13 Vegan-Friendly Food Items At Starbucks Ranked

One would assume that with the rise in demand for vegan products worldwide, that Starbucks, one of the largest restaurant chains, would be at the forefront of this movement and offer some vegan pastries, hot breakfast items, and protein boxes in its stores. Unfortunately, Starbucks has yet to step up to the challenge, but it does not mean that vegans will walk away from its cafés empty-handed.

Currently, there are many vegan drinks available at Starbucks, and the company even dropped its plant milk surcharge in early November 2024. As for its vegan-friendly food options, Starbucks does offer oatmeal, bagels, and a few other snacks, which may vary by location. I can appreciate these offerings, as Starbucks is one of few quick-stop spots where vegans like myself can find something to eat outside of a major metropolitan area. As someone who has driven across the U.S. and Canada several times, I've found that its bagels and chips have come in handy for those long periods of time on road.

I sampled and ranked each of Starbucks' vegan food items on several factors, including taste, texture, pricing, availability, nutritional value, and overall value. The next time you're craving something plant-based and filling, try picking up one of these options. 

The avocado spread is sealed in a plastic cup and kept in the accessible refrigerated section underneath the bakery display. On its own, it's the least functional of the vegan options at Starbucks. It's a dip or a spread for other food items and not a full snack or meal.

To maintain its freshness, the avocado spread has sea salt, onion, garlic, jalapeño pepper, and lime juice — which it makes it more similar to a guacamole than a general avocado spread you might find on avocado toast. However, since the flavor profile sits in between a guacamole and raw avocado, it can be used as both a spread for the bagels and a dip for Starbucks' kettle chips or the Siete chips. Its flavor is unremarkable, but in a pinch, it can be an easy way to add fat to a bagel or salty chips. 

Considering that the majority Starbucks' menu is laden with sugar, I don't find myself often reaching for a sweet treat to accompany my drink. If I order an unsweetened tea or coffee and I'm deprived of fresh fruit (like on a road trip), then I'll look for a bar like this one.

This That's it. bar contain two ingredients — one apple and one mango — which means there is no added sugar, hard-to-pronounce preservatives, or added colors. I do appreciate its succinct ingredient list and the care the company takes to manufacture all of its goods in a facility free from the top 12 allergens. However, its texture is not for me. While the bar might leave behind no crumbs, like a typical energy bar, it has a very gummy texture and packs 23 grams of sugar into only a few bites, which makes it less pleasurable to my palate. I would rather choose something less sweet and with more than a few bites in its package, which is ultimately why I ranked this treat so low. 

That's it. bars are available in 14 flavors, but it only sells two at its stores, the apple and mango bar and this apple and blueberry one.

All of the That's it. bars are soft, moderately gummy, and will differ a bit in texture depending on the fruit blend. In this flavor, you will be able to detect blueberries in every bite. 

The apple and blueberry flavor contains two ingredients — one apple and 20 blueberries — and is a more muted flavor than the mango bar. It's also less sweet, which is why I ranked this flavor higher. Similarly to the mango flavor, I would not recommend this bar because it's so expensive for such a small size, and it contains a lot of sugar. I would rather prepare for my day accordingly and bring fresh fruit with me instead of opting for this bar.

Pureed food in pouches is often marketed towards toddlers and children. However, it doesn't have to be just kid-friendly food. If you look at the breakdown of Hailey Bieber's viral strawberry glaze skin smoothie, sold at the trendy Erewhon grocery store, two of its main ingredients are organic strawberries and bananas. Sure this pouch from Peter Rabbit Organics doesn't have sea moss, added collagen, or the social clout, but its base ingredients are the same — and it doesn't come with a $20 price tag.

As someone who grew up in the '90s, I remember when brands like Capri Sun opted for pouches over boxes. So, sipping on a pouch feels almost nostalgic. While it is shelf-stable, I would prefer this refrigerated so it feels more like a fresh smoothie. I would also likely only purchase this if I needed a less-messy snack for a road trip or if I wanted to pair this with the oatmeal and Starbucks was out of the toppings I wanted.

Since it's the only option on this list that's also a smoothie or a drink, it's the least ideal choice for pairing with a Starbucks drink. Regardless, I would still rank this product higher for its value and taste on its own compared to the That's it. bars.

Squirrel Brand has been sold at Starbucks since 2010, though the brand was first patented in 1888. This product is one of the most common finds at a Starbucks; I've seen it near the register as a grab-and-go option in many states.  

