A trip to Ikea can be dangerous. It’s hard to resist the Swedish furniture giant’s range of affordable furniture with sometimes vague, but typically user-friendly instructions for assembly. But there’s more to Ikea than bookcases and beds: the retailer has also committed to reducing its impact on the environment. By 2030, it has pledged to use only renewable and recycled materials and it has also dabbled in the second-hand furniture market.

Another way that Ikea is catering to its more climate-conscious customers is by offering planet-friendly food options. Ikea’s vegan items range from plant-based hot dogs and meatballs to gelatin-free candies and crispbread. Here’s how to navigate the furniture store’s food court and grocery section. But first, here’s why the future of Ikea is looking more plant-forward all the time.

Is Ikea going vegan?

Ikea is almost as well-known for its food court as it is for its furniture and housewares. But the future could hold more vegan food. In November 2020, the international retailer even pledged to make half of its menu plant-based by 2025 as part of its ongoing sustainability efforts. In 2024, it made good on its promise to introduce more options, by adding the Plant Dog to its US menu and reducing the price of its Veggie Dog. At 70¢ and 65¢ respectively, both were made cheaper than the meat-based hot dog (which is 75¢). In the UK, the furniture giant also offers Plant-Based Goujons.

“We’re excited to launch the Plant Dog in the US,” Paul Fite, Country Food Manager, Ikea US, said in a statement in March 2024. “We know that our hot dogs are beloved by many, and we’re proud to expand our plant-based foods for customers.”

He added: “Our ambition is to make healthier and more sustainable eating easy, desirable, and affordable, without compromising on taste.”

In December 2022, Ikea’s parent company Ingka Group also announced that it would be launching a brand-new dining concept called Saluhall, which will offer an 80-percent plant-based menu. The initiative is linked to the company’s Meeting Places concept and is separate from Ikea, but it does demonstrate Ingka Group’s commitment to sustainable food consumption. 

“Our food offering has long been a key element of our meeting places, and with Saluhall we will go beyond dining to inspire many people with more sustainable food choices, like plant-based dishes,” said Ingka Centre’s commercial and digital director Jens Nielson.

Now open, Saluhall offers everything from vegan tacos to empanadas to tofu rice noodles to dairy-free soft serve and so much more.

Vegan at Ikea’s food court

Heading for a browse at Ikea? You’re bound to get hungry. Here’s what’s currently vegan at Ikea’s restaurants. 

Ikea

1 Veggie Dogs

Ikea’s hot dogs are famous. So, when the furniture giant first let loose that it was testing out a vegan version, it was a big deal. The veggie-forward dogs—made from kale, red lentils, carrots, red cabbage, celery, onion, quinoa, and ginger—were a hit with customers, and so it quickly became a staple at Ikea food courts around the world. It comes topped with pickled red cabbage, onion crisps, and spicy mustard.

Ikea

2 Plant Dogs

Made with rice protein, apples, and onions, the new Plant Dogs are much meatier than their Veggie Dog counterpart, but they’re still 100-percent plant-based. They’re ideal for anyone looking to reduce their meat intake without having to sacrifice the juicy texture and taste of their favorite Ikea snack. The Plant Dogs are available in Ikea Bistros all over the world.

3 Veggie Balls

Ikea’s veggie meatballs are kind of like an old-fashioned vegan burger in that they’re made out of obvious chunks of vegetables, like chickpeas and carrots, and they aren’t necessarily out to mimic meat. At the food court, you can try them served with tahini romesco sauce, rice mixed with vegetables, and pasta. It’s a bit heartier than the hot dogs, so it’s a good way to fuel up for a trek through the furniture store.

Ikea

4 Plant Balls

If you prefer a meatier bite to your, well, meatballs, then the Plant Balls are here for you. They have a much meatier texture than the veggie alternative, and they’re served in the food court with lingonberry jam and mashed potatoes. You can also enjoy them in the US Bistro section in a Plant Ball Sundae (which is basically similar to the food court version, but it’s mixed together in a pot). Note: the Plant Ball Sundae comes with non-vegan cream sauce.

Ikea

5 Strawberry Soft Ice

Ikea has long offered frozen yogurt, but now it also offers a super-creamy soft ice, too, which is totally dairy-free. The soft ice is available in many Ikea locations all over the world in strawberry flavor. When the menu item launched in the US last year, Ikea USA posted on X: “Vegans, vegetarians, and everyone everywhere with a sweet tooth, have no fear… strawberry soft ice is here! Your new year-round, go-to plant-based treat is ready to melt your heart at your local Ikea store.”

Vegan at Ikea’s Swedish Food Market

The Ikea grocery section is always worth swinging by for its plentiful vegan options. Not only can you pick up frozen plant-based meats, but you’ll also find gelatin-free sweets, snacks, and crispbread—a light, crunchy rye-based cracker from Sweden. The retailer is constantly updating its options, so remember to read the ingredients of any new products. 

Ikea

1 Vegan meatballs

These pea protein and potato-based meatballs are just like the Plant Balls you’ll find in the food court. Take home a bag of these babies to use in pasta dishes, meatball subs, as a topping for pizza, and more.

Ikea

2 Vegetable balls

These are the vegetable-forward cousin of the Plant Balls, made with obvious pieces of chickpeas, carrots, peppers, corn, and kale. You can use them the same way you would use the meatier vegan meatballs, but they also taste fantastic when served in a grain bowl with roasted sweet potatoes and broccoli.

Ikea

3 Plant-based nuggets

Sometimes we don’t have the time or the energy to cook whole grains from scratch, and that’s okay. These wheat-based nuggets, or Slagverk, make for the perfect easy vegan dinner, especially when served with a baked potato or fries.

Ikea

4 Organic pasta

Ikea doesn’t only have specialty ingredients—the Swedish retailer has budget-friendly pantry staples, too, like these elk-shaped pasta noodles made from organic durum wheat.

Ikea

5 Vegan cookies

Yes, some of Ikea’s cookies are free from all animal ingredients. Although the ingredients aren’t actually on the website, an Ikea representative confirmed to VegNews that you can choose from ginger thins, ginger thins with almonds, and the cookie with raspberry filling.

Ikea

6 Jams & jellies

Perfect for stirring into oatmeal, spreading over bread, or serving with plant-based cheese and wine, Ikea’s organic jams and jellies are suitable for vegans. Flavors include orange and elderflower marmalade, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and blueberry, and Cloudberry.

Ikea

7 Vegan candy

A lot of gummy candies are made with gelatin, but that’s not the case at Ikea. The sweets section is stocked with multiple kinds of chewy vegan candies, including cola-flavored moose jellies, berry-flavored hearts, strawberry and vanilla ice cream cones, sour Viking ships, and more.

Ikea

8 Vegan bread & crispbread

Bread is the backbone of many-a-meal, and a lot of the options you’ll find at Ikea are vegan. Choose from whole grain crisp rolls, rye crispbread, multigrain crispbread, or soft thin bread.

Ikea

9Salted potato chips

There’s no hidden milk powder in these salty snacks. These potato chips have the skin left on for a rustic touch. If you’re in Europe, the sour cream and onion chips are actually dairy-free.

This post was originally published on VegNews.com.