Does Dunkin Donuts contain pork? Many people often think about it while driving through their nearest Dunkin’ Donuts.
While most people now love this multinational food chain for cold brew coffee, you just cannot ignore how delicious their donuts are.
Hot, freshly baked donuts are delicious, and they are surprisingly easy to make.
But when you order from a restaurant, it is natural to worry about the ingredients, especially if you are a vegan. So, does Dunkin donuts have pork in them?
No, traditional Dunkin donuts are not flavored with pork and contain no pork ingredients.
Does Dunkin Donuts Contain Pork or Not?
To satisfy your donut desires quickly and easily, simply drive into your neighborhood Dunkin’ Donuts.
Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, Dunkin’ Donuts, LLC, or simply Dunkin’, is an American donut and coffee chain known worldwide.
Anything from sandwiches to donuts, coffee to baked goods, Dunkin’ has it all.
It is tempting to assume that all doughnuts, whether homemade or purchased, are the same.
And this is regardless of whether you prefer Boston Kreme or Strawberry Frosted. But if you look at the ingredients, you might change your mind.
What is the Vegan Status of Dunkin’s Donuts?
Dunkin’ Donuts is not a vegetarian or vegan eatery. The donuts themselves come in a wide range of flavors, from ham and bacon to peanut butter and sausage.
But, if you specifically talk about their donuts, you do not have to worry about any pork.
Fact: Originally named as Open Kettle, the very first Dunkin's restaurant opened in 1948 is still in operation.
Does Dunkin’ Contain Pork as an Ingredient?
While you may not have to worry much about their donuts, you may not be able to eat many other dishes if you follow a vegan lifestyle.
Many of their food options contain animal products, including pork, which renders it “prohibited” to those looking for halal or kosher food.
For instance:
Bacon and Cheddar Omelet Bites
There are two of the Dunkin’ Omelet Bites in a pack, and they come in two different flavors.
You can order bacon and cheddar or opt for egg white and veggie, with spinach, tomato, and a four-cheese blend.
However, you need to bear in mind that some of the ingredients are rather controversial.
For instance, it contains cultured celery juice, cane sugar, cornstarch, locust bean gum, carrageenan, and of course, pork.
Maple Sugar Bacon Sandwich
The natural cherrywood smoke flavor is the foundation of their bacon. The high-heat cooking and sugary maple flavoring result in deliciously caramelized bacon, perfect for snacking.
But, when you specifically opt for their bacon breakfast sandwich, you have to be careful.
The reason is that the bacon used in this sandwich comes from pork, and is often cured with sodium nitrite, smoke flavoring, sodium phosphate, etc.
The fact that it may contain traces of tree nuts or peanuts makes it a bad choice for those with a nut allergy.
Wake-Up Wrap
Those who want a hearty meal will enjoy this combination of cheese, eggs, and bacon. You can also have it in a healthier egg white veggie wrap if you are on a diet.
However, it is one of those items at Dunkin’ Donuts that contain pork. But, it is entirely up to you the cut of beef you eat (think ham, sausage, or bacon).
Having a delicious morning wrap on the go is easier than you think.
Bacon Topped Avocado Toast
Spread from edge to edge on toasted Sourdough Bread, this spread looks simple but contains more than just sea salt, avocado, and lemon juice.
It is topped with crumbled bacon smoked over cherrywood and given an extra kick from Everything Bagel Seasoning.
The problem is that along with some good ingredients like onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, and rolled oats, it also contains pork.
Kolache
Soft and sweet, kolache is typically packed with things like poppy seeds, cheese, prunes, apricots, or sausage.
While a cheesy smoked sausage link may not sound very out-of-the-ordinary, it is unusual to find it in a donut, which is what Dunkin’ uses.
Put apricots in it, and the plot changes.
It certainly sounds delicious, but you need to think twice if you are trying to avoid pork.
Besides some questionable ingredients such as artificial flavor, ferrous sulfate, fructose, soybean oil, it also contains pork.
What Are the Ingredients of Dunkin Donuts?
Doughnuts can be made using a wide variety of ingredients. Some of these are as obvious as eggs and salt while others, like soy lecithin and dextrose, are a bit more baffling.
