We’re celebrating the spookiest day of the year with scary movies, pumpkin carving, and our favorite vegan candy. VegNews editors conducted a thorough search of the Target candy aisles, inspecting each shelf for plant-based sweets—you’re welcome.
Is candy vegan?
While not all candy is vegan, this doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of plant-based sweet treats. Thankfully, companies have started displaying “vegan” logos on packaging as plant-based eating has become more mainstream. Still, not all vegan-friendly candy will be labeled as such.
When there’s no vegan label to be found, it’s best to read the ingredients. You could be missing out on a lot of accidentally vegan candy if your only guide is a vegan marker. When reading candy labels, keep your eyes peeled for these common animal ingredients:
- Dairy: Often listed as milk, milkfat, and whey
- Confectioner’s glaze: Derived from insects, also known as “shellac”
- Carmine: Derived from insects
- Gelatin: Commonly used in gummy candy, made from boiled tendons, ligaments, or skin of pigs and cows
Vegan candy at Target
Thankfully, this big box retailer has countless vegan options in the candy aisle. Grab a cart (you’ll need one) and fill it to the brim with these 21 vegan-friendly treats.
Dum Dums
1 Dum Dums
These mini suckers have stood the test of time—every generation loves them. With 17 flavors, there’s a lollipop for everyone.
Get them here
Ring Pop
2 Ring Pops
Really, Ring Pops are just ordinary suckers … yet they somehow taste ten times better because they’re candy bling.
Get them here
Fruit by the Foot
3 Fruit by the Foot
Rolled into a ball or eaten straight off the lining, there’s no wrong way to enjoy this sweet treat.
Get them here
Smarties
4 Smarties
As of 2015, the family-run company was selling 2 billion Smarties rolls a year. Apparently, Smarties are here to stay.
Get them here
Skittles
5 Skittles
This might not be what the doctors mean when they say “eat the rainbow,” but we’re going to ignore that thought for the sake of Halloween.
Get them here
Twizzlers
6Strawberry Twizzlers
These Twizzlers will do the trick for licorice-lovers.
Get them here
Justin’s
7 Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Justin’s nut butter cups are the vegan equivalent of Reese’s. Target sells both full-sized and minis. And you deserve full-sized treats.
Get them here
Annie’s Homegrown
8 Annie’s Bunny Fruit Snacks
If kids had the opportunity to create their own dietary guidelines, gummies and fruit snacks would definitely be a food group.
Get them here
@homeisnorthhaven/Instagram
9 Gushers
Nineties throwback! While our palates have matured, there’s no doubt these squishy, artificially flavored snacks will thrill anyone under the age of 12.
Get them here
Mamma Chia
10 Mamma Chia Squeeze
The parents might steal these from their kids. The fruity flavors include Blueberry Açai, Strawberry Lemonade, and Wild Raspberry. With all the candy we’ll be consuming, we could use a little fruit.
Get them here
Oreo
11 Oreo Minis
No one can pass up milk’s favorite accidentally vegan cookie.
Get them here
@celebrateall365/Instagram
12 Fig Newtons
Were we the only ones who loved Fig Newtons as kids? These figgy bars aren’t just for old people!
Get them here
LÄRABAR
13 LÄRABAR
With flavors such as Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, you can bet these fruit-and-nut bars will be gone before the night is over.
Get them here
Clif Bar
14 Clif Bars
Go for the nut butter-filled varieties or the minis. They’re still sweet but offer a more robust nutritional profile than your standard Halloween candy.
Get them here
@costcobuys/Instagram
15 Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn
Candy can be divisive. Everyone loves kettle corn. The choice is obvious.
Get them here
Utz
16 Utz Halloween Bats & Jacks Single-Serve Pretzel Snacks
It’s an unspoken rule that every Halloween haul must include a pack of holiday-themed pretzels.
Get them here
@pauthalemarket/Instagram
17 Kool-Aid Jammers
This Halloween, we’re filling our cauldrons with Kool-Aid.
Get them here
Yum Earth
18 Yum Earth Halloween Organic Gummy Fruit
These vegan Halloween-themed gummy treats, in bat and vampire teeth shapes, are a true delight.
Get them here
19 GoMaxGo Vegan Candy Bars
You can always count on GoMaxGo to come through with tasty vegan takes on your favorite childhood candy bars. Choose from flavors like nutty Jokerz, nougat-filled Twilight, crispy 2fer, and caramelly Buccaneer.
Get them here
20 Unreal Halloween Variety Bag
This festive bag of Unreal treats includes its three best-selling vegan candies: Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, and Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars. What are you waiting for? Run, don’t walk.
Get them here
Reese’s
21 Reese’s Plant-Based Cups
All the nostalgic taste of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but dairy-free. We’re thrilled to say it’s not too good to be true.
Get them here
For more vegan Halloween treats, read:
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Tanya Flink is a Digital Editor at VegNews as well as a writer and runner living in Orange County, CA.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
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