Many people give food as gifts or thank-yous during the holiday season. Whether you’re vegan, or there’s a vegan on your list, these ideas may help you give something that’s fun, but still free from animal products.

Please note: As of the date of publication on this article, all the candies suggested are listed on PETA’s site as being vegan. Please check the labels of any candy you buy to be sure you are purchasing items that are free of animal products. You can also Google vegan candy, and the current year (vegan candy 2014, or whichever year it is now), to find lists of candies that are currently vegan.

Poop: The Vegan Versions

There are endless variations on the poop theme during the holidays: snowman poop; reindeer poop; elf poop; grinch poop; and santa poop. Everything poops! These gifts are quick to whip together, because you basically buy the appropriate candy, bag it or pour it into a jar, and add a paper label or header. Done!

Let’s veganize some of these ideas:

• Snowman Poop
  Usually, marshmallows are used for snowman poop, but regular marshmallows aren’t vegan, and vegan marshmallows are horrifically expensive. Instead, try using either Brach’s Star Brites peppermints with red stripes, or pale pastel Smarties. To make your bag extra snowy, whip together a small batch of vegan powdered sugar, by blending 1 cup raw vegan or organic cane sugar and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch together until powdery. Add a pinch to the bag with the candy, and shake.

  If you’d rather not use candy, try using popped popcorn instead.

• Reindeer Poop
  Chocolate covered raisins or peanuts are usually the choice for reindeer poop. If you can find those coated in dark chocolate, chances are, they’ll be free of milk products. Check the labels to be sure!

• Elf Poop
  Red and green M&Ms are usually used for elf poop, but they aren’t vegan. Instead, try subbing Dots or Cry Babys, which are both vegan, and come in fun, bright colors. You can use red and green, or go ahead and use all the colors in the package. Who says elves only poop in red and green?

• Grinch Poop
  Green jelly beans or green M&Ms usually stand in for Grinch poop, but neither of those candies are vegan. Try using the green sour apple Jolly Ranchers instead. Just remove the individual labels, and pop them in a bag, and you’ll have the same green Grichy effect. Another choice might be Brach’s Spearmint Leaves.

• Santa Poop
  Any or all of the above candies can be used for Santa poop, but I’d be missing out if I didn’t mention the very best candy that’s vegan: Red Vines. Praise be to the Universe that the manufacturers changed their recipe, and made this delicious candy vegan, so we always have something to eat at the movies! Red Vines often come in tubs of short pieces that would make excellent vegan Santa poop.

I checked the bulk bins at my local Sprouts and Whole Foods markets, and found lots of vegan candies and chocolate-covered items that would make great fillers for poop treats.

Why Most Candy Isn’t Vegan

For those of you who aren’t vegan, here are the reasons most innocent holiday candy selections are not suitable for vegans:

1. They may contain milk products. Milk chocolate, like M&Ms, contains dairy, which isn’t vegan. Some dark chocolate also contains milk products. Ingredients like milk, milk solids, or whey on the label will tell you the item isn’t for your vegan friends.
2. They may contain white sugar. This one is a tough one for many non-vegans to wrap their heads around: white sugar is processed using bone char, which is animal-based. Most vegans won’t choose items made with white sugar. Look for raw sugar, or organic sugar, or even corn syrup, in the ingredients list instead.
3. They may contain gelatin. Sadly, gelatin is often made from rendered animal parts, so candies that contain it aren’t vegan. This means most jelly beans, gummy bears, and even Altoids, are off the menu for your vegan friends. (It’s also the reason vegans won’t eat Jello.)

Printable Poop Labels & Headers

To make your gift-giving a little easier, here are headers and labels to use in creating edible poop-themed treats. Just print and cut. Headers can be folded in half, and stapled to the tops of sandwich or treat sized Ziploc bags, or paper lunch bags. Labels can be glued onto recycled glass jars or paper bags with a glue stick. Tags can be tied onto just about anything with twine, yarn or ribbon.

Just click on the thumbnail for a full-page version of the sheet. Save and print from your hard drive, rather than trying to print from your browser, to get accurate sizing.