Are M&Ms Vegan? The Complete Guide (2023)

Are chocolatey M&Ms Vegan? M&Ms are a popular candy that’s known around the world. The milk chocolate center with its hard candy shell comes in many varieties. Flavors include dark chocolate, peanut butter, mint M&Ms, crispy and many more. But are they vegan? Unfortunately, M&Ms are not vegan.

Plain M&M Ingredients

The following ingredients lists of different varieties of m&ms are from the M&Ms website. Ingredients that contain animal products are in bold.

Plain M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Sugar, Cornstarch; Less Than 1% Of: Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Colors (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

The very first ingredient is milk chocolate and we can see skim milk, lactose, and milkfat listed as well. While Cocoa butter sounds like a dairy product, it is not. But unfortunately, there are large amounts of dairy.

What about the many other flavors of m&ms? Let's check out the ingredients of a few more varieties.

Ingredients of Other M&M Varieties

So plain M&Ms contain dairy. But let's check out the other flavors and varieties. Non-vegan ingredients are in bold.

Peanut M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Peanuts, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors), Sugar, Peanuts, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Palm Oil, Corn Syrup Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Red 40, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 5, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

Mint Dark Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Processed with Alkali, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors), Sugar, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Natural Flavor, Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

Crispy M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, PGPR, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors) Sugar, Crisp Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar, Barley Malt, Salt, Dextrose, Mixed Tocopherols to Maintain Freshness), Less than 2% - Cornstarch, Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2, Blue 2 Lake), Gum Acacia

Dark Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Semisweet Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Milkfat, Lactose, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors), Sugar, Cornstarch, Less than 2% - Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

Espresso Dark and Milk Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Process with Alkali, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor), Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Sugar, Cornstarch, Less than 2% of: Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Colors (Red 40, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1 Lake), Carnauba Wax, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Gum Acacia.

White Chocolate Pretzel Snowballs M&Ms Ingredients: White Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Sugar, Pretzel [Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Modified Sago Starch, Salt, Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup, Barley Malt Extract, Leavening (Baking Soda, Yeast and/or Ammonium Bicarbonate)], Less than 2% - Cornstarch, Coloring (Blue 1 Lake, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake), Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia

Crunchy Cookie Chocolate Candies Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, PGPR, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavors), Sugar, Crisp Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar, Barley Malt Extract, Salt, Dextrose, Mixed Tocopherols to Maintain Freshness); Less than 2% of: Cornstarch, Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Colors (Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1), Carnauba Wax, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Gum Acacia.

Almond M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Almonds, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial And Natural Flavors), Almonds, Sugar, Cornstarch, Less Than 1% - Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

Pretzel Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Cocoa Butter, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavors), Pretzel [Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Salt, Food Starch-Modified, Vegetable Oil (Soybean Oil, Canola Oil and/or Corn Oil), Malt, Leavening (Yeast, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate)], Sugar, Less than 2% - Cornstarch, Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Gum Acacia.

Peanut Butter Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Milkfat, Lactose, Peanuts, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors), Sugar, Peanut Butter (Partially Defatted Peanuts, Palm Oil), Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Cornstarch, Dextrose, Less than 1% - Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Salt, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Red 40, Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Propyl Gallate to Maintain Freshness, Gum Acacia.

Caramel Chocolate M&Ms Ingredients: Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Artificial and Natural Flavors, Salt), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Milkfat, Skim Milk, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Lactose, Dextrin, Salt, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Chocolate, Artificial Flavor, Gum Acacia.

Fudge Brownie M&Ms Ingredients: Semisweet Chocolate (Sugar, Chocolate Processed with Alkali, Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Milkfat, Skim Milk, Soy Lecithin), Sugar, Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Chocolate Processed with Alkali, Skim Milk, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Milkfat, Lactose, Dextrin, Salt, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Artificial Flavor, Chocolate, Gum Acacia.

Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms Ingredients: Semisweet Chocolate (Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Peanuts, Lactose, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial and Natural Flavors), Sugar, Peanuts, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Palm Oil, Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Blue 1 Lake, Yellow 6, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Blue 2), Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

M&Ms White Chocolate & Key Lime Pie Easter Candy Mix Ingredients: White Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Skim Milk, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural Flavor), Sugar, Cornstarch, Less than 1% - Corn Syrup, Dextrin, Coloring (Includes Yellow 5, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Blue 2, Red 40 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Carnauba Wax, Gum Acacia.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but ALL m&m flavors contain dairy products and are therefore not vegan. This includes the dark chocolate varieties which is disappointing as many kinds of dark chocolate don't contain any dairy.

M&Ms also contain many different artificial colors which you might want to avoid as well as the artificial flavors. In the ingredients list, there are often 10 different artificial colors! Natural flavor is an ingredient as well and there's no way to tell what that actually is.

Are M&Ms Not Even Vegetarian?

If you are reading this in the UK, you might be surprised to learn that m&ms made there might not be suitable for a vegetarian diet. M&Ms UK won't say specifically what ingredients in it are meat related, but they did say that additives from an animal source are used in the making of them.

That being said, it would be such small amounts, more like traces of animal products. There isn't any actual meat! But people should be aware of these hidden additives.

Vegan M&M Options

But can you have your vegan diet and your chocolates with candy coating too? Yes you can! There are vegan options out there that make similar candies without milk products.

Little Secrets: Little Secrets Chocolate Pieces have several flavors similar to M&Ms such as mint, peanut butter, and dark chocolate. The peanut butter flavor is NOT vegan but the dark chocolate and the mint do not contain milk.

No Whey Foods: No Whey Foods make Choco No No candies which are vegan friendly. In fact, all of their chocolate candy is vegan including their chocolate bars! Check them out at www.nowheychocolate.com.

Unreal: Another option is Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems which are a great alternative to peanut M&Ms. Another flavor of Unreal candies - the Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Gems - are vegan and similar to crispy M&Ms. However, you need to read the ingredients on all of their products as not all of Unreal's candies are made from vegan chocolate.

Head to Amazon to purchase any of these candies. I wouldn't suggest that any of these are good for you, but they are a bit healthier than regular M&Ms. Instead of artificial colorings, spirulina extract and beat juice color many of them.

Homemade Vegan M&M Recipe

But what if you aren't happy with any of the varieties listed? Believe it or not, there are actually recipes online detailing how to make your own m&ms! I can't imagine rolling hundreds of tiny balls of vegan chocolate and then dipping them into the coating.

However, if you're interest, check out the recipe Healthy Vegan M&Ms by Chocolate Covered Katie. If you try to make them, leave me a comment below as I would love to hear how they turned out.

FAQ

Are Peanut M&Ms vegan?

Unfortunately, peanut M&Ms contain dairy products and are not vegan.

Are M&Ms halal?

No, unfortunately M&Ms are not halal.

Are Dark Chocolate M&Ms vegan?

Although sometimes dark chocolate is dairy-free, Dark Chocolate M&Ms contain dairy products.

Summary

I hope some day that all the big candy companies start make varieties of their chocolate candies without cows milk. How about a Twix Vegan? Or Vegan Snickers bars? If that sounds like only a dream, then it's time to wake up because it's already started.

Nestle launched a vegan version of a Kit Kat called KitKat V. Check out Nestle's article Take A Plant-Based Break - Vegan KitKat Is Here for more information. Unfortunately they aren't sold everywhere yet, only in select countries. But they are sold in the UK which might make up for their m&ms made with animal products.

In the meantime, we can support the companies that are doing the right thing and making candies without the use of animal products. Hopefully, the other companies will catch on that making a vegan version is not only good for us, but good for them (financially) as well.

Are you wondering whether other kinds of candy are vegan? Check out: