If you’ve ever seen an episode of the classic cartoon The Flintstones, you’ve likely heard of Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, or other Pebbles Cereal products. Fruity Pebbles branding features characters from the timeless cartoon on every box of their vibrantly colored and funky shaped cereal.
Fruity Pebbles is not considered vegan. Fruity Pebbles consists of rice, natural and artificial flavors, sugar, vegetable oil, and various coloring additives. The diverse amount of artificial flavors are routinely tested on animals, and D3 is from an animal source. The best vegan alternatives include Forager Project Strawberry O’s, Catalina Crunch Fruity Cereal, and Love Grown Fruity Sea Stars.
Known to be a gluten-free childhood favorite that melts into a swirl of color when mixed with milk or nut milk, Fruity Pebbles was sure to rock your socks off as a kid. The sweetness might be tempting, but it’s best to avoid this cereal, whether you are vegan or not. Let’s dig into the nutritional value of Fruity Pebbles, as well as healthier vegan alternatives!
Contents
The History of Fruity Pebbles
Fruity Pebbles was introduced as “Pebbles” in 1969, a spin off from Post’s Rice Krinkles cereal and manufactured by Post Consumer Brands. Both the creators of the Flintstones and the the creators of Pebbles cereal hit the jackpot as they formed a mutually beneficial relationship to help boost both of their brands and reach the same target audiences (children and families).
Thus, Pebbles products were reintroduced with characters from The Flintstones in hopes of catching the eyes of children. It was the first time in history a brand formed around a media character. Fruity Pebbles and the licensing to use the Flintstones marketing efforts became a hit with children and families alike.
After debate around naming the sugar rice cereal krinkle cereal to Flint Chips or Rubble Pebbles, really centering around the idea of the stone age and caveman imagery. The name clearly didn’t stick, and neither did the recipe. The brand evolved many different times over the course of a few decades. What originally started as three colors and flavors (natural orange, artificial lemon, and cherry) eventually became 6, including berry blue, incrediberry purple, and bedrock berry.
Now, the Pebbles Cereal that lines the shelves contains much less sugar than it did pre 2010, but what makes it not vegan? Let’s assess the ingredients and nutritional information, and history of Fruity Pebbles shall we?
Are Fruity Pebbles healthy?
Don’t be fooled by the name. Fruity Pebbles do not contain fruit, and they are far from healthy. Despite their efforts to reduce sugar by changing the amount of total sugars in each box back in 2010, Fruity Pebbles still contain artificial sugars, natural ‘flavors,’ and several ingredients that should be avoided. Among these, which is not just a red flag for not just vegans but all people, is Red Dye 40.
Red Dye 40
Red Dye 40 is a synthetic food coloring that is derived from coal tars. It contains p-cresidine, which is believed to be a human carcinogen, according to the US Department of Health. Not only is the dye known to cause adverse effects for people with ADD or ADHD, but also known to cause headaches, upset stomach, and jitteriness after consumption. In severe cases can develop mouth swelling.
Sugar
Sugar is another thing to keep a close eye on, as white refined sugar is known to be processed with bone char. Hydrogenated oils, which are known to cause inflammation, should be a red flag for vegans as well. Animals are slaughtered routinely to clear off land for oil production for oils such as palm oil, which Fruity Pebbles contains. Lastly, Vitamin D is used in many breakfast cereals but surprisingly is derived from sheep’s wool.
While there might not be any dairy products within Fruity Pebbles, many of the ingredients allow animal testing and cruelty to still exist and are just downright unhealthy.
Nutritional Facts for Fruity Pebbles
Fruity Pebbles Cereal
The nostalgic colorful little pebble shaped cereal you know and love is unfortunately full of color additives and ingredients not considered vegan friendly. It’s kosher and gluten-free, but it’s overall unhealthy.
