Is STIR-FRY VEGGIES & SAUCE Teriyaki Vegan?

The Ingredient Breakdown

At first glance, the ingredient list for STIR-FRY VEGGIES & SAUCE Teriyaki appears to be a standard frozen meal. You have your Cooked enriched macaroni product and a colorful mix of carrots, broccoli, sugar snap peas, red bell peppers, baby cob corn, and mushrooms. These components are generally vegan-friendly. The trouble begins when we analyze the complex composition of the sauce.

The primary non-vegan culprit is hidden within the flavorings. The ingredient list explicitly includes roast beef type flavor and beef extract. These are concentrated flavoring agents derived from animal tissue, used here to create a savory, umami-rich profile that mimics traditional teriyaki. Even if the product were marketed as a vegetable stir-fry, the inclusion of beef extracts confirms it is not plant-based.

Additionally, the sauce contains lactose (listed as part of the milk ingredient). Lactose is a sugar found in milk, making this product unsuitable for vegans and those with dairy allergies. Furthermore, the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce components contain wheat, meaning this product is not gluten-free.

Nutritional Value

From a nutritional standpoint, STIR-FRY VEGGIES & SAUCE Teriyaki is a calorie-dense meal primarily due to the pasta and the sugar content in the sauce. The sauce contains sugar and high fructose corn syrup, contributing to a higher glycemic load than a standard serving of steamed vegetables.

While the vegetable blend provides fiber and vitamins, the sodium content is significant due to the multiple sources of salt, soy sauce, and tamari. It fits within the diet limits of a standard omnivore's daily intake but may be high in sodium for those monitoring blood pressure. It is a convenient source of carbohydrates and some protein (from the wheat and yeast extracts), but it is not a 'low-calorie' food by strict definition.