Do you want to get fit and healthy, but you can’t resist eating at fast-food restaurants near you? I understand—who can’t resist the delicious burgers, fries, and soothing shakes, right? But maybe you can still enjoy eating while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. How? Maybe try a different meal, perhaps from these 12 typical fast-food chains serving gluten-free foods!
12. Panera Bread
Even though the name has “bread” in it, Panera has many gluten-free choices. You can not have sandwiches, but you can get soups and salads without croutons or bread. Good picks include:
- Greek salad
- Fuji apple Salad
- Modern Greek salad with quinoa
- Strawberry poppyseed salad with chicken
- Baked potato soup
- Different steel cut oatmeals
- Greek yogurt with mixed berries
Panera even has two desserts without gluten: a triple chocolate cookie with walnuts and a coconut macaroon. Panera is one of the most gluten-free friendly places on this list. Just make sure you say very clearly when ordering that you need gluten-free items.
11. Chipotle
You can’t eat a burrito at Chipotle, but you can enjoy a burrito bowl or corn tortillas. You can pick rice, meat, beans, and toppings — no flour tortilla. You can also have tortilla chips, salsa, and guacamole. The only things not allowed are the flour tortillas.
Since you see the food being made and the assembly process, Chipotle is one of the most truly gluten-free restaurants on this list. You can watch them prepare your meal and know exactly what goes into it.
Overall, Chipotle is a great option for those avoiding gluten. The ability to customize your meal and see the preparation makes it a safe and delicious choice.
10. McDonald’s
When it comes to fast food places, McDonald’s is one we must talk about. You can get any of their burgers without gluten if you don’t take the bun and have it wrapped in lettuce instead. But you will have to skip the special sauce on their Big Macs, too.
Some other food items without gluten are:
- a few of their salads
- a McFlurry with M&M’s candies
- a Fruit ‘N Yogurt Parfait
While food without gluten is a good start, the risk of mixing with gluten is high due to the fast work pace and closeness with gluten.
9. Taco Bell
It is vital to remember that a warning on Taco Bell’s website states they are not a gluten-free place and cannot guarantee any of their food is truly gluten-free.
However, they do offer some items that do not contain gluten, such as:
- Nachos
- spicy tostada
- hash browns
- black beans and rice
- pintos n cheese
If you choose to avoid gluten when possible, Taco Bell could be an occasional treat. But if you have a real sensitivity or allergy, it is best to skip it to be safe.
8. Burger King
The Burger King site tells us: While some food does not have gluten, there is a big chance that it could mix with gluten-containing things.
If you are okay with taking a very high risk, you can get a Whopper without the bread, plus the grilled chicken sandwich. You can also get their garden salad and soft-serve ice cream with hot fudge, caramel, or strawberry sauce.
If you have a very bad gluten allergy or sensitivity, going to Burger King may not be the best idea.
7. Popeyes
Like KFC, Popeyes does not have many options for people who need to avoid gluten, and everything they can eat is a side dish. However, their gluten-free side options are a bit better than KFC’s. Options include their rice with Cajun spices, red beans and rice, cabbage salad, and corn on the cob.
For a restaurant that is known for fried chicken with breading, there are some decent choices that make it a better alternative than KFC if you cannot have gluten.
6. Sonic
Sonic has some food that does not have gluten. Their fries and tater tots are cooked with foods that have gluten, so they are not good. But their grilled foods are safe to eat if you cannot eat gluten:
- Hamburgers (no buns)
- Bacon
- breakfast sausage
- hot dogs (no buns)
- Philly steak
- Eggs
Their ice cream may also be okay to eat if you cannot eat gluten. The small kitchens and quick training at fast food places make it hard to keep gluten away from other foods.
5. Arby’s
At Arby’s, the choices are very few if you need to avoid gluten. Most of their meats, like steak, beef, and brisket, do not have gluten, but you cannot eat them with the buns. The fries are gluten-free, but they are cooked in oil with gluten. Your best choice is their roast turkey farmhouse salad if you want a full meal.
Overall, Arby’s is not the top pick for gluten-free fast food options on this list. You have to be very careful when ordering here if you cannot have gluten.
4. Wendy’s
Wendy’s is similar to the two places we just discussed. You can get a burger without any bread, and a few of their salads without chicken and croutons would also be ok.
The number of sides without gluten exceeds the first two places, though. These include their chili and a wide range of baked potatoes and toppings. Best of all? The Frosty is without gluten, too.
Wendy’s has more options without gluten than McDonald’s and Burger King, and information about cross mixing on their website shows that they know about cooking without gluten.
3. Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A has many food items that do not have gluten. Gluten-Free Living says Chick-fil-A’s waffle fries are cooked separately from breaded chicken. The fries use canola oil. The breaded chicken uses peanut oil. Their grilled chicken and grilled chicken nuggets (not breaded) also do not have gluten.
Chick-fil-A now offers a new bun without gluten. They have a list of sealed menu items to prevent cross-contamination:
- Honest Kids Appley Ever After Organic Juice Drink
- Cinnamon Apple Sauce (Buddy Fruits)
- Milk
- Simply Orange Orange Juice
- Waffle Potato Chips (catering only)
When I ate at Chick-fil-A, I enjoyed the grilled chicken nuggets. They tasted great without breading. The waffle fries were also very good.
2. KFC
KFC is famous for its fried chicken with bread crumbs. It has a few choices if you can’t eat wheat. You can have green beans and corn sides at KFC. They don’t have grilled chicken without wheat either. You may want to skip KFC if you need food without wheat.
KFC serves breaded, fried chicken mostly. Their menu has very few options if you need foods without gluten. The sides of green beans and corn are the only things you can order. Even their grilled chicken contains gluten ingredients. This restaurant may not work well if you follow a gluten-free diet plan.
1. Five Guys
Food at Five Guys is mostly free of gluten. This includes their burgers, fries, hot dogs, and most toppings. You can also enjoy their milkshakes, aside from a few mix-ins that contain gluten.
However, you must avoid certain items:
- malt vinegar
- fry sauce
- Oreo cookie pieces
- malted milk and cherry milkshake mix-ins
Since Five Guys has fewer products with gluten, the risk of cross-contamination is lower than in other fast food places. But remember, a lower risk doesn’t mean no risk exists.
Eating healthy does not always depend on where you eat; sometimes, it depends on what you choose to eat. So, next time you want to get full while still eating delicious meals, try these fast-food chains and order these healthy foods on their menu!