Homemade cornbread for holiday meals—or even just because you want some good cornbread—is the best way to go. Not all of us have that baker’s touch, which is why most people have used Jiffy Cornbread Mix to make cornbread, and hopefully fool visiting family and friends. Now that you or a loved one has transitioned to a vegan diet and lifestyle, is Jiffy Cornbread vegan?
No, Jiffy Cornbread is not vegan. Jiffy Mix is made using lard, a semi-solid white fat obtained from the fatty tissue of a pig. However, Jiffy has launched a Vegetarian Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, which utilizes palm oil instead of lard. The best healthier vegan alternatives to Jiffy include Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix and Good Dee’s Cornbread Mix.
In this article, we will go over which products are vegan-friendly and not vegan-friendly from Jiffy Cornbread, while going over whether Jiffy Cornbread is good or bad for your health.
Contents
Is Jiffy Cornbread Bad For You?
Jiffy Cornbread contains BHT (stands for “butylated hydroxytoluene”), a lab-made chemical added to foods to preserve them. The normal, non-vegetarian, and non-vegan cornbread by Jiffy contains lard which also contains the following– hydrogenated lard, BHT, and citric acid preservatives.
It has been shown by studies published by the European Food Safety Authorities that “rats fed BHT have developed lung and liver tumors and that BHT has also been shown to cause developmental effects and thyroid changes in animals, suggesting that it may be able to disrupt endocrine signaling”. If BHT affects animals as such, why would it even be considered safe or ethical for human beings to consume this lab-made chemical?
Other additions such as monocalcium phosphate, tricalcium phosphate, and sodium acid phosphate that Jiffy Cornbread contains. Though it contains less than 2% of these, it can lead to harmful repercussions of consumed regularly.
When looking at Jiffy Cornbread’s nutritional label, it is noticeable that there is 15g of added sugar and 690mg of sodium! A diet high in sodium can hinder kidney functions, increase the risk of kidney stones (which are incredibly painful), raise blood pressure, and increase risks of heart failure, stomach cancer, osteoporosis, and stroke. Diets rich in sugar can lead to a risk of heart disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, and more.
How Do I Make Jiffy Cornbread Eggless?
There are multiple options on how to make Jiffy cornbread, or really any baked product, eggless.
Here are some options:
- Chia eggs
- Flax eggs
- Mashed banana(s)
- Applesauce
- Yoghurt (Vegan yogurt)
Nutritional Facts for Jiffy Cornbread
America’s Favorite Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
America’s Favorite Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix is not vegan-friendly. It contains “lard”, a semi-solid white fat obtained from the fatty tissue of a pig.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Wheat Flour
- Degerminated Yellow Corn Meal
- Sugar
- Lard (Hydrogenated Lard, BHT, and Citric Acid Preservatives)
- Contains Less Than 2% of:
- Baking Soda
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
- Monocalcium Phosphate
- Salt
- Niacin
- Reduced Iron
- Thiamine Mononitrate
- Riboflavin
- Folic Acid
- Wheat Starch
- CONTAINS WHEAT AND LARD
Nutrition Facts (per ½ cup mix, 78g):
- Calories- 320
- Total Fat- 9g
- Total Carbs- 56g
- Protein- 4g
Honey Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
This Honey Jiffy Corn Muffin mix comes vegetarian, not vegan due to the fact that it has “honey” in the ingredients. Honey is not considered vegan as it comes from bees, though some vegans are known as “honey vegans” are more tolerant with products that contain honey after doing research on the process of beekeeping and bee handling to obtain honey.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Wheat Flour
- Degerminated Yellow Corn Meal
- Sugar
- Vegetable Shortening (Palm Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Malted Barley Flour
- Dried Honey
- Wheat Starch
- Calcium Stearate
- Soy Lecithin
- Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
- Salt
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Baking Soda
- Ethoxylated Mono- and Diglycerides
- Artificial Flavors
- Dextrose
- Maltodextrin
- Acacia Gum
- Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides
- Ascorbic Acid
- Niacin
- Reduced Iron
- Thiamine Mononitrate
- Riboflavin
- Folic Acid
- Wheat Starch
- CONTAINS MILK, SOY, WHEAT, AND HONEY
Nutrition Facts (per ½ cup mix, 78g):
- Calories- 330
- Total Fat- 10g
- Total Carbs- 58g
- Protein- 3g
Vegetarian Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
The Vegetarian Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix thankfully does not contain any lard, milk, or honey ingredients. The mix comes vegan, so you can still enjoy Jiffy’s Cornbread.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Wheat Flour
- Degerminated Yellow Corn Meal
- Sugar
- Vegetable Shortening (Palm Oil, Soybean Oil)
- Contains Less Than 2% of:
- Baking Soda
- Tricalcium Phosphate
- Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
- Salt
- Monocalcium Phosphate
- Niacin
- Reduced Iron
- Thiamine Mononitrate
- Riboflavin
- Folic Acid
- Wheat Starch
- Natural Flavor
- Dextrose
- Corn Starch
- CONTAINS WHEAT
Nutrition Facts (per ½ cup mix, 78g):
- Calories- 330
- Total Fat- 9g
- Total Carbs- 56g
- Protein- 4g
Healthy Vegan Alternatives to Jiffy Cornbread
Freely Vegan, Cornbread Mix
Freely Vegan’s Cornbread Mix is just that—vegan! The mix combines to make a light and fluffy cornbread that satisfies your tastebuds (and your cravings!) and while remaining vegan and healthy.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Freely Vegan Flour (Whole Grain Blend [Brown Rice Flour, Sorghum Flour, Millet Flour], White Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Tapioca Flour, The Plant-Based Egg [Psyllium Husk, Flaxseed, Apple/Citrus Pectin, Agar, Milled Chia, Sunflower Lecithin], Sweet Rice Flour, Potato Flour)
- Cornmeal
- Cane Sugar
- Baking Powder (Monocalcium Phosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Non-GMO Corn Starch)
- Salt
- Vegan
- Non-GMO
- Gluten-free
- TOP 8 Allergen Free
Nutrition Facts (per ½ Package, 37g):
- Calories- 130
- Total Fat- <1g
- Total Carbs- 44g
- Protein- 2g
Bob’s Red Mill, Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix
This Gluten-free Cornbread Mix by Bob’s Red Mill is made using whole grain cornmeal and stone-ground sorghum flour to give it that rich and crumby flavor that we love in cornbread. Their mix is vegan, so you can prepare it fully to your preference!
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Whole Grain Cornmeal
- Potato Starch
- Whole Grain Sorghum Flour
- Cane Sugar
- Whole Grain Corn Flour
- Tapioca Flour
- Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Cornstarch, Monocalcium Phosphate)
- Salt
- Xanthan Gum
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
Nutrition Facts (per 3 Tbsp Mix, 31g):
- Calories- 110
- Total Fat- 0.5g
- Total Carbs- 25g
- Protein- 1g
Good Dee’s, Cornbread Mix
This classic Cornbread Mix by Good Dee’s comes gluten-free and ready to be prepared to moist, and golden perfection. Though they do not hold the “vegan” labeling, the products do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. It is up to the individual, it might simply be a case of cross-contamination issues, but consuming this product is up to the individual.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Almond Flour
- Soluble Tapioca Fiber
- Erythritol
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Salt
- Stevia Extract
- Gluten-free
- Low-carb
- No Sugar Added
- Keto-friendly
Nutrition Facts (per 1 Slice, 18g):
- Calories- 90
- Total Fat- 7g
- Total Carbs- 6g
- Protein- 3g
GF Jules, Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix
This Gluten-Free Cornbread Mix by GF Jules is not only gluten-free, but it’s vegan as well! Using non-GMO ingredients, this product is ready to be prepared into your new favorite cornbread mix.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Organic Cornmeal
- Modified Tapioca Starch
- Sugar
- Potato Starch
- Corn Starch
- White Rice Flour
- Corn Flour
- Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Non-GMO Corn Starch, Monocalcium Phosphate)
- Golden Flax Meal
- Xanthan Gum
- Sea Salt
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Non-GMO
- Kosher
- Certified Free From The Big 8 Food Allergen (Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Soy, Fish, Crustaceans)
Nutrition Facts (per ⅛ Package, 45g):
- Calories- 160
- Total Fat- 1g
- Total Carbs- 35g
- Protein- 2g
Cup4Cup, Cornbread Mix
Cup4Cup’s Cornbread Mix is made in the United States, filled with gluten-free ingredients for the perfect combo of naturally sweet cornbread. Though Cup4Cup does not list that this product is vegan, it does not contain any eggs, dairy, honey, or any other animal-based derivatives. It is up to the individual whether they wish to give this product a try.
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Corn Grits
- Corn Meal
- Cornstarch
- White Rice Flour
- Brown Rice Flour
- Tapioca Flour
- Baking Powder
- Potato Starch
- Salt
- Xanthan Gum
- Dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Kosher
- Non-GMO
Nutrition Facts (per 3 Tbsp Mix, 28g):
- Calories- 100
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 22g
- Protein- 2g
Related Questions
How to make Jiffy Cornbread pancakes?
First, you’d want to use the Vegetarian Jiffy Cornbread as the mix is vegan-friendly while the other cornbread mixes by Jiffy are not. Next, you would combine one package of the Vegetarian Jiffy Cornbread Mix with 2 tablespoons vegan butter (melted), one cup non-dairy milk, and one vegan egg (can be a flax egg or chia egg). Once the mix is done, start making your Jiffy Cornbread pancakes!
What is a Jiffy cornbread hack?
If you want your Jiffy Cornbread to taste more “homemade” add vegan sour cream or vegan buttermilk (mix one cup of non-dairy milk with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and let sit for up to five minutes). Adding ⅔ cup of either of these makes the cornbread come out moist rather than dry.