Is MILK CHOCOLATE STYLE BAKING CHIPS Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

As a food scientist, I often see products with 'style' in the title that confuse consumers. The MILK CHOCOLATE STYLE BAKING CHIPS are a prime example. While they utilize sweeteners like erythritol and stevia, which are excellent for reducing sugar, the base is not dairy-free.

The primary reason these fail the vegan test is the presence of milk and milk fat. Even though the label specifies 'rBST free' (a synthetic growth hormone), the source is still an animal. In the manufacturing of chocolate chips, milk fat (often called cocoa butter's cousin) provides a specific mouthfeel, but it is strictly an animal byproduct.

Additionally, the natural flavor is a red flag for vegans. In milk chocolate products, natural flavor is frequently derived from dairy sources to mimic that creamy profile. While the chips are low in sugar, the combination of dairy ingredients makes them vegetarian at best, but definitely not vegan.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, these chips are designed for the low-carb or keto community rather than health-conscious vegans. The bulk of the carbohydrates comes from inulin, a prebiotic fiber derived from chicory root, which helps bulk up the product without spiking blood sugar.

Because they use zero-calorie sweeteners like erythritol and stevia, the calorie count is significantly lower than standard milk chocolate chips. However, the inclusion of milk fat keeps the saturated fat content present. If you are monitoring your saturated fat intake, these still contribute to that total, despite the lower sugar content.