***A word of caution: If you have a severe allergy to soy, be very careful of buying ANY brand or any other if the label says, "Manufactured on equipment shared with soy." Though most companies work very hard to clean equipment well and sterilize between batches that do contain known allergens, there is ALWAYS a chance of cross-contact. It is always better to be safe than sorry. The products listed here do not contain soy in and of themselves at the time of listing, HOWEVER, some of them ARE manufactured on equipment that is shared with soy containing products. You and your allergist are the only ones who can tell you what is safe for you, so do NOT take this list as gospel. ALWAYS double check your labels, call manufacturers, talk to your allergist, etc. to make sure that certain products are safe for YOU. Ingredient lists change all the time, so you need to check the labels on every product every time regardless of how long you've been buying it, eating it, etc! If there is any change on the label (i.e. it now says "natural flavor" when it didn't before) and there is no soy-free declaration or no soy warning, double check with the manufacturer to see if it is still soy-free.***
If I can link to the allergen statement of a certain company or get information from a particular manufacturer, I will list it or link it here.
As always, if you are having trouble getting information on certain products, please feel free to email me, and I will do my best to help you get the information you seek! :)
List of Soy-Free Foods
{I have attempted to arrange these items by category, and I put the category in alphabetical order. If an item can fit in more than one category, I put it in the one that I deemed “best fit”.}
Baking/Cooking Ingredients (Flours, Spices, Extracts, Boxed Mixes, Etc.):
1. Some flours (see second note for details). Check the labels! A lot of flours are adding soy flour now or may have issues with cross-contact. I recommend King Arthur brand. Their gluten-free flours (and I mean flours, not baking mixes) are also soy-free, which is rare! Note: I think it is important to note here that King Arthur will not guarantee that their products are soy-free, though they are very forthcoming with their labeling. I have a soy sensitivity (IBS-type issues, migraines, etc.) and have never had an issue with their flours, but if you are very allergic to soy, please be advised that they do not guarantee the soy-free nature of their products, so you may want to go with another company. I think they will not guarantee being soy-free because they use xanthan gum in their gluten-free baking mixes (not the flours, just the mixes, from what I've seen) which they cannot assure me is soy-free, and some of their products do contain soy (which are clearly labeled as containing soy). My guess is that they cannot be 100% sure that cross contamination doesn't occur (inside or outside of their factory), no matter how careful they may be, and I think it is commendable that they would rather you be safe than sorry. Anyway, they have always been more than willing to answer questions, and if you'd like to email or call them yourselves, you can do so by going here. Also, be careful with Thiamine Mononitrate, which is in most flours. If your soy allergy is severe, you may want to stick with organic flours as their source of Thiamine Mononitrate should NOT be from soy. If you are still having a reaction with a particular brand of flour and it contains Thiamine Mononitrate or even if it doesn't, discontinue use. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer and make sure their product is soy-free!
NOTE: It has been brought to my attention that flour (especially whole wheat) can contain up to a certain amount of soy due to cross-contact or the use of soy-based fertilizer without it having to be listed on the label! Be VERY careful when choosing a flour if you have a soy allergy, especially if you have a severe allergy! Look for flours that say they are soy-free or that are from a trusted source. Here is a source from 2013 for a little more information: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24051195
2. Salt and pepper.
3. McCormick’s Onion salt, Garlic salt, and Celery Salt. There are a few other onion, garlic, and celery salts that are soy free, so check the labels.
4. Herbs and spices that are just that herb/spice (NOT mixed seasonings like seasoning salt, seasoning packets, gravy mixes, taco seasoning, etc.). McCormick does tend to have herbs and spices blends that are soy-free and a few of their seasoning packets (like chili seasoning) are soy-free, but double check labels to be sure.
