Animal crackers are a treat that many of us grew up eating. Their primary ingredients are typically flour, sugar, and oil.
But, do they also contain dairy which is a potential unwanted ingredient for some people? This article provides the information you need to know about dairy in animal crackers. Let’s get into it…
Animal Crackers & Dairy
Below you will find a sampling of some of the most popular animal cracker brands along with their ingredients and whether each contains dairy.
In summary, most store-bought animal crackers have no dairy. However, there are exceptions.
If you wish to avoid dairy, animal crackers that are frosted or coated typically have dairy. Examples, include Mother’s and Market Pantry White Fudge animal crackers featured below.
Keep in mind that there are some non-coated animal crackers with dairy as well such as Gerber and Publix brands.
| Animal Cracker Brand | Dairy Ingredients? (Yes or No) | Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| Stauffer’s Original | No | Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2] Folic Acid), Sugar, Soybean Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Baking Soda (For Leavening), Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier), Natural Flavor, Spice |
| Stauffer’s Chocolate | No | Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Soybean Oil, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Cocoa Powder (Processed with Alkali), Graham Flour, Chocolate Liquor, Salt, Baking Soda (for Leavening), Soy Lecithin (an Emulsifier), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #6. |
| Little Bellies Organic | No | Organic Whole Wheat Flour (31%), Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Grape Juice Concentrate, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sodium Bicarbonate. |
| Barnum’s Original | No | Unbleached Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate {Vitamin B1}, Riboflavin {Vitamin B2}, Folic Acid), Sugar, Canola Oil, Yellow Corn Flour, Dextrose, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate (source of Calcium), Baking Soda, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Natural and Artificial Flavor. |
| Glutino Original | No | Tapioca Starch, Sugar, Rice Flour, Palm Oil, Tapioca Syrup, Dried Egg Whites, Cassava Flour, Less Than 2% Of: Potato Flour, Water, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color. |
| Mother’s The Original | Yes | Sugar, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Vitamin B1 [Thiamin Mononitrate], Vitamin B2 [Riboflavin], Folic Acid), Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Nonfat Milk, Cornstarch, Contains 2% Or Less Of Invert Sugar, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Baking Soda, Red 40 Lake, Confectioner’s Glaze, Yellow 5, Carnauba Wax, Blue 2 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Blue 1, Yellow 6, Red 3, Artificial Flavors, Color Added. |
| Gerber | Yes | Whole Wheat Flour, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Cane Sugar, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Invert Sugar, Less Than 1% Of: Molasses, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Calcium Phosphate), Cinnamon, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Mixed Tocopherols (To Maintain Freshness), Natural Flavor, Whey (From Milk). Vitamins And Minerals: Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), Iron (Ferric Orthophosphate), Zinc Oxide. |
| Austin Zoo Animal Crackers | No | Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Vitamin B1 [Thiamin Mononitrate], Vitamin B2 [Riboflavin], Folic Acid), Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Soybean Oil. Contains 2% Or Less Of Soy Lecithin, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Salt, Natural Flavors. |
| Kinnikinnick Chocolate KinniKritters | No | Cane Sugar, Pea Starch, Potato Starch, Non-hydrogenated Shortening (Palm Oil, Modified Palm Oil), White Rice Flour, Water, Tapioca Starch, Cocoa Powder, Tapioca Syrup, Pea Protein, Modified Cellulose, Salt, Vanilla Extract, Pea Fiber, Caramel (color), Inulin, Sunflower Lecithin, Sodium Bicarbonate. |
| Kedem | Wheat Flour, Sugars, Vegetable Shortening (Palm Oil), Corn Starch, Salt, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate), Lecithin, Sodium Metabisulfite, Artificial Flavor, Natural Antioxidant (Rosemary Extract). | |
| Wellsley Farms | No | Wheat Flour, Sugar, Soybean Oil, Invert Sugar, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Baking Soda (for Leavening), Soy Lecithin (an Emulsifier), Natural Flavor, Spice. |
| Member’s Mark | No | Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Invert Sugar, Salt, Baking Soda (For Leavening), Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier), Natural Flavor, Spice |
| Kirkland Signature Organic | No | Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cane Invert Syrup, Organic Degermed Corn Flour, Organic Sunflower Oil, Baking Soda, Organic Vanilla Extract, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Cream of Tartar, Natural Flavor, Organic Spice. |
| Kroger | No | Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Invert Syrup, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate (Leavening), Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Natural Flavor, Spices (Nutmeg, Mace). |
| Simple Truth Organic | No | Organic Enriched Wheat Flour (Organic Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Invert Cane Sugar Syrup, Baking Soda, Sea Salt, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla Extract. |
| Publix | Yes | Wheat Flour, Sugar, Vegetable Shortening (Soybean Oil, Mono- And Diglycerides, Tocopherols [Antioxidant], Ascorbyl Palmitate [Antioxidant]), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Whey, Salt, Eggs, Natural And Artificial Flavors, Sodium Bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Annatto Extract, Turmeric. |
| 365 By Whole Foods Vanilla | No | Organic Enriched Wheat Flour (Organic Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folk Acid), Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Expeller Pressed Palm Oil, Organic Invert Cane Sugar, Organic Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Organic Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate). |
| Happy Belly | No | Enriched Flour (wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, High Oleic Canola And/or Soybean Oil With TBHQ And Citric Acid For Freshness, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Contains Less Than 2% Of Calcium Carbonate, Corn Flour, Salt, Leavening (baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate), Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors. |
| Market Pantry White Fudge Animal Crackers | Yes | White Fudge Coating (Sugar, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Oil, Whey Powder, Titanium Dioxide, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Artificial Flavor), Enriched Flour (Whet Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid), Sugar, Assorted Non-Pareils (Sugar, Corn Starch, Confectioners Glaze, Fd&C Red #40, Fd&C Red #3, Fd&C Yellow #5, Fd&C Yellow 36, Fd&C Blue #1, Fd&C Blue #2, Carnauba Wax), Palm Oil, Corn Starch, Invert Sugar, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Baking Powder (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier). |
Final Thoughts
You should be careful about selecting an animal cracker product if you wish to avoid dairy. While many are dairy-free, you will find some with dairy which makes checking the label ingredients vital for someone following a non-dairy diet.
Use the above information for informational purposes only since ingredients can change at any time. The animal cracker packaging/label will provide the most accurate information related to ingredients and allergens.
Furthermore, some of the above products may be made on equipment that also processes products that contain milk or other food allergens. This means that some products may contain traces of milk even though they have no official dairy ingredients.
If avoiding trace amounts of milk is important to you, be sure to look at the packaging for statements like “made on shared equipment with milk”, “may contain traces of milk”, or “made in a facility that processes milk”. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer with questions.
Sources
Image Credit – anokarina/flickr
