We have lists of palm oil free foods to consider. In addition, we teach how to read labels so you can find food without palm oil.
There are hundreds of names for palm oil derivatives, so even if you don’t see palm oil in the ingredients list, the food can still contain it.
If you are looking for food without palm oil, choosing fresh, unprocessed foods is best.
By choosing foods with peels and skins instead of plastic and cardboard, you will eat healthier, avoid chemicals, and avoid palm oil.
Eating clean means you won’t encounter palm oil.
Palm oil has become a leading alternative for companies who once added artificial trans fats to their foods.
It has many appealing attributes to manufacturers. In addition to being inexpensive, it does a lot in packaged and processed foods.
Companies add it to help extend the shelf-life of foods. It keeps foods crispy and crunchy.
It adds to mouthfeel — instead of using “real” ingredients — companies use palm oil instead to mimic those qualities. Palm oil remains semi-solid at room temperature unlike other oils (except coconut) which are liquid. Examples are in peanut butter, chocolate, ice cream, and in desserts. Think of canned frosting. Instead of butter in buttercream frosting, companies use palm oil.
Because companies use palm oil so often in foods, it’s best to choose real, whole foods. This includes fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, oats, rice, and other plant-based foods without ingredients. Meat, eggs, and solid cheese are also choices.
The more processed something is, the more likely it is to contain palm oil.
Use our lists of foods without palm oil to help you choose the brands and products that are likely to be palm oil free. We also showcase foods that have earned Palm Oil Free certification.
Most all cakes and desserts in stores contain palm oil. Cake mixes include palm oil plus many chemicals. The great news? It’s easy to make your own with this palm oil free chocolate cake recipe. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t love baking. However, I needed to learn to bake everything from scratch because my son has a palm oil allergy and intolerance. As we learned to live without palm oil, one of … Read more
Some vegan foods such as shortening and vegan butter contain palm oil. While palm oil is plant-based, it contributes to deforestation as rainforests are cleared for palm oil plantations. This displaces animals by destroying their habitats. The great news is most vegan pantry staples are palm oil free. Just like having a refrigerator full of fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s easier to eat healthy, palm oil free, cruelty-free, and vegan when you have the foods … Read more
Costco helps us to eat healthy. We’re also able to buy organic foods more affordably. There are many Costco foods without palm oil. This isn’t supposed to be an advertisement for Costco. It’s to explain ways to eat healthy at home to avoid palm oil and processed foods. Why do we avoid palm oil? My son gets very sick from palm oil ingredients. To be in solidarity with him and because of the environmental issues … Read more
There are ways to improve canned frosting to make it better. Here we explain frosting add-ins without palm oil. It’s natural to wonder how to make canned frosting better and ways to improve canned frosting. Why? Because store-bought frosting contains chemicals and palm oil. While it’s convenient, it doesn’t taste as good as homemade. Below are ways to make canned frosting better without using more palm oil. Next time, make frosting from scratch with this … Read more
Every can of frosting you see on grocery store shelves contains palm oil plus many more ingredients. Instead, use this easy frosting recipe without palm oil. It takes just five minutes. You may already know that most all of the pre-made desserts in grocery store bakeries contain palm oil. This is especially true of desserts with frosting. If you are someone who for years has been buying frosting in a can, or someone who never … Read more