What is going on is that many of these mysterious ingredients are actually food additives used to do things like:
- Increase the product’s shelf life
- Alter its appearance or texture
- Modify its taste
- Boost its nutritional value
The question then arises, are these components safe for human consumption? Let’s find out!
Enriched Wheat Flour
By definition, “wheat flour” refers to wheat that has been milled and crushed into flour.
Bran and germ contain many beneficial elements, yet are often left out.
To make it healthier, extra ingredients, including a B vitamin and iron blend, are often “added” to this flour.
It is healthier than unenriched flour, but it is still not the same. To enhance its visual appeal, flour is sometimes treated with bleach.
However, since the addition of dyes and other ingredients makes bleaching unnecessary, the flour in this situation is labeled as “unbleached.”
Palm Oil
Palm oil is a problematic type of vegetable oil because of its negative effects on the environment and human health throughout its production and farming.
Large forests and natural ecosystems in Malaysia and Indonesia are being destroyed for palm oil cultivation.
Palm oil also has more saturated fats and is therefore less beneficial for your heart than other oils.
However, the fact that Dunkin’ Donuts claims to use only sustainably sourced palm oil does nothing to improve the product’s low nutrient density.
Fact: Palm oil has replaced trans fats in processed foods since the FDA announced a phase-out in 2018.
Soybean Oil
Soybean oil, like canola oil, is a form of vegetable oil found in many different kinds of prepared foods, ranging from baked goods to salad dressings to snack crackers.
Why?
Producing soybeans requires little effort and money, and is the nation’s second-most-planted crop.
All sorts of useful substances may be extracted from the adaptable soybean, including flour, oil, and even a nutrient called letchin.
Whey
Dunkin donuts also contain whey. Do you recall young Miss Muffett enjoying her curds and whey?
The cheesemaking process produces whey as well as curds. It has the appearance of watery, thin milk and is, in fact, a milk protein.
Those with lactose intolerance or dairy allergy should steer clear of items containing whey.
In addition to these major ingredients, you can find many other ingredients in lower quantities in Dunkin donuts.
For instance:
- Sodium acid pyrophosphate makes a leavener and help baked goods rise
- Defatted soy flour enhances the texture, flavor, color, and moisture.
- Wheat starch to help thicken and stabilize donuts.
- Xanthan gum and guar gum enhance the overall texture.
- Sodium caseinate to thicken baked goods.
- … and a long list of ingredients used as emulsifiers.
So as you can see that donuts you order at your favorite restaurants are not as innocent as they might seem.
They may not contain pork, but they certainly have many other questionable ingredients that you may want to avoid.
Fact: Dunkin's offers two non-dairy milk options, including Planet Oat oat milk and almond Breeze almond milk.
What Can You Order at Dunkin’ to Avoid Pork?
Although it may look like vegans cannot find anything to eat at Dunkin, it is not the case.
Here are some options to consider.
Hashbrowns
When you want something savory with your iced coffee, hashbrowns are the way to go.
These potato snacks are seasoned with a unique spice blend, setting them apart from the offerings of other fast-food chains.
Despite the convenience of ordering coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, hashbrowns are still a morning staple for many.
There is a good chance you may need to order two servings of hashbrowns, but it is money well spent.
Bagels
While Dunkin’s doughnuts and pastries are not vegan-friendly (yet! ), their bagel menu includes plenty of options.
Even though cream cheese is made from milk, there are various spreads available at Dunkin’ Donuts, including Multigrain, Everything, Plain, Cinnamon Raisin, and Sesame bagels.
Bringing the bagels home or making your own tofu cream cheese is a common recommendation.
But if you are in a rush, getting a bagel with an avocado spread is better.
Fact: The bagel and avocado make for a great base for a sandwich made using Beyond Meat Sausage Patties, which is not on the menu but is highly recommended.
Takeaway
Does Dunkin Donuts contain pork? As a fast-food chain, Dunkin is not free from pork and you can find quite a few items that rely heavily on bacon and pork.
That being said, their standard donuts are still very much safe for those avoiding pork.
But, if you are in doubt, you can always opt for other safer alternatives like beyond sausage sandwiches, bagels, etc.