Is Salt Water Taffy Vegan? (No, Here’s Why)


Is Salt Water Taffy Vegan

You’ve seen them at Cracker Barrel and local candy stores, the simple white wrapper branding Salt Water Taffy for its long-time-coming popularity. You might even have been raised on the iconic saltwater taste of these candies, but are they vegan-friendly? 

Salt Water Taffy is not vegan as it contains egg whites and milk derivatives. Though this can come as a bummer, especially if you were raised on them, we can, fortunately, tell you that there are alternatives to this candy. The best healthier and vegan alternatives to Salt Water Taffy are Zollipops Zaffi Taffy and Cocomels Coconut Milk Caramels.

As we proceed through this article, we’ll inform you of the ingredients that make Salt Water Taffy non-vegan, while providing vegan-friendly alternatives to enjoy on movie nights. Let’s get started!

Is Salt Water Taffy Bad For You?

A longtime popular candy, is Salt Water Taffy good or bad for you? When considering the ingredients lists, then no, Salt Water Taffy is not good for you. They don’t contain healthy and clean ingredients, with artificial flavors and colors being a common theme in their nutrition label for their products. Each of their products contains added sugars, too, like their Harvest Taffy Mix which contains twelve grams of added sugar.

This is unnecessary when considering the newfound usage of natural ingredients (like plants) to flavor and color foods, that have been proven to be successful in many health-conscious brands. Like with any sweets or processed foods, Salt Water Taffy should be consumed sparingly to prevent any repercussions like weight gain. 

Nutritional Facts for Salt Water Taffy (Not Vegan)

Harvest Taffy Mix

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Corn syrup
  • Sugar
  • Coconut oil
  • Sea salt
  • Egg whites
  • Evaporated milk
  • Malic acid
  • Citric acid
  • Pumpkin spice
  • Sunflower lecithin
  • Titanium dioxide
  • Cocoa
  • Natural and artificial flavor
  • Artificial colors (including FC&C Blue 1, Red 3, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6)
  • Gluten-free
  • CONTAINS EGG WHITES AND MILK

Nutrition Facts (per 4 pieces, 28g):

  • Calories- 110
  • Total Fat- 2g
  • Total Carbs- 22g
  • Protein- 0g

Taffy Town’s Harvest treats mix contains flavors like cran-raspberry, candy corn, caramel corn, pumpkin pie, maple, pomegranate, and caramel apple. The Salt Water Taffy by Taffy Town unfortunately is not vegan as it contains egg whites and milk.

Sugar Cookie

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Corn syrup
  • Sugar
  • Palm oil
  • Sea salt
  • Egg whites
  • Evaporated milk
  • Sunflower lecithin
  • Natural and artificial flavor
  • Artificial colors (including FC&C Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6)
  • Gluten-free
  • CONTAINS EGG WHITES AND MILK

Nutrition Facts (per 4 pieces, 28g):

  • Calories- 110
  • Total Fat- 2g
  • Total Carbs- 22g
  • Protein- 0g

Made in the USA, Taffy Town’s products, like this Sugar Cookie Salt Water Taffy, are filled with unique and amazing flavors. Unfortunately, the Salt Water Taffy by Taffy Town is not vegan as it contains egg whites and milk.

Bubble Gum

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Corn syrup
  • Sugar
  • Coconut oil
  • Sea salt
  • Egg whites
  • Evaporated milk
  • Natural and artificial flavor
  • Artificial color (including FC&C Red 3)
  • Gluten-free
  • CONTAINS EGG WHITES AND MILK

Nutrition Facts (per 4 pieces, 28g):

  • Calories- 110
  • Total Fat- 2g
  • Total Carbs- 22g
  • Protein- 0g

This Bubble Gum Salt Water Taffy by Taffy Town’s products is the popular childhood candy. Unfortunately, the Salt Water Taffy by Taffy Town is not vegan as it contains egg whites and milk.

Healthy Vegan Alternatives To Salt Water Taffy

Zollipops, Zaffi Taffy Clean Teeth Taffy

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Maltitol syrup
  • Palm oil
  • Erythritol
  • Xylitol
  • Citric acid
  • Mono & diglycerides
  • Sunflower lecithin
  • Salt
  • Beetroot juice
  • Natural flavor
  • Ascorbic acid
  • Stevia
  • Sugar-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • No artificial colors
  • Kosher

Nutrition Facts (per 5 pieces, 30g):

  • Calories- 70
  • Total Fat- 3g
  • Total Carbs- 20g
  • Protein- 0g

Zaffy Taffy was created by kidpreneur, Lola Morse, who brought up the idea of eliminating sugar from taffy (so she could get away with eating more taffy). This product is certified vegan, as well as gluten-free, and kosher!

