Which Brands of Bread Are Vegan?

Finding vegan bread is not as difficult as people may think. The best way to determine if bread is vegan is by reading the ingredient label or visiting the bread company's website. According to the International Vegetarian Union, a vegan diet includes avoiding all animal products and their derivatives such as milk or milk powder, eggs, butter and honey. In addition to being animal-friendly, vegan bread also tends to be trans fat- and cholesterol-free.

A fresh loaf of vegan bread on wooden countertop. (Image: Yulia-Images/iStock/Getty Images)

Arnold

Many types of breads sold under the Arnold brand are vegan. This includes Arnold's Carb-counting multi-grain, Jewish rye, and stone ground whole wheat breads; and potato, wheat or sesame sandwich rolls. Not only are these products animal-derivative free, but the carb-counting multi-grain is a healthy choice if you want to cut back on sugar, carbohydrates and calories. In addition to containing no high fructose corn syrup, this bread contains oats, which are a good source of soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals. The Jewish rye breads are also healthy as they contain lysine, an essential amino acid needed for calcium absorption which promotes bone growth.

Cobblestone Mill

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of animals or PETA, Cobblestone Mill bakes a number of vegan-friendly types of bread. These include their hoagie, Kaiser, onion, party and white sub rolls; and Jewish rye, pumpernickel, San Francisco sourdough and whole wheat bread.

Cobblestone Mill's breads don't contain trans fats or cholesterol, which both raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol). LDL can increase the risk of coronary heart disease. Cobblestone Mill bread can be found in many supermarkets in the southern half of the United States. In order to keep their bread soft and fresh, they do not shop to the northern part of the country.

Thomas New York Style Bagels

Thomas New York Style Bagels are a popular American brand that has a number of vegan-friendly bagels including their blueberry, cinnamon swirl, everything, plain, cinnamon raisin and plain flavors. All of these bagels are low in fat and contain no trans fats or cholesterol. The brand is a product of the Bimbo Bakeries USA, which also owns the Stroehmann Company, which makes Dutch County soft potato and whole wheat bread-both vegan-friendly, according to PETA.