Short version: we answer from the manufacturer’s or restaurant’s own published ingredient and allergen data. We name the source. When a brand does not publish enough to be sure, we say so instead of guessing.
Who writes this site
CanVegansEat is written and maintained by its editorial team rather than by a single named expert. We are not dietitians, and nothing here is medical advice. What we do is unglamorous and specific: we read what brands publish about their own products, and we report it accurately.
We think that is a more useful promise than a byline. You should not have to trust us — you should be able to check the source we cite.
How we decide whether something is vegan
- We start from the brand’s own data. Manufacturer ingredient statements, restaurant allergen charts and official nutrition guides. Where a brand publishes a dietary tag such as “Vegan”, we use it and say so.
- We cite the source and the date we checked it. Formulations and menus change; an undated claim rots quietly.
- We do not use other vegan blogs as evidence. They have the same staleness problem we are trying to avoid, and errors propagate.
- We distinguish vegan from vegetarian. This is the most common mistake in this subject. “Vegetarian” on a menu routinely means eggs and dairy are present.
- We report cross-contamination when the brand states it. Shared fryers and shared surfaces matter to a lot of readers, and brands often bury it.
When we cannot answer
Plenty of brands publish nothing useful. Some restaurant chains disclose no ingredients at all; some publish an allergen chart that covers nine allergens and never mentions frying oil.
In those cases we say the item is unverifiable and name the specific unknown — the batter, the frying medium, the dressing, the stock. We would rather give you the right question to ask staff than a confident answer we cannot support.
What we are still working through
We are reviewing this site against the standard above, and we are not finished. As of July 2026, 41 pages have been fully re-checked against current brand sources. The rest are queued, worked through by how many people read them.
Older pages may still contain claims we have not re-verified. Where a page has been reviewed, its update date reflects a genuine editorial check rather than a routine re-save. We are telling you this because a review programme you cannot see is indistinguishable from no review programme at all.
Things worth knowing before you rely on any vegan guide
- Recipes change without announcement. Check the label on the packet in your hand — it beats any website, including this one.
- The same brand differs by country. Unless stated, our sources are the US versions of products and menus.
- Franchises vary. An individual location can change its oil, its supplier or its prep.
- “No milk declared” is not “certified vegan”. Allergen law covers allergens, not animal products. Honey, gelatin, carmine and shellac are not allergens and often go undeclared.
Found something wrong?
Tell us and we will fix it. If a brand’s published data contradicts something on this site, that brand’s data wins and we will correct the page.
