FOOD GUIDANCE · Updated October 17, 2026
Pies: check the crust and filling
Crust ingredients
Read the exact ingredient list for the fat used in the crust: butter, vegetable oil or shortening, and lard are different ingredients. Lard is pork fat. A familiar pie name does not identify the fat in every recipe.
Filling and dough ingredients
Check the filling for gelatin and any alcohol ingredients. If L-cysteine appears in the dough ingredients, ask the manufacturer about its source; its name alone does not identify the raw material. Match the exact product, country and current pack.
Compare useful options
A crust listing butter or vegetable oil gives you a different ingredient choice from one listing lard. Check all the remaining ingredients and any certification separately. For restaurant pies, ask which crust and filling are used.
Make your own
Our chicken pot pie recipe lets you choose the pastry fat and filling ingredients. Check the ingredients you buy against your dietary requirements.
Chicken pot pie recipe · Gelatin sources and dietary checks · Download guide and recipe (PDF)