This fruit and nut mix has roasted and salted cashews, almonds, dried sweetened cranberries, and blueberries. While the blend of nuts and berries is nice, I tend to avoid sweetened trail mixes as the amount of sugar almost makes it seem like I'm eating a bag of candy. I would much rather eat dry roasted nuts or fresh fruit over a sweetened nut and berry mix, especially considering that this 1.5-ounce product contains 12 grams of added sugar.

If I'm running low on energy after a hike in a national park and could use the extra sugar, I could still see myself turning to this option. However, I would still prefer other options like the Starbucks everything bagel or the Squirrel Brand dry roasted almonds if I had the choice.

The Starbucks salted kettle potato chips are, surprisingly, one of the tastier snacks available in the cafè. The Starbucks chips are less greasy and not over-salted like other name-brand kettle chips. 

Its serving size is also generous compared to the snack-sized chip bags you might see made for kids' lunch boxes. Each bag has 280 calories and always fulfills my craving for something salty.

I have purchased these chips a few times — mostly for when I needed a quick salty snack or if I needed something to counteract the sweetness of my latte. It has come in the most handy for me when I prefer not to bring strong-smelling foods into shared spaces, like on planes or in libraries.

These chips are one of the least expensive options on the menu; they're cheaper than the Siete chips. But I would still rank Siete higher because its flavor is better.

Reese's peanut butter cups are one of America's favorite Halloween candies, per a Monmouth University poll. Its parent brand, Hershey's, even got sued for having deceptively cute packaging. So it's no surprise that the vegan and dairy-free community was looking for a vegan replacement for such a popular candy.

Justin's dark chocolate peanut butter cups are made with organic dark chocolate, cocoa butter, peanut butter, sugar, and a few other emulsifiers and preservatives. Compared to Reese's, it's much richer and less greasy, as it's dairy-free. Each package comes with two peanut butter cups, which are generously filled with the salty and sweet peanut butter mixture.

I am not a peanut butter fan, but when paired with the right drink, I can make an exception. The cups pair great with the seasonal drinks, like a sugar cookie oat latte or a cinnamon dolce latte. Compared to the chips and fruit bars, this is a far better option for its value as you will get an increase in energy from the dark chocolate. Plus, it's easier to pair with items on the drink menu than my lower-ranked selections.

If you are a fan of the brand Siete, it may be because you are already enjoying a plant-based lifestyle or have someone in your family with food allergies. This company was founded by Veronica Garza and family of seven — hence Siete — after they had to relearn how to cook to accommodate her autoimmune condition. 

Two of Siete's chips are currently available at Starbucks, the first of which is the sea salt kettle-cooked potato chips. The chips are vegan, grain-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. The ingredients are concise; it's only potatoes, avocado oil, and sea salt.

Unlike other brands, Siete has a knack for not overdoing the oil. These chips feel less greasy than other brands like Kettle Brand or any of Lay's potato chip flavors. I also prefer Siete's kettle chips to the Starbucks kettle chips as the avocado oil makes them taste lighter. Siete's chips have a similar amount of crunch, and have an otherwise have a similar flavor profile to Starbucks', so the only difference otherwise is the price. Starbucks kettle chips are cheaper than these. Regardless, I would choose these Siete chips over the sweet vegan options at Starbucks. 

Compared to store-bought shelf-stable brands like Trader Joe's or Thomas', the Starbucks plain bagel is decent. It feels plushier than other mass-produced bagels. When warmed and lightly toasted, it acquires a light crunch that makes the bagel more palatable.

To make the plain bagel vegan, you can order it without any spread or add the avocado spread. Since the plain bagel doesn't have much taste, I always order it with the avocado spread to add some flavor, spice, and acidity.

The plain bagel is my go-to when I want a blander choice or if the everything bagel is not available. It's great for the days when I need some light carbs but would rather not eat anything with onion or garlic as to not offend my company. It is also my choice for a light meal option if I'm taking a walking tour around a new city and I need something substantial that won't ruin my appetite for dinner.

The Squirrel Brand classic almonds are not as readily available as the fruit and nut option, but you can occasionally find this item in stores across U.S. and Canada. Unlike the fruit and nut snack mix, these almonds are dry roasted. In turn, this makes them taste less greasy. 

