While McDonald’s doesn’t have an exclusively gluten-free menu there are ways you can modify your order and ensure that your meal doesn’t contain gluten.
To guarantee and give yourself peace of mind so you don’t order an item that contains gluten you need to understand exactly what that is and where to find it in some of your favorite foods.
Gluten is a type of protein that is found in grains, and in many common food items like cereal, bread, pizza, cookies, and pasta to name a few. Gluten can also be included in some items and not be so obvious like breading, and sauce ingredients.
Does McDonald’s have Gluten-Free Bread?
Unfortunately, McDonald’s does not have bread or buns that can be classified as gluten-free. Instead, you can get a sandwich is by asking for a gluten-free filling without the bun.
You can get a burger without the bun, some eggs and sausage as a protein-filled breakfast, and even a sweet treat like a shake or sundae to finish it all off.
If you are ever uncertain whether a particular menu item at McDonald’s contains gluten or wheat, make sure you speak with an employee or visit their website to check the list of ingredients and nutrition facts.
What Food at McDonald’s is Gluten-Free?
As a general rule of thumb since gluten is found in grains, it’s a safe assumption to avoid bread products at McDonald’s. There are also other items that may contain gluten like desserts, if you are unsure you can always ask a staff member.
Here are a few items you can get that are classified as gluten-free:
- Burger Patties (remove the bun)
- Breakfast Sausage
- Scrambled Eggs and Patties
- McFlurry – the M&M Flavor
- Sundaes with Peanuts
- Apple Slices
- Drinks and Beverages
- Coffee (both hot and iced)
- Juices (apple and orange)
- Sweet Tea
- Unsweetened Tea
- Frappes (Caramel, Mocha, and Chocolate Chip)
- Smoothies (Blueberry Pomegranate, Strawberry Banana, and Mango Pineapple)
- Shakes (Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry)
- Sodas
- Water
- Fruit and Yogurt Parfait (make sure you do not eat the granola that comes on the side)
You might be wondering why McDonald’s salads and types of dressings didn’t make this list. McDonald’s has actually discontinued their salads as of 2020. These items were removed from the menu in an attempt to shave them down.
Your meal may not be complete without some sauce, toppings, or a dip. You can include these gluten-free options in your rotation:
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Onions
- Tomato
- Tartar
- Pickles
- Jellies
- Syrup
- Honey
- American Cheese
- Lettuce
All of McDonald’s locations have gluten-free menu options. You can find a McDonald’s near you by visiting their store locator here
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Is McDonald’s Gluten-Free Without the Bun?
You can order breakfast sandwiches with eggs, sausage, or Canadian bacon without the bread, biscuit or bun and make it gluten-free. Just make sure any toppings you are considering fall within the appropriate category of not containing gluten ingredients.
The bun, biscuits, muffins, cookies, hotcakes, bagels, fries, breaded fish, breaded chicken, pies, and any other items containing grains and grain proteins are usually the culprits when it comes to containing gluten as an ingredient.
You can also order burgers with a beef patty and exclude the bun to avoid gluten. You’ll want to be careful because some of the chicken sandwich meat is breaded with ingredients that can contain gluten. This also applies to the popular Filet O’ Fish meat as well.
Related: Does McDonald’s Use Real Chicken?
McDonald’s fries are surprisingly not considered to be a gluten-free option either. The reason may surprise you, the fries are coated in a beef flavoring that happens to contain wheat ingredients.
What Other Restaurants Have Gluten-Free Options?
Some people have conditions or dietary restrictions that require them to remove gluten from their meal options. Thankfully, there are several restaurants that offer meals that can be considered gluten-free. Some restaurants with these options include Wendy’s, Arby’s, Chick-Fil-A, and Subway.
What Can I Get at McDonald’s That’s Gluten-Free?
At McDonald’s, you can get gluten-free items like breakfast sausages, scramble eggs, and patties. Fruits like apple slices and yogurt parfaits are also gluten-free.
Gluten can be tricky to avoid when you are dining out, mostly because you aren’t preparing your meal and don’t have a list of ingredients readily available.
Thankfully, there are some guidelines you can look to for ordering breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks when you’re on the go.
Related: Does McDonald’s Have Vegan Options?
