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Vegan Cereal List: Which US Cereals Are Vegan?

By PhilippeIngredient checks Reviewed Oct 2026 · US recipes

Most big-brand US breakfast cereals aren't vegan, and milk isn't the reason. The usual culprit is vitamin D3, added to fortify the cereal and usually made from lanolin, the waxy grease in sheep's wool. A few cereals also use gelatin or honey.

Cereals we've checked

Cereal Status What decides it
Frosted Flakes Not vegan Vitamin D3.
Apple Jacks Not vegan Vitamin D3.
Corn Pops Not vegan Vitamin D3.

These verdicts come from the US boxes as reported in the sources below. We'll add full pages as we check each one.

Cereal Status Notes
Froot Loops Not vegan Vitamin D3.
Cheerios (Original) Not vegan Vitamin D3. Cheerios sold in some other countries don't use it.
Honey Nut Cheerios Not vegan Honey, plus vitamin D3.
Cinnamon Toast Crunch Not vegan Vitamin D3.
Raisin Bran Not vegan Vitamin D3.
Lucky Charms Not vegan The marshmallows contain gelatin.
Frosted Mini-Wheats Not vegan Gelatin in the frosting.
Cap'n Crunch (original varieties) Vegan Some seasonal versions add confectioner's glaze.
Post Shredded Wheat Original Vegan Whole grain wheat, with nothing added.
Good & Gather Organic Frosty Flakes (Target) Vegan Organic corn, organic cane sugar and sea salt.

How to check a cereal box

  1. Look at the vitamins and minerals list. It's usually the last part of the ingredient panel. "Vitamin D3" or "cholecalciferol" means the box probably isn't vegan. "Vitamin D2" or "ergocalciferol" is fine.
  2. Check the marshmallows and frosting. Cereal marshmallows and some frostings are set with gelatin.
  3. Look for honey. It's obvious in "honey nut" cereals, but it also turns up in granolas and clusters.
  4. Check sprinkles and shiny coatings. Some seasonal cereals use confectioner's glaze.

Unfortified cereals with short ingredient lists, such as plain shredded wheat and many organic store brands, are the safest choice.

Who makes these cereals now

Kellogg's US cereal business (Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops) became WK Kellogg Co in 2023 and was bought by Ferrero in September 2025. Cheerios, Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are General Mills brands. A new owner can mean a new recipe, so we re-check these boxes regularly.

Every page in this guide

FAQ

Why isn't cereal vegan if it has no milk in it?
Because of how it's fortified. Many US cereals add vitamin D3, which is usually made from lanolin, the grease in sheep's wool. The cereal has no dairy, but the vitamin comes from an animal.
Is vitamin D2 vegan?
Yes. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is made from fungi or yeast. Vitamin D3 can also be vegan when it comes from lichen, but cereal makers rarely use that source or say so.
Are Cheerios vegan?
Not in the US. Original Cheerios are fortified with vitamin D3, which is usually lanolin-derived, and Honey Nut Cheerios also contain honey.
Is it fine to eat cereal with vitamin D3 anyway?
That's a personal call. The D3 is a tiny amount of a by-product, and some vegans accept it. We mark these cereals as not vegan because the ingredient comes from an animal, and we name it so you can decide.

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Sources and how we checked

We reviewed the sources below in Oct 2026.

Spotted a recipe change? Tell us and we'll re-check.