The classic almonds have 250 calories, 2 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein, which makes them one of my favorite vegan options at Starbucks for their nutritional value and taste. The texture isn't too dry and is very palatable. It has just the right amount of salt, so that you can enjoy them without feeling like you need something sweet to immediately counteract your snack.

I am only ranking this item lower on the list because of its lack of availability. If this product were to replace the fruit and nut mix, I would rank this snack second to the rolled oats.

Siete's founder, Veronica Garza, started her company with grain-free tortillas. Naturally, grain-free tortilla chips were the next step. These chips have been a big hit with the gluten-free community and are all over social media.

Similar to the Siete kettle-cooked potato chips, the lime grain-free chips are also vegan, grain-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. Its ingredients list is a simple cassava blend (cassava flour and starch), avocado oil, coconut flour, chia seeds, citric acid, and lime oil. 

Gluten-free chips and crackers tend to taste lighter than their gluten-containing counterparts. This product follows those same trends with its light-as-air base of cassava flour. On its own, these chips can be very addictive and you can eat multiple servings without feeling like you had an oily snack. I love ordering these chips if I'm getting a cool drink like the iced peach green tea lemonade or Paradise Drink Refresher. The only downside to these chips is that they break easily when dipped. If you decide to order them with the avocado spread, you will likely see a lot of chip casualties. 

As someone who grew up with the best bagels in Los Angeles, has strong opinions on New York bagels, and cannot choose between St-Viateur Bagel and Fairmount Bagel in Montreal, it's hard to like a chain restaurant bagel. However, bagel enthusiasts know not to expect The Nosh or St-Viateur Bagel when walking into Starbucks.

The everything bagel is made with the same recipe as the plain bagel except for its topping of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and onion pieces. While the plain bagel can be quite boring on its own, the everything bagel is quite flavorful and doesn't require the addition of a spread. The sesame and poppy seeds add wonderful texture, while the onion adds a hint of acidity that wakes up your palate. 

While the everything bagel would taste better with a vegan cream cheese — maybe Tofutti or Kite Hill would be up for the partnership — this bagel also tastes great with the avocado spread, albeit a bit intense. While this is my second favorite vegan option at Starbucks, if I had any authentic bagel shop within walking distance of a Starbucks, I would still choose that over Starbucks in a heartbeat. However, when compared to other options at Starbucks, it's clear that the everything bagel is my savory option of choice.

Although its labeled as vegetarian on the Starbucks menu, the rolled and steel-cut oatmeal is, in fact, vegan by default. The only ingredient on the packaging is oats; milk and other toppings are added by your request. To make it vegan, customers can order it with soy, oat, coconut, or almond milk. Customers can also pass over honey in favor of classic syrup or agave syrup. The only additional vegan toppings that are available are the blueberries, nut medley, or dried fruit.

Considering the oatmeal is one of the higher-priced food items on the Starbucks menu, it was disappointing to see that the prepared oatmeal still only occupies half the space of the cup. The toppings also all cost extra. I would still rank the Starbucks oatmeal as my first choice because of its lovely texture, its versatility for customization, and because one 160-calorie serving delivers 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. That means it had the second-highest amount of protein per serving on this list, behind the Squirrel Brand almonds. If the serving size were to be doubled, I would order this often for a pre or post-workout snack or as a quick breakfast on a road trip.

This ranking was chosen after a thoughtful evaluation of every vegan-friendly food item at Starbucks. These items were purchased on the West Coast of the U.S., however every item is available throughout the country. I considered each product's individual pricing, taste, serving size, nutritional value, opportunity for customization and pairing, and overall value.

As a well-seasoned vegan traveler with a sensitive palate, I have high standards for the food I consume. I am the kind of person who will buy two meals of food ahead of time in a major city in order to avoid stopping in a small town with no vegan options. While the Starbucks vegan options are not outstanding, they are good enough in a pinch and for convenience.

I ordered all of these options from a handful of Starbucks in my area in order to find as many options as possible. For the most part, I was able to find these items easily, though busy locations tended to sell out of some items. Depending on the location, I also found other vegan options, including fresh fruit, prepared fruit salad, Hippeas chickpea puffs, Rhythm Superfood kale chips, and other regional snack brands.

All of the warm food options were tasted fresh, as well as again later to see if the flavor changed at all. While the oatmeal and bagels tasted better warm, no doubt, most of these items tasted the same during both tasting sessions. Overall, all of the Starbucks vegan options were decent and palatable. With some customization and a drink pairing, they can be transformed into a satisfying meal.