5. Vanilla and mint flavorings. Other flavorings could be fine as well, you just need to check labels.
6. Yeast.
7. Cocoa Powder (Baking kind).
8. Cornstarch.
9. Baking soda and powder.
11. For a list of broths, stocks and bouillons that are soy-free, click here.
12. Enjoy Life Chocolate. Their mini chocolate chips and chocolate chunks are delicious! I am seeing them all the time now at places like WalMart and Meijers. They also have a lot of other allergy friendly foods.
13. Athens Fillo Dough. There may be other phyllo pastry dough that is soy-free as well, just check labels.
14. Kraft's Sure-Jell products. From what I can tell, they are all soy-free, gluten-free and very allergy-friendly.
1. Juices that are NOT from concentrate. Check labels. Normally your one type of fruit/vegetable juices are fine, it’s the mixed ones (like cocktails or Cran-Apple or V-8) that are the problems. Some from concentrate juices are fine as well.
2. Coffee, Regular or Decaf (NOT specialty or flavored ones). You may rarely find a flavored coffee that is soy-free (usually it will be a vanilla, cinnamon or mint flavor), but it is not the norm.
3. MOST types of regular or decaf tea (NOT flavored ones, though Herbal teas like Mint can be soy-free, as well as spice teas like Chai and Cinnamon). Always double check labels! Your best bet may be to go with some of the more pricey brands like Tazo or Harney and Sons or Stash. Stash has allergen information here.
Boxed, Canned, and Ready-Made Items:
1. Bertolli Tomato and Basil Spaghetti sauce (not the organic one - it has soybean oil in it), some Meijer brand sauces (the Meijer Organics, generally), and some DeLallo sauces. Other marinaras could be fine as well, just check the labels. Note that just because one type of sauce by a certain manufacturer is safe, does not mean another sauce or an organic of that flavor by the same manufacturer is safe. I know it makes it horrible when shopping to find appropriate foods, especially when they change the ingredients to cut costs, but it is how it is.
2. Most gelatins. Gelatin tends to be made from animal products, but there are a few out there that are vegetable based. I avoid these in general, but feel free to try these out if you wish. There is normally more information on the web, on labels or there is a number you can call for more information.
3. SOME Campbell's soups, like their original Tomato. Here is the email I got from them in regards to allergens in their products:
"The Campbell Soup Company follows all government regulations regarding the labeling of our products. In the case of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, soy and shellfish) we list those ingredients in the product ingredient statement, no matter how small the amount might be. We do not include any of those items under the broader listings of "spices" or "natural flavors". We recommend that consumers always check the ingredient statement and evaluate the product based on the statement.
In regards to possible cross contact between products, we use an extensive and effective sanitation procedure in between different processing operations, and efforts are made to prevent any possible cross contact to the greatest practical extent."
4. Bush's Beans (kidney, pinto, black, chili, baked, etc.), except for possibly their Honey Baked Beans (use your discretion when determining to eat this product or not). (Some other types of beans, like kidney, pinto, black, etc., may be soy-free as well no matter what brand, but always double check labels to be certain.)
6. Honest Earth Club Creamy Mash Potatoes claim to be soy-free. They have a few other types that claim to be soy-free, but this particular flavor/type is your best bet.
Condiments (Sauces, Toppings, Spreads, Etc.):
1. Some mustards. Check labels.
2. Some salsas (i.e. Spartan's Natural). Check the labels to make sure. Avoid those that have "Natural Flavors" listed in the ingredients or "Soybean Oil".
3. Most Natural peanut butters. Double check labels, but most are just peanuts and salt. I have also heard that Peter Pan brand does not contain soybean oil. Peanut Butter & Co.'s flavored peanut butters are soy-free as well as far as I can tell. Jif also makes a soy-free, natural peanut butter and their Chocolate Hazelnut spread appears to be soy-free. I have not found any seed or nut butters that are soy-free as of yet, but you can always make your own.
4. Most jams, jellies and preserves. Double check labels just to make sure.
5. Vinegar. As far as I can tell, this is across the board as far as types go, but check labels to make double sure. If it says "vegetable" without further explanation, I'd avoid it.
