Is Walmart grape jelly vegan? A Nutritional Deep Dive for Your Diet

October 24, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a 2023 study by Spoonful, Walmart's Great Value Concord Grape Jelly is considered vegan due to its plant-based ingredients. For those following a plant-based nutrition diet, the question, is Walmart grape jelly vegan? is essential for ensuring your food choices align with your dietary principles.

Quick Summary

This article examines the vegan status of popular Walmart grape jelly, reviewing common ingredients like pectin and sugar. It covers nutritional considerations, explains how to identify non-vegan additives, and presents healthier alternatives for your diet.

Key Points

Vegan Status: Walmart's Great Value Concord Grape Jelly is generally considered vegan, as its thickening agent, pectin, is plant-derived.
Ingredient Scrutiny: For a strict vegan diet, it is important to be aware of potentially non-vegan processed sugars or other hidden animal-based ingredients, although these are not typically in this specific jelly.
High Sugar Content: Nutritionally, the jelly is high in sugar from corn syrup, so it should be consumed sparingly as part of a balanced diet.
Healthier Alternatives: Homemade jellies using agar-agar or natural sweeteners, as well as lower-sugar vegan brands like Good Good, offer healthier options.
Label Literacy: Always read ingredient labels carefully for certifications or potential hidden animal products like gelatin or carmine.
Moderation is Key: Even with vegan foods, a healthy nutrition diet requires consuming high-sugar products in moderation, as recommended by health organizations.

Decoding the Vegan Status of Walmart's Grape Jelly

For many, grape jelly is a staple condiment, but for those adhering to a vegan lifestyle, scrutinizing ingredient labels is a critical step in the purchasing process. The core components of traditional grape jelly are grape juice, sweeteners, and a thickening agent. The primary concern for vegans typically lies with the thickening agent, as some jellies and confections use gelatin, which is derived from animal collagen. However, a closer look at the ingredients in Walmart's own Great Value Concord Grape Jelly reveals a different story.

Ingredients in Great Value Concord Grape Jelly

A review of the ingredients for Walmart's Great Value Concord Grape Jelly shows a list free from animal-derived products: grape juice, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, pectin, citric acid, and sodium citrate. Crucially, the thickening agent used is pectin, which is a plant-based carbohydrate extracted from fruits. Furthermore, resources like the Spoonful app, which analyzes products for dietary suitability, have classified this specific jelly as vegan. This confirms that based on the listed ingredients, Great Value Concord Grape Jelly is suitable for a vegan diet.

Potential Hidden Non-Vegan Ingredients to Watch For

While the primary ingredients in most grape jellies are vegan, careful label reading is always recommended, as some products may contain less obvious animal derivatives. For example, some sugars are refined using bone char, though many manufacturers now use vegan-friendly alternatives. Common hidden non-vegan ingredients include gelatin, carmine (a red dye made from crushed beetles), and certain flavorings or additives. The ingredient list for Great Value grape jelly does not indicate the use of these additives, further supporting its vegan status.

The Nutritional Profile of Grape Jelly

As a core component of a nutrition diet, it's important to consider more than just the vegan status of grape jelly. A typical serving of grape jelly is high in sugar, mainly from corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, and contains very little, if any, fiber, protein, or other micronutrients. The World Health Organization recommends limiting the intake of free sugars to less than 10% of total energy intake, with further reductions offering additional benefits. Therefore, while vegan, grape jelly should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Comparison of Vegan Jellies: Great Value vs. Other Options


Product	Gelling Agent	Sweeteners	Vegan Status	Other Notes
Great Value Concord Grape Jelly (Walmart)	Pectin	Corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup	Considered vegan	Inexpensive and widely available
Good Good Concord Grape Jelly (Walmart)	Pectin	Stevia, erythritol	Certified vegan	No added sugar, keto-friendly alternative
Homemade Grape Jelly	Pectin or Agar-Agar	Sugar, agave, or other natural sweeteners	Vegan (ingredients control)	Allows for full control over ingredients and sugar content
Just Wholefoods Vegan Jelly	Agar-Agar	Sugar (typically)	Certified vegan	A reliable certified vegan brand, though potentially more expensive

Healthier Vegan Grape Jelly Alternatives

For those seeking a healthier version of grape jelly beyond store-bought options, there are several alternatives that offer a more controlled nutritional profile:

Homemade Jelly with Natural Sweeteners: Making your own grape jelly allows you to use healthier, plant-based sweeteners like agave, maple syrup, or stevia. You can use fruit pectin or agar-agar, a seaweed extract, as the gelling agent.
Certified Vegan Brands: Several brands, including some found at Walmart like Good Good, offer explicitly labeled vegan jelly options, often with lower or no added sugar.
Fruit Spreads: Look for fruit spreads that are sweetened with fruit juice concentrate rather than refined sugars. Always check the ingredient list to ensure no non-vegan additives are present.
Fresh Fruit Compotes: A simple compote made with crushed grapes and a small amount of a plant-based sweetener can be a fresh, whole-food alternative to traditional jelly.

Tips for Reading Labels on a Vegan Diet

For a truly robust vegan nutrition diet, label literacy is key. Always read the full ingredient list, not just the front-of-package claims. Look for terms like gelatin (often disguised as E441), milk ingredients (casein, whey), and natural flavorings that may have animal origins. While “may contain” warnings for allergens like milk are for cross-contamination and not an indicator of non-vegan ingredients, certifications like the Vegan Society's logo offer extra assurance. Many online resources and smartphone apps can help with this process.

Conclusion: Navigating Grape Jelly for Your Vegan Nutrition Diet

In conclusion, Walmart's Great Value Concord Grape Jelly is confirmed as vegan based on its ingredient list, using plant-derived pectin as its gelling agent. While it fits within the vegan framework, its high sugar content means it's best enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced and healthy nutrition diet. The growing market for plant-based foods provides a wealth of alternatives, from lower-sugar options to simple homemade recipes using agar-agar. Ultimately, a keen eye for ingredient lists and a balanced nutritional perspective will empower you to make the best dietary choices.

For more information on identifying hidden animal ingredients in food, you can consult helpful resources online.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, Great Value Concord Grape Jelly does not contain gelatin. It uses fruit pectin, a plant-based thickener, to achieve its jelly-like consistency.

Most grape jellies are vegan, but it's not guaranteed. Some less common brands may use gelatin as a gelling agent, so checking the ingredient list is always the safest approach.

The most reliable method is to read the ingredient list for animal-derived products like gelatin, dairy (whey, casein), or certain colorings (carmine). Look for explicit vegan labeling or use apps like Spoonful that verify product ingredients.

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber found in fruits that acts as a natural gelling agent. It is completely plant-based and is a common ingredient in vegan jams and jellies.

Yes, healthier vegan alternatives include making your own jelly with agar-agar and natural sweeteners, opting for low-sugar certified vegan brands like Good Good, or choosing fruit-sweetened spreads.

The sugar refining process can sometimes involve bone char, making some sugars non-vegan. While this is less common today and the specific process for Great Value isn't detailed, the product is generally accepted as vegan. For the strictest approach, seek out organic or explicitly vegan-certified sugars.

Checking labels is crucial because hidden animal-derived ingredients can be present in unexpected places, such as thickening agents (gelatin), food colorings (carmine), or processing aids (bone char in sugar). A thorough check ensures dietary integrity.