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Sugar
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Coconut and Palm Kernel Oils)
- Salt
- Contains less than 0.5% of natural and artificial flavor:
- Red 40
- Yellow 6
- Turmeric Oleoresin (color)
- Blue 1
- Yellow 5
- Blue 2
- BHA (flavor protector)
- Vitamins and Minerals (Sodium Ascorbate–Vitamin C Source)
- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
- Niacinamide
- Reduced Iron
- Zinc Oxide (Source of Zinc)
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin D3
Nutritional Facts (per 0.75 cup/27g):
- Calories 110
- Calories from fat: 10
- Total Fat: 1g, 2% DV
- Saturated Fat: .1g, 5% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 140mg, 6% DV
- Potassium: 20mg, 1%
- Total Carb.: 23g, 8% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 1.7g, 6% DV
- Sugars: 9g
- Other Carbohydrates: 14g
- Protein: 1g, 2% DV
Fruity Pebbles Marshmallows
The marshmallows might have been fun to play around with on your tongue when you ate cereal as a child, but as it is widely known, marshmallows are not vegan friendly. In addition to the other ingredients that aren’t vegan friendly, this product is just all around something that should be avoided if you have dietary restrictions in which you do not eat dairy or animal products.
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Sugar
- Marshmallows (Sugar, modified cornstarch, corn syrup, dextrose, gelatin, artificial flavor, sodium hexametaphosphate, yellow 5, blue 1, red 40, yellow 6)
- Corn Syrup
- Canola Oil
- Salt
- Contains less than 1% of natural and artificial flavor:
- Red 40
- Yellow 6
- Turmeric Oleoresin (color)
- Blue 1
- Yellow 5
- Blue 2
- BHT (flavor protector)
- Vitamins and Minerals (Sodium Ascorbate–Vitamin C Source)
- Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
- Niacinamide
- Reduced Iron
- Zinc Oxide (Source of Zinc)
- Vitamin B3
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Reduced Iron
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin D3
Nutritional Facts (per 0.75 cup/27g):
- Calories 110
- Calories from fat: 14.5
- Total Fat: 0.5g, 1% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 160mg, 7% DV
- Potassium: 15mg, 0%
- Total Carb.: 26g, 9% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 0g, 0% DV
- Sugars: 13g
- Protein: 1g, 2% DV
Fruity Pebbles Treats
While an easy snack on the go packed with a sugary punch of flavor, Fruity Pebbles Treats bars are the most unhealthy of the three Fruity Pebbles products listed. Vegans, don’t even bother. This treat contains whey powder, gelatin, and nonfat dry and whole milk solids.
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Fructose Sugar
- Corn Syrup
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Coconut, Palm and Palm Kernel Oils)
- Dextrose,
- Gelatin (not vegan)
- Salt
- Glycerin
- Whey Powder (not vegan)
- Soy Lecithin
- Non Fat Dry and Whole Milk Solids (not vegan)
- Contains less than 1% of natural and artificial flavor:
- Red 40
- Yellow 6
- Turmeric Oleoresin (color)
- Blue 1
- Yellow 5
- Blue 2
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)
- Mononitrate (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin B12
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3)
- Reduced Iron
- Zinc Oxide
Nutritional Facts (per 1 bar/22g):
- Calories 90
- Total Fat: 2g, 3% DV
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g, 8% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 80mg, 3% DV
- Potassium: 15mg, 0%
- Total Carb.: 17g, 6% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 0g, 0% DV
- Sugars, including 9g Added Sugars, 16% DV
- Protein: 1g
Cereal Alternatives that are both Healthy and Vegan
If you’re looking for a colorful vegan-friendly crunchy cereal these days, there are plenty of other options out there.
Forager Project Organic Grain-Free O’s – Strawberry
Ditch the added sugars and colors and stick to natural ingredients that will send your tastebuds to the stars. All of Foragers products are vegan, daily-free, USDA organic, and gluten-free. The dusty pink toasted cassava O-shaped plant-based cereal is still lovely to look at but uses vegetable juice instead of harmful dyes to produce its rosy color.
