We grew up with the Reese’s Puffs commercial—the ridiculously catchy rap—and we’ve enjoyed their other chocolate peanut butter treats, like Reese’s Pieces! Now, are they vegan?
No, Reese’s Pieces are not vegan. They contain milk, an animal byproduct which is not vegan-friendly. The best healthier alternatives to Reese’s Pieces which are also vegan include Unreal Snacks Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems, Hu Cashews and Vanilla Bean Hunks, Nelly’s Organics Organic Peanut Butter and Coconut Bar, and Barnana Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites.
Continuing through this article, we will go over why Reese’s Pieces aren’t good for you, why they aren’t vegan-friendly, and provide healthy, vegan alternatives to enjoy.
Contents
Are Reese’s Pieces Bad For You?
Yes. Reese’s Pieces are high in sugar content, that is added sugar. Consumption of high sugar products can lead to weight gain and chronic diseases (normally linked to excess weight and/or weight gain). Too much added sugar in one’s diet leads to health issues such as cavities or tooth decay, weight gain, inflammation, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, kidney and liver disease, and more. As with anything high in sugar, or sodium, this food should not be consumed often or regularly. Having it as a treat on special occasions is best for one’s health.
Reese’s Pieces are also high in calories. Let’s be honest, most people aren’t going to stop at the recommended serving size, despite the fat, and sugar. All of these coincide and link to issues such as weight gain, risk of type 2 diabetes, and other health risks.
Are Reese’s Pieces Gluten-Free?
Yes, Reese’s Pieces are gluten-free! They are labeled gluten-free, though they are not certified. There is a list of Hershey’s Reese’s that are gluten-free, they include:
- Reese’s Original Peanut Butter Cups (all gluten-free except season shaped items)
- Reese’s Fast Break Bar
- Reese’s Nutrageous Bar
- Reese’s Unwrapped Mini Minis (Milk Chocolate and White)
- Reese’s Pieces Candy (all gluten-free except Reese’s Pieces Eggs)
- Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cups (all gluten-free except seasonal shaped items)
Nutritional Facts for Reese’s Pieces
Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Candy
Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Candy is not vegan. They contain dairy, milk in this instance, that is not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Sugar
- Partially Defatted Peanuts
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Dextrose
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Corn Syrup
- Palm Kernel Oil
- Salt
- Confectioner’s Glaze
- Modified Cornstarch
- Lecithin
- Artificial Color (Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake)
- Vanillin
- Carnauba Wax
- Milk
- CONTAINS MILK, PEANUTS, SOY, AND YELLOW #5
Nutrition Facts (per 38 Pieces):
- Calories- 150
- Total Fat- 7g
- Total Carbs- 19g
- Protein- 3g
Reese’s Stuffed With Pieces, Miniatures Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
These Reese’s Stuffed With Pieces Miniature Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are not vegan. They contain dairy, milk chocolate in this instance, that is not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin, PGPR)
- Peanuts
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Partially Defatted Peanuts
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Salt
- Palm Kernel Oil
- Corn Syrup
- Artificial Color (Yellow 6 Lake, Yellow 5 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake)
- Confectioner’s Glaze
- Lecithin
- Modified Cornstarch
- TBHQ
- Citric Acid
- Carnauba Wax
- Vanillin
- CONTAINS MILK, PEANUTS, SOY, AND YELLOW #5
Nutrition Facts (per 3 Pieces):
- Calories- 130
- Total Fat- 7g
- Total Carbs- 16g
- Protein- 2g
Reese’s Stuffed With Pieces, Big Cup Milk Chocolate King Size Peanut Butter Cups
These Reese’s Stuffed With Pieces Big Cup Milk Chocolate King Size Peanut Butter Cups are not vegan. They contain dairy, milk chocolate in this instance, that is not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Nonfat Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin, PGPR)
- Peanuts
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Partially Defatted Peanuts
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Palm Kernel Oil
- Artificial Color (Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake)
- Confectioner’s Glaze
- Lecithin
- Modified Cornstarch
- TBHQ
- Citric Acid
- Carnauba Wax
- Vanillin
- CONTAINS MILK, PEANUTS, SOY, AND YELLOW #5
Nutrition Facts (per 1 Package):
- Calories- 400
- Total Fat- 22g
- Total Carbs- 46g
- Protein- 8g
Reese’s, Milk Chocolate Snack Size Peanut Butter Cups
These Reese’s Milk Chocolate Snack Size Peanut Butter Cups are not vegan. They contain dairy, milk chocolate in this instance, that is not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Chocolate, Skim Milk, Milk Fat, Lactose, Lecithin, PGPR)
- Peanuts
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Salt
- TBHQ
- Citric Acid
- CONTAINS MILK, PEANUTS, AND SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 2 Pieces):
- Calories- 160
- Total Fat- 9g
- Total Carbs- 18g
- Protein- 3g
Reese’s Pieces, Easter Peanut Butter Eggs
These Reese’s Milk Chocolate Snack Size Peanut Butter Cups are not vegan. They contain dairy, milk in this instance, that is not vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Sugar
- Partially Defatted Peanuts
- Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Corn Syrup Solids
- Dextrose
- Contains 2% or Less of:
- Artificial Color (Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 2 Lake, Red 40 Lake, Blue 1 Lake)
- Corn Syrup
- Palm Kernel Oil
- Carnauba Wax
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Modified Cornstarch
- Lecithin
- Confectioner’s Glaze
- Vanillin
- Milk
- CONTAINS MILK, PEANUTS, AND SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 9 Pieces):
- Calories- 140
- Total Fat- 7g
- Total Carbs- 18g
- Protein- 3g
Healthy Vegan Alternatives to Reese’s Pieces
Unreal Snacks, Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems
If you’re looking for healthy alternatives to Reese’s Pieces, these Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems by Unreal Snacks are your best, healthy vegan-friendly bet. Colored using natural sources, like beets and spirulina, these guilt-free treats use no artificial ingredients.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Dark Chocolate (Chocolate Liquor, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Vanilla)
- Roasted Peanuts (Peanuts, Peanut Oil)
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Gum Acacia
- Colored with (Beet Juice, Spirulina Extract)
- Organic Tapioca Syrup
- Carnauba Wax
- Vegan
- Non-GMO
- CONTAINS PEANUTS
Nutrition Facts (per 13 Pieces, 30g):
- Calories- 150
- Total Fat- 10g
- Total Carbs- 16g
- Protein- 3g
Hu, Cashews & Vanilla Bean Hunks
Hu is unrivaled in the industry with their high-quality products, containing no “natural flavors”, all-organic ingredients, while keeping their products vegan and gluten-free. They believe flavor and high-quality, natural ingredients are the path to the journey for unrivaled taste.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Organic Cashew
- Organic Cacao
- Organic Unrefined Coconut Sugar
- Organic Fair-trade Cocoa Butter
- Sea Salt
- Organic Vanilla Bean
- USDA Organic
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Kosher
- Paleo
Nutrition Facts (per 1 oz, 28g):
- Calories- 170
- Total Fat- 12g
- Total Carbs- 10g
- Protein- 4g
Nelly’s Organics, Organic Peanut Butter & Coconut Bar
This Organic Peanut Butter & Coconut Bar by Nelly’s Organics is deliciously vegan (I’ve had these bad boys, and I’m promising you, they’re 10/10 on the yummy scale). High in protein, this bar contains important vitamins–vitamin E, vitamin A—and essential fatty acids and fiber, all while using only organic and healthy ingredients.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts)
- Organic Raw Coconut
- Organic Raw Pumpkin Seeds
- Organic Raw Blue Agave
- Organic Raw Coconut Oil
- Pink Himalayan Salt
- Organic Chocolate Coating:
- Organic Chocolate Liquor
- Organic Cacao Butter
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Vanilla
- Vegan
- USDA Organic
- Dairy-free
- Low-sodium
- Kosher
- Palm Oil-free
- Soy-free
- No Preservatives
- CONTAINS PEANUTS AND TREE NUTS
Nutrition Facts (per 1 Bar, 45g):
- Calories- 260
- Total Fat- 18g
- Total Carbs- 17g
- Protein- 7g
Barnana, Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
Combining creamy peanut butter and rich dark chocolate, Barnana’s Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites are vegan-friendly. These bite-sized treats are healthy, organic, and low in sodium, making them the perfect alternative you needed!
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Peanut Butter Cup Coating (Dried Cane Syrup, Cacao Beans, Certified Sustainable Palm Kernel Oil, Peanut Flour, Cacao Butter, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin)
- Bananas
- Peanut Flour
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Kosher
- Low-sodium
- USDA Organic
- CONTAINS PEANUTS AND SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 1.4 oz, 40g):
- Calories- 185
- Total Fat- 8g
- Total Carbs- 25g
- Protein- 2g
Justin’s, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
The perfect healthy alternative to Reese’s Pieces and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are all organic, using Rainforest Alliance Certified palm oil. This wonderful peanut butter chocolate treat is organic, vegan, and gluten-free!
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Organic Dark Chocolate (Organic Evaporated Cane Sugar, Organic Cacao Beans*, Organic Cocoa Butter*, Organic Soya Lecithin [Emulsifier])
- Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Ground Peanuts)
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Organic Peanut Flour
- Organic Palm Oil
- Sea Salt
- Organic Sunflower Lecithin
- *Rainforest Alliance Certified ™
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- USDA Organic
- Low-sodium
- Kosher
- CONTAINS PEANUTS AND SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 1 Pack, 40g):
- Calories- 220
- Total Fat- 14g
- Total Carbs- 20g
- Protein- 4g
Related Questions
If you’re a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate, and especially a sucker for baked goods and Reese’s Pieces, then you need to head over to Hershey’s website where they have their own Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter Cookies recipe!
What is Reese’s Pieces history?
Harry Reese developed the famous Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Five decades after that bountiful creation, Hershey designed Reese’s Pieces. The bite-sized Reese’s Pieces was originally termed, “PBS”, before the name changed to “Reese’s Pieces” and influx a successful launching of the product.