilk, non-fat milk, and cheese cultures they are not vegan-friendly. It’s also worth pointing out that, even if you’re not following a 100% strictly vegan diet, the sheer number of ingredients that go into making them might make you think twice about eating Flamin Hot Funyuns anyway! 

Remember, the fewer ingredients something has (and the more natural they are), the better it will be for you. 

Vegan Alternatives to Funyuns

If you’re looking for that great Funyun taste, but want something that contains absolutely no animal products, then check out these tasty vegan alternatives.

Wise Onion Rings

These crunchy, onion-flavored rings from Wise are one the best vegan alternatives to Funyuns that you’ll ever find. Each of the ingredients that goes into making this vegan snack is plant-based, and the full list can be seen below:

  • Modified Corn Starch
  • Tapioca Starch
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Onion Powder
  • Potato Flour
  • Salt
  • Sugar 
  • Torula Yeast
  • Hydrolyzed Torula Yeast Proteins
  • Hydrolyzed Brewers Yeast Proteins
  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Garlic Powder
  • Paprika
  • Spice Extractive Flavorings
  • Yellow 5
  • Yellow 6
  • Red 3
  • Blue 1

If you would like to try this delicious vegan snack for yourself, you can find Wise Onion Rings here

Munchos Flamin’ Hot Potato Crisps

If you’re looking for a vegan alternative to Flamin’ Hot Funyuns, these Flamin’ Hot Potato Crisps from Munchos fit the bill perfectly! In fact, they are a fairly unique product as most “Flamin’ Hot” flavors across the many brands of snacks are made using milk or cheese-based ingredients. 

Munchos do not, and they are even certified vegan by Peta! Each of the ingredients that go into making this tasty vegan alternative can be seen below: 

  • Modified Corn Starch
  • Tapioca Starch
  • Vegetable Oil
  • Onion Powder
  • Potato Flour
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Torula Yeast
  • Hydrolyzed Torula Yeast Proteins
  • Hydrolyzed Brewers Yeast Proteins
  • Monosodium Glutamate
  • Garlic Powder
  • Paprika
  • Spice Extractive Flavorings
  • Yellow 5
  • Yellow 6
  • Red 3
  • Blue 1

Tempted by this Flamin’ Hot vegan alternative to Funyuns? Try them out for yourself here.

Summary

While neither Original nor Flamin’ Hot Funyuns are vegan, this doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy a snack that is perfectly matched in flavor but contains no animal-based ingredients! 

If you’re looking for an alternative to Original Funyuns, we’d recommend trying Wise Onion Rings. Or, if you’re a fan of Flamin’ Hot Funyuns, Munchos Flamin’ Hot Potato Crisps are the perfect vegan alternative. 

Adam Smith
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