Vegan Potions

Happy Halloween season. The Hocus Pocus franchise has risen from the grave with the new Hocus Pocus 2, which premieres nearly 30 years after the original.

The first Hocus Pocus was about a trio of witch sisters, Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, who were from Salem in the 1600s but are resurrected in the present day, meaning 1993, the year the movie came out.

The trio of witches in Hocus Pocus, like many who dabble in magic, are known to brew a potion or two–including the Life Potion, which is used to steal a person’s life force and return the user to youth and vitality. Once resurrected, the witches have just Halloween night to prey on the costumed children going door-to-door and return themselves to youth.

There are a few non-vegan ingredients to this potion, like owl blood and newt saliva. Stealing someone’s life force is probably frowned upon as well, for those concerned with cruelty. But if you’re against the exploitation of animals and find some less sinister potions you’d like to try, fear not. Some common potion ingredients may not actually be what they seem. The creators of such tonics may have changed the names of their ingredients to protect their secrets. Ingredients that sound like animal body parts, like eyes and fur, may actually be vegan. Eye of newt, for example, may be code for mustard seed. And wool could be referring to moss. It’s quite the trick.

If you’re more interested in treats during this time of year, there are numerous lists online of vegan options for Halloween candy, including well known confections. Here’s a short, non-exhaustive list to get you started in your search:

• Smarties
• Blow Pops
• Jolly Ranchers
• Sour Patch Kids
• Dots
• Dum Dums
• Swedish Fish (check the label though, some contain beeswax instead of carnauba wax)
• Cry Babies
• Atomic Fireballs
• Twizzlers
• Airheads
• Now and Laters
• Skittles
• Chick-o-Sticks

To learn more about Hocus Pocus and vegan options for Halloween potions and treats, watch our latest Pop Culture & Animals video. Happy Haunting!