Cocomels, Coconut Sugar Coconut Milk Caramels

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water)
  • Organic Tapioca Syrup
  • Organic Coconut Sugar
  • Sea Salt
  • Organic Vanilla Extract (Water, Organic Ethyl Alcohol, Organic Vanilla Bean Extractives)
  • Xanthan Gum
  • Vegan
  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Cholesterol-free
  • Corn syrup-free
  • CONTAINS TREE NUTS (COCONUT)

Nutrition Facts (per 6 pieces, 40g):

  • Calories- 130
  • Total Fat- 4g
  • Total Carbs- 20g
  • Protein- 0g

Using a blend of creamy coconut milk to get that rich and bold flavor of caramel, Cocomel’s Coconut Milk Caramel’s only use organic ingredients. Vegan and gluten-free, these tasty treats are the candies you need to stay healthy and enjoy them guilt-free.

Zollipops, The Clean Teeth Pops

Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Isomalt Syrup
  • Erythritol
  • Citric Acid
  • Natural Flavors
  • Natural Colors (Annatto Extract, Turmeric, Redbeet Root Juice, Spirulina, Blueberry Juice)
  • Orange Oil
  • Stevia
  • Vegan
  • Sugar-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free

Nutrition Facts (per 1 piece, 12g):

  • Calories- 25
  • Total Fat- 0g
  • Total Carbs- 12g
  • Protein- 0g

A guilt-free treat, Zollipops has produced candies that clean your teeth while remaining healthy and damage-free if you want to consume a whole bag (not that we recommend this!). These treats are great for kids and is diabetic-friendly, while of course, being vegan!

Other Vegan Alternatives to Salt Water Taffy

Sour Patch Kids, Original Soft & Chewy Candy

SOUR PATCH KIDS & SWEDISH FISH Soft & Chewy Candy Variety Pack, 18 Snack Packs Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Sugar
  • Invert sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Modified corn starch
  • Contains less than 2% of:
    • Tartaric acid
    • Citric acid
    • Natural and artificial flavor
    • Yellow 6
    • Red 40
    • Yellow 5
    • Blue 1
  • Vegan

Nutrition Facts (per 16 pieces):

  • Calories- 150
  • Total Fat- 0g
  • Total Carbs- 37g
  • Protein- 0g

“First they’re sour, then they’re sweet”–we’ve all heard the tagline with the humorous commercials on television. Sour Patch Kids are surprisingly vegan! At first, when you see the Red 40 in the ingredients list, you may be cautious but according to PETA, Sour Patch Kids are vegan-friendly. You can find the reference here on PETA’s website for 16 Popular Vegan Snacks

Swedish Fish, Soft & Chewy Candy

Swedish Fish Soft & Chewy Candy (Original, 3.5-Pound Bulk Bag) Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Sugar
  • Invert sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Modified corn starch
  • Contains less than 2% of:
    • Citric acid
    • White mineral oil
    • Natural and artificial flavor
    • Red 40
    • Carnauba wax 
  • Vegan

Nutrition Facts (per 5 pieces, 30g):

  • Calories- 110
  • Total Fat- 0g
  • Total Carbs- 80g
  • Protein- 0g

Another “accidental” vegan-friendly alternative to Salt Water Taffy is Swedish Fish! Containing no gelatin, this classic favorite gummy is a staple at the movie theaters. Be cautious though, some of the products contain beeswax (but not this one!). 

Airheads, Variety Pack Assorted Fruit Bars

Airheads Candy Variety Bag, Individually Wrapped Assorted Fruit Mini Bars, Party, Non Melting, 12 Ounces Ingredients for this flavor include:

  • Sugar
  • Corn syrup
  • Maltodextrin
  • Dextrose 
  • Modified food starch (corn)
  • Palm oil 
  • Contains less than 2% of:
    • Citric acid
    • Water 
    • Artificial flavors
    • Red 40
    • Blue 1
    • Yellow 6
    • Yellow 5
  • Vegan
  • Wheat-free
  • Soy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Milk-free 

Nutrition Facts (per 31.2g):

  • Calories- 130
  • Total Fat- 1g
  • Total Carbs- 30g
  • Protein- 0g

As a kid, Airheads were a designated staple candy for school lunches, yummy treats, or field trips. And guess what? It’s vegan-friendly! Verified by PETA, Airheads are now a-go for vegans! 

Related Questions

Is Salt Water Taffy gluten-free?

Though the ingredients don’t list any notable wheat ingredients, they do not have the label that certifies them as “gluten-free”. It’s up to the individual’s discretion, but if you have a high intolerance to gluten, then testing out the theory is not recommended. 

Is there a Salt Water Taffy beer?

The first of its kind, Saltwater Taffy IPA 7.6% is brewed in Maryland, conjoined with the iconic saltwater taffy company, Dolle’s. With a citrus-y sweet taste of lemonade along with other fruity notes, this Saltwater Taffy Beer is one of a kind. 

How to make Salt Water Taffy from scratch?

Curious about making your own saltwater taffy? Check out How to Make Salt Water Taffy from Scratch

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Kaelyn Buzzo

Kaelyn Buzzo is a certified personal trainer, nutrition coach, and a writer. She’s been vegan for over four years and has a passion for health and fitness. You can find her with her fur-babies, writing, or playing volleyball.

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