6. Marshmallow Fluff (that brand, original only). At this point, I haven't found another type of marshmallow (spread or otherwise) that is soy-free. When/if I find one, I will post it here.
7. Valley Nut and Fruit Nut Butter. From what I can see, they all are soy-free, but always double check the ingredients list before purchasing!
8. Earth Balance Dressing (mayo). Olive Oil and Original ONLY.
9. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. Here is the email I got in response to my question about if their products were free of the top 8 allergens:
"I would like to inform you that only all our Retail flavors of Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbeque Sauces 18oz, 28oz, 31oz, 40oz and 80oz are free from all allergens."
Fats and Oils:
1. Salted regular butter. Unsalted butter and light butters contain soy generally.
2. Earth Balance Soy-Free Natural Buttery Spread. This is a good choice for those of you who have both soy allergies and dairy allergies.
3. Lard is generally soy-free, but always double check labels to make sure!
4. Canola, Olive, and Corn Oils, and any other oil that does not contain soy such as Coconut oil or nut/seed oils that are soy-free. Note: It has recently come to my attention that a lot of olive oils are cut with soybean or other oils. For a list of safe olive oils, go here. You can also follow the guides posted here to see if your olive oil is the real deal or not. Also, be careful with corn oil in that a lot of corn is grown side-by-side with soy. If you have a severe soy allergy and are using corn oil and noticing a problem, it is very likely due to cross contamination.
Grains and Starches (Pasta, Rice, Bread, Cereals):
1. Most pastas. Check the labels. Normal, everyday elbow macaroni and spaghetti are fine. It’s the tri-color or whole grain pastas that can potentially be problems. Watch for cross-contamination here! Sometimes Thiamine Mononitrate can be in pasta. If your soy allergy is severe, you may want to stick with pasta without Thiamine Mononitrate in it. If you are still having a reaction with a particular brand of pasta, even if it does not contain Thiamine Mononitrate, discontinue use as there may be cross-contamination. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer and make sure their product is soy-free!
Note: Some people who are very sensitive to soy find that they will react to pasta that does not contain soy. This could be due to the fertilizers used (some are soy-based) or cross-contact issues in the factory where the pasta is produced. For this reason, you are more likely to have success with organic products produced in dedicated factories.
2. Rice, white, brown or wild (non-instant, though most of the minute rices tend to be fine). Watch for cross-contamination here! Sometimes Thiamine Mononitrate can be in rice. If your soy allergy is severe, you may want to stick with rice without Thiamine Mononitrate in it. If you are still having a reaction with a particular brand of rice, even if it does not contain Thiamine Mononitrate, discontinue use as there may be cross-contamination. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer and make sure their product is soy-free!
Note: Some people who are very sensitive to soy find that they will react to rice that does not contain soy. This could be due to the fertilizers used (some are soy-based) or cross-contact issues in the factory where the rice is produced. For this reason, you are more likely to have success with organic products produced in dedicated factories.
3. Plain Oatmeal (rolled oats, quick oats, steel cut), NOT instant or microwavable, with the exception of some of Better Oats Instant Oatmeals are soy-free. Here is Better Oats' allergen statement:
"What is your allergen labeling policy?We understand and share the concerns expressed by consumers who are affected by food allergies. Food Allergic consumers should rely on our package ingredient labels for the most accurate information on a product. If a product contains any of the FDA major eight allergens (egg, milk, peanut, tree nut, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat) it will be clearly listed in bold print in the ingredient declaration on the Nutrition Facts Panel.If we do make a product that contains any of these eight major allergens, all products made on the same production line would contain the same allergen or a full allergen tested and validated cleaning process would be performed between production runs."
Note: Some people who are very sensitive to soy find that they will react to oatmeal that does not contain soy. This could be do to the fertilizers used (some are soy-based) or cross-contact issues in the factory where the oatmeal is produced. For this reason, you are more likely to have success with organic products produced in dedicated factories.
