Finding Your Perfect Dessert: What Pudding Mix Has No Artificial Ingredients?

November 10, 2025 •

4 min read

A 2024 survey showed that over 60% of consumers check ingredient lists for recognizable names, demonstrating a growing demand for cleaner, simpler products. For those seeking a healthier sweet treat, the question of what pudding mix has no artificial ingredients is crucial for making informed choices and avoiding synthetic additives commonly found in conventional mixes.

Quick Summary

This article explores commercially available and homemade options for pudding mixes without artificial ingredients, detailing the pros and cons of specific brands, identifying common additives to avoid, and providing instructions for a clean, DIY alternative.

Key Points

Clean Brands: Simply Delish and Simple Mixes offer commercial pudding options with no artificial ingredients, colors, or preservatives.
Jell-O Alternative: Jell-O Simply Good avoids artificial colors and flavors but still contains modified starches and phosphates, leading to moderate processing concerns.
DIY is Easiest: For complete control, create your own pudding mix with simple, recognizable pantry staples like cornstarch, sugar, and milk powder.
Avoid Artificial Additives: When reading labels, look out for synthetic dyes (Yellow 5, Red 40), artificial sweeteners, and preservatives like BHA.
Choose Natural Thickeners: Alternative thickeners to modified cornstarch include arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, and plant-based gums.
Natural Sweetener Options: For sugar-free or reduced-sugar alternatives, seek mixes that use stevia or erythritol, like Simply Delish.

Why Choose a Pudding Mix with No Artificial Ingredients?

In an era of increasing health awareness, many consumers are turning away from highly processed foods that contain artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. The "clean label" movement emphasizes transparent ingredient lists that are easy for consumers to understand. This trend extends to simple pleasures like pudding, where many traditional brands contain a host of synthetic chemicals.

Opting for a pudding mix with natural ingredients is a step towards a healthier diet, minimizing exposure to additives linked to health concerns like hyperactivity in children and potential carcinogens. Whether you have specific dietary restrictions, allergies, or simply want to eat cleaner, understanding your options is key to enjoying a guilt-free dessert.

Leading Commercial Pudding Mixes with No Artificial Ingredients

Several brands have responded to consumer demand by offering cleaner pudding mixes. Here are some of the most prominent options:

Simply Delish Natural Instant Pudding

Key Features: This is a popular choice for those following vegan, keto, and sugar-free diets. The mixes are sweetened with a blend of erythritol and stevia, and they are certified gluten-free, fat-free, and non-GMO. They use plant-based ingredients and natural flavors.
Ingredient Breakdown: A typical vanilla mix uses corn starch, erythritol, plant-based soluble fiber, emulsifiers (like sunflower lecithin), stevia extract, natural flavor, salt, and beta-carotene for color. This makes it a great option for those trying to avoid refined sugar and animal products.

Simple Mixes Natural Instant Pudding

Key Features: These mixes are specifically marketed as dye-free and gluten-free. They are available in classic flavors like chocolate and vanilla and can be prepared with both dairy and non-dairy milks. Many customer reviews praise the taste and clean ingredients.
Ingredient Breakdown: Ingredients often include cane sugar, corn starch, and natural flavors. Some versions may contain phosphates for thickening, which some cleaner-label enthusiasts might prefer to avoid, though it's still a significant improvement over conventional mixes with artificial colors and sweeteners.

Jell-O Simply Good (With Caveats)

Key Features: A major brand's attempt at a cleaner offering, Jell-O Simply Good is advertised as having no artificial flavors, dyes, or preservatives. It uses real cocoa or vanilla bean.
Ingredient Breakdown: While better than their traditional line, the Simply Good version still contains modified cornstarch, phosphates, and non-specific "natural flavor". The Environmental Working Group (EWG) scores it with moderate processing concerns, noting the potential for artificial trans fats from mono- and diglycerides.

The DIY Route: Making Your Own All-Natural Pudding Mix

For the absolute cleanest option, nothing beats making your own pudding mix from scratch. This gives you complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to avoid any unwanted additives or highly processed components.

