Are Bacon Bits Even Real Bacon? Here's What We Know

Bacon is the GOAT (that's greatest of all time); pretty much everything tastes better with bacon, whether you're folding it to get the best ratio of chewy-to-crispy bites for a BLT, using it to top boxed mac and cheese, or marinating it for an explosion of flavor to make a bomb breakfast accompaniment. But sometimes, we just don't feel like dealing with the greasy splatter, nor do we want to turn on the oven in the heat of a summer afternoon, just for a salad topping or pasta filler. So we turn to bacon bits, those little meaty crumbles that typically come in a resealable bag or lidded jar. As bacon-y as they might taste, though, it might surprise you to learn that some of these bits are not made from actual bacon and do not contain meat at all.

In a shocking twist to all carnivores worthy of the name, some bacon bits — like McCormick Imitation Bacon Bits — are actually vegan. That's because they're made into pieces using soy flour that has been textured and then artificially flavored and colored with ingredients like caramel color, red 40, and disodium inosinate and guanylate. So vegetarians and vegans who might have been missing bacon can get their flavor and texture fix from these imitation crumbles.

If you're looking for actual meat in your bacon bits, you're in luck — there are a number of options on the market today that are made from real bacon. All you have to do is read the label closely. That's because faux bacon bits typically contain the word "imitation" on them or "bacon-flavored" — whereas, real bacon bits, like those from Hormel or Oscar Mayer, will use the words "real bacon." You can also check the ingredient listings, because the imitation crumbles will contain the items listed above, while the first ingredient listed under real bits should read "bacon."

In a strange turn of events, some people actually prefer the texture and saltier flavor of imitation bits to the real ones; one Redditor on the UnpopularOpinion subreddit even wrote, "The fake bacon bits add better flavor," while the OP responded to them saying they don't care that the bits don't taste like real bacon, they "like whatever they were going for." Real bacon bits, according to some, have a tougher texture than the fake ones.

Despite the differences in what they're made of and what they taste like, both real and imitation bacon bits are shelf-stable until they're opened. Once opened, however, the imitation bits can just stay in your pantry, but the real bacon bits must be refrigerated.