4. Most single grain cereals, such as Shredded Wheat, Rice Crispies, Raisin Bran, Bran flakes, etc. Check labels! Most of the flavored cereals are a no-go, and even a lot of the single grain cereals are starting to contain soy. Cocoa Pebbles and Fruity Pebbles are soy-free, too. Here's the statement I got from Post via email on Fruity Pebbles:
"Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your allergen concern regarding Post Fruity Pebbles cereals. This cereal in particular is produced on a dedicated line and has no soy cross contamination.
For other Post cereals not produced on a dedicated line, Post Foods, LLC follows documented in-depth allergen cleaning procedures in accordance with each manufacturing facility's Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan and in compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs).
To give you insight, below are a few of the practices we follow to minimize allergen exposure:
Allergen ingredients are readily identified and stored separately from non-allergen ingredients.
Allergen products and ingredients are removed from the processing and packaging area when production of the allergen-containing product is complete.
Allergen cleaning and inspection is conducted after a production run in which an allergen ingredient was utilized.
Plant employees receive allergen awareness training at orientation and annually thereafter.
Although great care is taken to minimize allergen exposure at our production facilities, we recommend that the severely allergic consumer consult their physician prior to consuming any products. "
And about Cocoa Pebbles:
"Thank you for contacting us in regard to the Post Cocoa Pebbles.
The Post Cocoa Pebbles also does not contain any soy and is produced on a dedicated line and has no cross contamination."
Note: Some people who are very sensitive to soy find that they will react to cereal that does not contain soy. This could be do to the fertilizers used (some are soy-based) or cross-contact issues in the factory where the cereal is produced. For this reason, you are more likely to have success with organic products produced in dedicated factories.
Junk Food (Chips, Popcorn, Candy, Ice Cream, Etc.):
1. Most Popcorn (the kernels, NOT the microwave kind). Check the labels on this. Some contain traces of soy. Popcorn, Indiana brand popcorn has a lot of soy-free flavored popcorns ranging from sweet to savory as well, and I find them often at Wal-Mart and am starting to find them in more stores in the chips/snack foods section. Also note that some people who are allergic to soy cannot tolerate corn products of any type, probably due to cross-contamination.
2. Some original flavor potato chips (i.e. Lay's), packaged popped popcorn (i.e. Popcorn, Indiana Popcorn) and tortilla chips (i.e. Snyder's). Check the labels to make sure. Frito Lay has made a list of their products and how they are allergy friendly, including soy-free. Check it out here.
Just a word of caution: If the label just says "vegetable oil", EVEN IF IT IS LISTED UNDER SOY-FREE ON A WEBSITE, double check that it truly is soy-free. Soybean oil is considered "safe", and therefore a company does NOT have to label items as containing soy if they contain soybean oil, and they CAN lump soybean oil in with vegetable oil WITHOUT FURTHER EXPLANATION! Lay's Canadian line of products is one example - their vegetable oil CAN contain soybean oil, so avoid those if you cannot eat soybean oil.
3. Some pretzels, bagged and frozen (not flavored or filled). Always double check packaging to make sure, including the fine print in that they normally don't consider soybean oil as soy.
4. Richardson Pastel Mints. There are a few other types that are ok as well. Check the labels.
5. Bob's Peppermint Candy Canes. It is the only one (flavor and brand) that I've found so far that doesn't say "natural flavor". Bob's uses peppermint oil.
6. Theo brand chocolates.
7. Rold Gold's Everything Bagel flavored pretzels. These taste just like their name!
8. Haagen-Dazs Five-ingredient ice creams and quite a few of their other products are soy-free!
9. SoDelicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream. There are a lot of soy-free flavor options here.
10. Wink Frozen Desserts. These products are vegan and free of the top 8 allergens.
11. Sun Cups. All their products are organic and fish/shellfish, soy, peanut/tree nut, gluten and egg-free, but NOT dairy-free. Their facilities are nut- and gluten-free.