Ingredients:
- Cassava Root
- Navy Beans
- Cane Sugar
- Pea Protein
- Sunflower Oil
- Vegetable Juice (for color)
- Strawberry Puree
- Natural Flavor
- Organic
Nutritional Facts (per 1 cup/32g):
- Calories 110
- Total Fat: 1g, 1% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 0mg, 0% DV
- Total Carb.: 24g, 9% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 4g, 14% DV
- Total Sugars 4g
- Includes 3g Added Sugar, 6% DV
- Protein: 4g , 7% DV
- Vitamin D: 0mcg, 0% DV
Catalina Crunch Keto Cereal – Fruity
Catalina Crunch is as stated in the title is a keto-friendly cereal that is also low carb, vegan, non-GMO, grain-free, and has zero sugar. This plant-based cereal is a splendid alternative to Fruity Pebbles as it contains no artificial sweeteners or colors, yet still has a fun assortment of colors that make breakfast fun for the whole family!
While it’s label states it is 100% vegan, it also notes that the cereal may contain traces of milk, tree nuts, or peanuts due to cross contamination when manufacturing. If you aren’t gluten intolerant this should be OK, but if you have Celiac Disease, proceed with caution or consult your doctor before trying.
Ingredients:
- Catalina Flour (pea Protein, Potato Fiber, Non-GMO Corn Fiber, Chicory Root Fiber, Guar Gum)
- Tapioca Flour
- Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Powder
- Natural Flavors
- Organic High Oleic Sunflower Oil
- Fruit and Vegetable Juice for Colo
- Calcium Carbonate
- Stevia Extract
Nutritional Facts (per 0.5 cup/36g):
- Calories 110
- Total Fat: 5g, 7% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g, 0% DV
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 110mg, 5% DV
- Total Carb.: 14g, 5% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 9g 32% DV
- Sugars: 0g, 0% DV
- Protein: 11g, 22% DV
- Vitamin D: 0mcg, 0% DV
Love Grown Truly Fruity Sea Stars Cereal
These jolly shapes are great for kids as they give you a little step into the sea with their fun starfish shapes. Certified vegan, dairy-free, kosher, and gluten-free, Truly Fruit Sea Star Cereal is a wonderful replacement for Fruity Pebbles that are still packed with flavor. While it is listed as vegan, the fine print says it is made in a facility that also contains tree nuts, milk, soy, and wheat.
Ingredients:
- Bean Blend (Navy Beans, Lentils, Garbanzo Beans)
- Brown Rice Flour
- Cane Sugar
- Natural Flavor
- Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Vegetable Juice (Radish and Purple Sweet Potato) for coloring
- Citric Acid
- Turmeric
- Paprika
- Vitamin E (for freshness)
Nutritional Facts (per 1 cup/40g):
- Calories 120
- Total Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% DV
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg, 0% DV
- Sodium: 60mg, 3% DV
- Total Carb.: 26g, 9% DV
- Dietary Fiber: 3g, 11% DV
- Sugars (including added sugars): 9g, 18% DV
- Protein: 4g
- Potassium: 2%
- Vitamin D: 0% DV
Vegan Breakfast Pairings
Still in search of a good plant-based milk to go along with your plant-based cereal? There are plenty of vegan milk options out there! Check out our article on oat milk, which is a great pairing for the fruity vegan cereals listed above, giving it an extra creamy texture.
Looking for other cereal options? Check out our articles on Peanut Butter Cheerios and Special K Cereal
Related Questions
Are Fruity Pebbles gluten-free?
Yes, Fruity Pebbles are naturally gluten-free as they are derived from rice.
Do Fruity Pebbles have Red Dye 40?
Yes, Red Dye 40 is a synthetic food coloring that is derived from coal tars. It contains p-cresidine, which is believed to be a human carcinogen, according to the US Department of Health. It is known to have adverse side effects and is tested on animals.
Do Fruity Pebbles contain dairy?
No, original fruity pebbles do not contain dairy. However, they do contain products that are sourced from animals, including sheep’s wool. Their alternative flavors such as Fruity Pebbles Marshmallows and Fruity Pebbles Treats, however, do contain dairy.