Trying to figure out whether Grands! Biscuits are safe for vegans to consume can be challenging.
The makers of refrigerated pastries often mask their ingredients behind vague terms such as “natural flavors,” and even when they do list out all the components of their products, it can be difficult to determine whether or not those ingredients are vegan.
To make sure that you are only consuming food that aligns with your vegan lifestyle and diet, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production process of Grands! Biscuits.
Here’s what I found out.
Are Grands! Biscuits Vegan?
No. Grands Biscuits are not vegan.
Grands! Biscuits is a Pillsbury brand that produces ready-to-bake canned biscuits. They are popular with people who want the taste of homemade biscuits without having to put in the effort. Unfortunately for vegans, these biscuits are not an option, as they contain animal-derived ingredients.
All Pillsbury biscuits contain sugar, dextrose, mono- and diglycerides, and butter, while some biscuits contain milk and milk ingredients, such as whey, buttermilk, cream, and cheese. Milk and its derivatives are a big no-no for vegans because they come from animals.
Refined sugar and dextrose, on the other hand, are plant-based, but they are often processed with bone char, which is made from the ground-up bones of cows. Bone char is used to process sugar and dextrose to make them whiter. Unless the sugar is labeled as “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined,” it’s likely that bone char was used in its production. Bone char’s use is declining, and there’s always the chance that your sugar wasn’t filtered with it, but strict vegans won’t want to take that chance.
Mono- and diglycerides can be from both plant and animal-based sources. However, animal-based mono- and diglycerides are more commonly used in the food industry because they are cheaper.
With these animal-derived ingredients, the glaring truth is that Pillsbury biscuits are not vegan.
Are Grands! Biscuits Cruelty Free?
No. Grands! Biscuits are not cruelty free.
Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits may not have been tested on animals at any point in their production, but they do contain artificial colors, which are regularly tested on animals.
Animal testing is an outdated and gruesome practice that involves subjecting animals to painful and often deadly experiments. And this practice needs to end. There are many alternative methods to testing products that don’t involve animals, and companies need to start utilizing these methods. So there’s no excuse for companies to still be testing on animals.
What Are Grands! Biscuits Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of Grands! Flaky Layers Original Biscuits:
- Enriched flour bleached (wheat flour, niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid)
- Water
- Soybean and palm oil
- Sugar
- Hydrogenated palm oil
- Baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate)
- Vital wheat gluten
- Dextrose
- Fractionated palm oil
- Salt
- Potassium chloride
- Xanthan gum
- Mono- and diglycerides
- Preservatives (TBHQ, citric acid)
- Butter
- Color added
- Natural and artificial flavor
Let’s break down each ingredient of Grands! Flaky Layers Original Biscuits:
Enriched flour bleached
Enriched flour bleached is a type of wheat flour that has been treated with chemicals to bleach it and strip it of nutrients. This flour is then enriched with vitamins and minerals that were lost during the bleaching process. These are niacin, ferrous sulfate, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, and folic acid. Enriched bleached flour is vegan-friendly.
Water
Water is used as a solvent in Grands! Biscuits and it is vegan.
Soybean and palm oil
Soybean oil and palm oil are used as emulsifiers. Hydrogenated soybean oil and palm oil is vegan.
Sugar
Sugar is used as a sweetener. The sugar used in Grands! Biscuits is likely processed with bone char, which is made from the bones of cows. Unless the sugar is labeled as “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined,” it’s likely that bone char was used in its production and is not vegan.
Hydrogenated palm oil
Hydrogenated palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that has been treated with hydrogen gas to make it solid at room temperature. It is used as a shortening. This ingredient is not vegan.
Baking powder
Baking powder is a leavening agent that is used to help baked goods rise. It is vegan.
Vital wheat gluten
Vital wheat gluten is a type of protein that is derived from wheat. It is used as a binder and is vegan.
Dextrose
Dextrose is a type of sugar that is made from corn. It’s only vegan if it isn’t processed with bone char.
It is probably safe for vegans to consume, but if you’re strict or the potential use of bone char bothers you, then it’s best to avoid any product that may have been filtered through it.