Natural Vanilla Pudding Mix:

Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup cornstarch, ¾ cup nonfat dry milk powder (or a dairy-free powder), 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 vanilla beans.
Instructions:
1. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla beans and combine them with the sugar. Whisk to distribute evenly.
2. Add the cornstarch, milk powder, and salt. Mix well.
3. Store in an airtight container with the vanilla pods. The flavor will intensify over time.
4. To prepare, whisk ½ cup of the mix with 2 cups of milk (dairy or alternative) in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until thickened, then chill.

Artificial Ingredients to Look For and Avoid

When scrutinizing a pudding mix label, watch out for these common artificial additives:

Artificial Colors: Look for Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, which are often used to brighten conventional puddings.
Artificial Flavors: The vague term "artificial flavor" can hide dozens of chemical components. Opt for products specifying natural flavorings or using whole ingredients like vanilla beans.
Artificial Sweeteners: Common in sugar-free versions, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and sucralose are often found in traditional diet mixes. Choose naturally sweetened options with stevia or erythritol, like Simply Delish.
Phosphates: Sodium phosphates, including disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, are used as thickening agents and emulsifiers. While not all are harmful, some consumers prefer to minimize their intake.
Modified Cornstarch: Often a key ingredient for instant thickening, this can be derived from various chemical processes. A cleaner option would be a mix that uses regular cornstarch or other natural thickeners.

Natural Thickeners and Sweeteners

If you are making your own pudding or evaluating a product, knowing alternative ingredients is helpful:

Thickeners: Beyond simple cornstarch, consider arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or agar-agar for vegan alternatives. Some recipes use xanthan gum for a smooth texture.
Sweeteners: Besides sugar and stevia, unrefined cane sugar, coconut sugar, or monk fruit are natural alternatives.

Comparison Table: Natural vs. Conventional Pudding Mix


Feature	Natural Pudding Mix	Conventional Pudding Mix
Ingredients	Simple, recognizable names like sugar, cornstarch, natural flavors.	Long lists of additives, artificial flavors, and dyes.
Sweeteners	Often uses natural sugars, stevia, or erythritol.	Primarily uses refined sugar or artificial sweeteners like aspartame.
Colors	Derived from natural sources like beta-carotene or annatto, or is uncolored.	Uses synthetic food dyes like Yellow 5 and Red 40.
Preservatives	Generally free of artificial preservatives.	May contain BHA or other chemical preservatives to extend shelf life.
Processing	Generally less processed, focusing on simple formulations.	Often highly processed, with extensive modifications.

Conclusion

The availability of pudding mixes with no artificial ingredients has grown significantly, thanks to the rise of clean-label consumer demand. Brands like Simply Delish and Simple Mixes offer excellent commercial options for those who prioritize natural, simple components. For those who want absolute control and the satisfaction of a truly homemade dessert, crafting your own mix is a simple and rewarding endeavor. By being aware of common artificial additives and seeking out cleaner alternatives, you can enjoy a delicious pudding without compromising your nutritional goals.

Find more information on living a clean-label lifestyle from authoritative sources like the Environmental Working Group (EWG): https://www.ewg.org/foodscores/

Frequently Asked Questions

Simply Delish offers a sugar-free, plant-based pudding mix sweetened with stevia and erythritol, making it an excellent choice for keto and low-carb diets.

Yes, many natural pudding mixes, including Simply Delish and Simple Mixes, are formulated to be compatible with both dairy and non-dairy alternatives like almond, soy, and oat milk.

Simple Mixes and Simply Delish are generally considered among the cleanest options, with simple ingredient lists free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Simply Delish is also vegan and sugar-free.

While 'natural flavor' is less concerning than 'artificial flavor,' it can still be a mixture of many ingredients. For the cleanest option, choose mixes that specify their flavor source or make your own with whole ingredients like vanilla beans.

Jell-O Simply Good is better than the original formula as it lacks artificial colors and flavors. However, it still contains modified cornstarch and phosphates, which some consumers consider highly processed.

You can use other natural thickeners like arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or agar-agar as alternatives to cornstarch in homemade pudding mixes. Always follow a recipe to get the correct proportions.

The main difference is the ingredient transparency and quality. Natural mixes use simpler, recognizable ingredients and avoid synthetic additives like artificial colors, flavors, and some preservatives found in conventional mixes.