13. Natural Candy Store has some great candy that is free of the top 8 allergens!
14. Nestle's Aero (UK brand) appears to be soy-free. For more information, go to their website here.
Other Restaurants, Online Food Retailers, Brands, Recipe Sites, and Frozen Foods:
1. Soy Free Sales products are free of soy, peanuts and tree nuts. Much of their products are also gluten and dairy-free. They also have mini chips and holiday chocolates that are free of all known allergens.
2. Panera Bread's Allergen and Nutrition Information can be found here. Some of their products do not contain soy, but I am not sure on their cross-contact policies. Feel free to browse their site for more information.
3. Chebe product. These products are very allergy friendly!
4. Green Thickies. This is a great site that has a lot of smoothie recipes on it that can help you incorporate your greens while working with allergy needs! Note: The recipes are vegan, but you can substitute regular milk for any of the other types of milk, or you can use water or juice. I have even used yogurt with success. The recipes are still wonderful, and the guide is very helpful in making your own custom versions as well.
5. Viviana Foods (All products are gluten, dairy, soy and nut-free.)
6. Edward and Sons has a lot of soy-free, gluten-free, vegan and organic products! They have everything from bouillon to crackers to candy. Definitely worth checking them out!
7. A lot of Meijer's Naturals products. By no means are all of their products soy-free, BUT I normally find at LEAST one type of this brand that is from pasta sauce to cookies to chips, etc. If you see this brand, take a look at the label. Your best bet in finding a soy-free option is the "original" flavored or "plain" or "vanilla", etc. As a general rule of thumb, the fancier the flavor, the less likely it is to be soy-free. This brand does state on some of their product labels in this line that they are "manufactured on equipment shared with soy," so if your allergy is severe, you will want to consult your doctor/allergist to see if those particular products in this line are safe for you. (For some more info on Meijer Naturals, click here.)
1. ALL fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables that are just the fruit/vegetable (NOT in juice or gel, and see the note below about fruit wax/oil). Canned and dried fruits/veggies need to be watched more closely. Just check the labels. Raisins are almost always soy-free and Ocean Spray Craisins are soy-free (some other brands of dried cranberries are not soy-free as they contain soybean oil). Other dried fruits that are just one type of fruit are your best bet to be soy-free.
Note: Be careful of fruit wax or fruit shined with oil since a lot of edible wax and oils are soy-based. If you are especially sensitive/allergic, you may want to peel any fruit before consuming it or avoid any fruit that has an edible peel (i.e. apples) unless you know they are non-waxed/non-oiled or waxed/oiled with a non-soy wax/oil. Your best bet for finding non-waxed/non-oiled fruit is to buy organic. Also, you will want to be careful about fertilizers used on crops if you are more sensitive to soy. Some fertilizers are soy-based. For this reason, you are more likely to have success with organic products. You may also want to consider growing them yourself if you have no luck finding soy-free produce in your area.
Proteins (Meat, Fish, Eggs, Dairy, Dairy Alternatives, Meat Alternative Products, Creamers):
1. Any meat, fish or poultry that is NOT injected with anything other than salt-water solution. Check labels carefully as they are injected with broth more often than you think! (Tyson and Spartan brands are normally very good about using salt-water over broth, FYI.) Also, though I have never been informed of anyone reacting to non-broth injected meat if the animal was fed soy, if you have a severe allergy, you may want to check into getting meat that is from animals that are grass fed only or at least not soy fed. It is better to be safe than sorry!
Note: Some companies are VERY bad about cross-contact when it comes to butchering! Please speak with the butcher about their sanitation practices, especially if you are highly sensitive to soy, and ask what they do to keep cross-contact to a minimum.
2. Milk (Skim, ½%, 1%, 2%, or whole), NOT flavored. Some milk alternatives (like SoDelicious Almond, Cashew and Coconut milks) are soy-free, but most are not. Be very diligent in reading labels when choosing a milk alternative. You can also make your own milk alternative in most cases, too, to make sure you have a soy-free product.