Fractionated palm oil
Fractionated palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that has been treated with chemicals to make it solid at room temperature. It is used as a shortening. Fractionated palm oil is vegan-friendly.
Salt
Salt is used as a flavor enhancer or preservative. Salt is vegan.
Potassium chloride
Potassium chloride is used as a salt substitute and is vegan.
Xanthan gum
Xanthan gum is used as a thickener and is vegan.
Mono- and diglycerides
Mono- and diglycerides are used as emulsifiers. They can be derived from either plants or animals, but most mono- and diglycerides are animal sourced because they are cheaper and easier to obtain. This ingredient is typically not vegan.
Preservatives
Preservatives are used to extend the shelf life of food. TBHQ is a petroleum-based preservative. Citric acid is a naturally occurring preservative. Both these ingredients are vegan.
Butter
Butter is a dairy product and is used as a flavor enhancer. Butter is not vegan.
Color added
The color added is likely derived from synthetic sources and is vegan.
Natural and artificial flavor
Natural and artificial flavor is a type of flavoring. Artificial flavors are made from synthetic sources, such as petroleum. Natural flavor can be derived from both plant and animal sources. While it’s impossible to tell whether the natural flavors in Pillsbury biscuits are vegan, since the product contains milk and butter, it’s safe to assume the natural flavors are also derived from animals.
Why Aren’t Grands! Pillsbury Biscuits Vegan?
Grands! Biscuits are not vegan because they contain milk ingredients, such as butter, whey, buttermilk, cream, and cheese. These ingredients are already not vegan on their own. Grands! Biscuits also contain sugar and dextrose that are possibly processed with bone char, which is made from the bones of cows.
Unfortunately, this means that Grands! Biscuits are not suitable for a vegan diet. However, there are many other delicious vegan biscuit recipes out there for you to try!
Are Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Frozen Biscuits Vegan?
No. Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Frozen Biscuits contain sugar, dextrose, mono- and diglycerides, and butter.
This refrigerated biscuit dough is not safe for vegan consumption.
Are Grands! Flaky Layers Sweet Hawaiian Biscuits Vegan?
No. Grands! Flaky Layers Sweet Hawaiian Biscuits contain sugar, dextrose, and mono- and diglycerides.
This biscuit is not safe for vegan consumption.
Are Grands! Flaky Layers Honey Butter Biscuits Vegan?
No. Grands! Flaky Layers Honey Butter Biscuits contain sugar, dextrose, mono- and diglycerides, and butter.
This biscuit is not safe for vegan consumption.
Are Grands! Flaky Layers Southern Homestyle Butter Tastin’ Biscuits Vegan?
No. Grands! Flaky Layers Southern Homestyle Butter Tastin’ Biscuits contain sugar and dextrose.
This biscuit is not safe for vegan consumption.
Are Pillsbury Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Sweet Biscuits Vegan?
No. Pillsbury Sweet Biscuits, Chocolate Chip and Blueberry Sweet Biscuit contain sugar, modified whey, monoglycerides, and medium chain triglycerides.
These biscuits are not safe for vegan consumption.
Vegan Alternatives to Grands! Biscuits
Grands! Biscuits may not be vegan, but there are plenty of delicious vegan biscuit recipes out there for you to try! Here are a few of my favorites:
You can also make your own vegan biscuits at home using recipes like these:
- Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits (Flaky + Fluffy) by Sweet Simple Vegan
- Vegan Biscuits by The Big Man’s World
- “Buttery” Vegan Biscuits by The Banana Diaries
With these options and recipes, you can enjoy biscuits without any animal products. You don’t have to miss out on delicious food just because you’re vegan! So go ahead and give these a try. Or you can experiment and create your own vegan biscuits, the possibilities are endless!
Final Words
So, there you have it! Grands! Biscuits are not vegan. There are no vegan Pillsbury biscuits because they contain sugar, dextrose, mono- and diglycerides, milk, butter, whey, buttermilk, cream, and cheese.
However, there are many delicious vegan biscuit recipes for you to try! Go ahead and give them a try! You might be surprised at how delicious vegan food can be! So get baking!