It can seem pretty daunting when you first start thinking about going vegan. Not only are you throwing out a whole host of staple foods–like meat, fish, cheese, and eggs–but you’re also going to have to start reading that tiny writing on the back of the packet to see if the manufacturer has managed to sneak in things like gelatin or milk powder.

It gets to the point where you feel like you can only eat something if it has the word “VEGAN” stamped across the front of the packet.

Pretty frustrating, huh?

Well, while we can’t quite save you from the daily drudgery of checking the ingredients, we can at least steer you in the direction of the right products. There are, in fact, plenty of normal household foods that can be manufactured without the need for animal products and although we can’t vouch for every company, most are starting to catch on.

Vegan Sandwich Fillers

They might not be glamorous, but almost all of us eat sandwiches. They’re quick, easy, and filling.

Now you probably won’t be surprised to learn that most loaves of bread are absolutely vegan friendly, but what might surprise you is that, in this case, Quorn actually has you covered.

Most vegans will be aware that Quorn–a company known for their meat substitutes–have a terrible habit of filling their products with milk powder making them fine for vegetarians and for the fitness market, but excluding vegans.

In recent years, however, Quorn have put some effort into retooling a few of their recipes and now have a variety of vegan sandwich fillers including ‘chicken’ and ‘ham’ slices.

Love it or hate it, you might also want to give marmite a second thought. This controversial sandwich spread is undeniably vegan and has more uses than you might have realized.

Even if you find the taste of marmite overpowering in a sandwich, you’ll find that adding a teaspoon or two of marmite to something like a satay sauce can give it a little extra salt and a lot of extra flavor.

Curries Can Be Vegan

If you like curries then you’re in luck, because curries are some of the easiest and most flavorsome vegan meals you can make.

Yes, a lot of curry recipes will contain meat or fish, but once you substitute those–and even just a vegetable curry can be delicious–you’re on a roll!

• Spices: vegan
• Coconut milk: vegan 
• Rice: vegan
• Vegetables: SO VEGAN!

A quick google will find you tons of great vegan curry recipes and you’ll be amazed how few ingredients you have to change!

Yes, Even Vegan Junk Foods

Vegan food and health foods are often marketed together. There’s an unspoken assumption that if something is vegan it’s therefore healthier and while this is often the case, going vegan doesn’t mean you have to abandon your sweet and salty snacks.

Now jelly sweets are usually a no-go area for both vegans and vegetarians, but that might be starting to change.

Even Haribo–a company who are notorious for their use of both gelatine and beeswax in their products–have several vegan friendly options. Rainbow Twists (Sour), Soft Jelly Bears, Rainbow Spaghetti,and Rainbow Strips Zing, are all vegan friendly and just as tasty.

A surprisingly safe bet when it comes to vegan junk food is the chips aisle. There are a few companies–such as lays–who try to market themselves on ‘authentic’ meat flavorings, but for most, even when it comes to meat flavored chips, it’s often cheaper and easier to make a product everyone can enjoy.

Of course, we all know a healthy diet is about more than just snacks, but it’s good to treat yourself once in a while!