3. All full fat and some 2% Cheese that is NOT processed or soft. Block cheese, Daisy cottage cheese (full fat or light) and most shredded cheeses are fine. Velveeta, cream cheese, pre-sliced cheeses, canned cheeses and fat-free cheeses are NOT. To my knowledge, Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese (Full-fat, original one) is also soy-free.
4. Daisy Sour Cream (full fat and light). Other brand could be fine, but check labels. Light and fat free sour creams generally contain soy, but not always.
5. Eggs. Also, though I have never been informed of anyone reacting to eggs from soy fed chickens, if you have a severe allergy, you may want to check into getting eggs that are from chickens that are not soy fed.
6. Quorn's All-Natural, Meatless, Soy-Free Frozen Foods. I have never tried their products, so I can't vouch for quality of taste, but this seems like the perfect line of frozen foods for vegetarians. For their FAQ page, please go to here. (The links given are to the USA site. For their other sites, click here.)
7. Dannon's All Natural Plain or Vanilla yogurt. I know there are a few other plain or vanilla yogurts that are fine as well (a few Greek style, too), you just need to check the labels. SoDelicious has a few non-dairy, soy-free flavored yogurts as well.
8. Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream (Pasteurized ONLY, not Ultra Pasteurized) and other whipping creams that are JUST cream.
9. Rocky Mountain Organic Meats As far as I can tell, all their products are soy-free. They also have a line of gluten-free products, all of which are soy, egg and nut-free, and most are milk-free. They are also natural and preservative free - a VERY good find!
10. Some brands of milk alternatives, like almond or coconut milk. So Delicious brand is a good bet to be soy-free more often than not, and they are very good about allergen info. Other brands vary depending on flavor and type. Check labels carefully.
11. Coffee-mate's Natural Bliss products. Here is their response to my question about if they were free of soy, tree nuts/peanuts, wheat, fish/seafood and soy (they do contain milk):
"Thank you for taking the time to contact Nestlé® Coffee-mate® Non-Dairy Creamer regarding your concern if the product is soy, gluten, nut and egg free. We welcome questions and comments from loyal consumers such as yourself and appreciate this opportunity to assist you.Our Natural Bliss does not contain any allergens. Labeling regulations require that the eight recognized major food allergens always be listed in the ingredient statement if they are in the product, regardless of the amount. We always list these food allergens by their common name. Always check the label for the most current information before purchasing a product.Factories that use an ingredient coming from one of these eight allergens take all needed precautions to avoid cross contact with products that do not normally contain these allergens.If a product that does not contain one of the known allergens, but is made on the same line as one that does and/or in the same facility with potential for cross contact, we will add an advisory statement at the end of the ingredient listing.If an allergen does not appear in the ingredient statement, then it has NOT been added to the product.At Nestlé, we are dedicated to you and your family throughout every phase of your lives. Your feedback is valuable to us, as it helps us to improve our products and services.We appreciate your interest in our products and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions."
Note from me: Some of the newer Natural Bliss creamers DO contain "natural flavors", so exercise caution when trying those.
Sweeteners (Natural and Artificial):
1. Sugar (brown, white, and confectionery).
2. Most artificial sweeteners. Though I don't recommend these (I think they do more harm than good, and wouldn't recommend them unless you are diabetic and, even then, in moderation. Even sugar and honey, though, is safe for diabetics in moderation.), most do appear to be soy-free. Always double check the labels to be sure.
3. Most honey (depending on the source - I would go with a "pure" type that sites only clover, orange blossom, etc.) and other sweeteners like Molasses or Corn Syrup that are not low calorie or "lite" in name, not color (dark and light-colored corn syrup are normally fine, but the reduced calories can contain soy). (Note: Other liquid sweeteners may be soy-free as well, but I don't recommend them personally. Feel free to use them at your discretion.)
If you are looking for soy-free NON-foods, check out this page: Soy-Free NON-Foods List
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