Are Kirkland Hot Dogs Gluten Free? (Answered!)

Do you know if Kirkland’s signature hot dogs are gluten free? This is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

If you have ever visited a Costco food court and seen their famous $1.50 hot dog combo, you have probably wondered what kind of hot dogs they use, and whether or not they are gluten free.

So, what is the deal with Costco hot dogs, are Kirkland’s signature hot dogs gluten free? YES! Since 2009, Kirkland hot dogs have been manufactured by Costco, and since then, they have contained no gluten ingredients.

The rest of this article will discuss all you need to know about Kirkland hot dogs and whether they are gluten free.

Are Kirkland hot dogs gluten free?

Yes, Kirkland hot dogs are totally gluten free! Not only do they contain no gluten ingredients, but they are also free of preservatives, fillers, by-products, and artificial coloring and flavoring.

This means that these hot dogs are fairly healthy, containing none of the sketchy ingredients that are sometimes found in many brands of hot dogs.

So, yes Kirkland hot dogs are totally safe for gluten free individuals to eat. In fact, they are one of the better choices out there!

Read also: Are Kirkland Hot Dogs Healthy? (The Truth!)

Have Kirkland hot dogs always been gluten free?

Yes. Costco has sold gluten free hot dogs since the year 1984, when they were originally supplied by Hebrew National.

In 2009, they decided to manufacture Kirkland hot dogs themselves, in order to keep up with the demand for their incredible $1.50 hot dog deal.

When they did so, they decided to make their hot dogs gluten free. So, as long as Costco has used Kirkland hot dogs to supply their stores, those hot dogs have been free of any gluten ingredients.

What ingredients are in Kirkland hot dogs?

If Kirkland hot dogs do not contain any gluten ingredients, then what do they contain? Luckily, the ingredient list is fairly short! Kirkland hot dogs contain all of the ingredients listed below:

• Beef
• Water
• Dextrose
• Salt
• Spices
• Sodium lactate
• Garlic
• Sodium diacetate
• Sodium erythorbate
• Paprika
• Sodium nitrite

As you can see, this is a fairly natural list of ingredients, with no by-products, fillers, or artificial flavorings and colorings.

This means that Kirkland hot dogs are pretty healthy indeed. This just makes the $1.50 hot dog deal taste that much sweeter!

Read also: Do Kirkland Hot Dogs Have Nitrates (The Truth!)

Are the hot dog buns at Costco gluten free?

While Kirkland brand hot dogs have been proudly gluten free since 2009, the same can unfortunately not be said for Costco’s hot dog buns.

The brand of buns they use are made by Engelman’s Bakery, and they are sadly not free of gluten ingredients.

Engelman’s Bakery does, in fact, manufacture a gluten free hot dog bun! They are simply not the buns which Costco uses in their food court.

So, if you want to enjoy a Kirkland’s hot dog at home, you could always top it off with an Engelman’s Bakery hot dog bun for the authentic Costco food court experience—but fully gluten free!

For now, however, the hot dog buns in Costco’s food court do sadly contain gluten. Perhaps this will change sometime in the future to match their gluten free hot dogs, but for now, if you are gluten free, you will simply have to skip the bun at a Costco food court.

Are the hot dog toppings at Costco gluten free?

Aside from the self-service condiment station at Costco’s food court, you can ask for a number of other toppings to be added to your Kirkland’s hot dog.

The self-serve station will include ketchup and yellow mustard, which are usually gluten free condiments.

Some of the other ingredients you can ask for at the counter that are also gluten free include:

• Sauerkraut
• Diced Onions
• Sweet Pickle

If you are looking for any other toppings, however, it is best to confirm with the team member working the counter that they are indeed gluten free.

They should have an allergen list handy where you can cross check all the toppings to ensure that you are remaining safe.

Why are Costco’s Kirkland hot dogs only $1.50?

Costco’s Kirkland hot dogs are notoriously cheap. Only a dollar fifty?! You read that right! The famous hot dog combo has stayed the same price since it was launched in 1984, which is more than can be said for a LOT of other food brands.

The reality is that Costco’s hot dog combo is more than just a way to make money. It is also a marketing strategy for the store, as well as a way to bring together Costco shoppers.

There are many people who like to go to Costco just to have lunch in the food court! These individuals all have Costco memberships, so the store’s marketing tactic is certainly working.

Costco actually loses money on every hot dog they sell, but they are committed to keeping their hot dogs at the same $1.50 price for the foreseeable future.

Not only have the hot dogs remained the same, but Costco has never once downsized the combo. You still get the same amount of bang for your buck—and in fact, the hot dogs have actually gotten bigger over the years!

When Costco switched to Kirkland hot dogs in 2009, the hot dogs got 10% thicker than they were when they sold Hebrew National brand.

Conclusion

So, are Kirkland hot dogs gluten free? The answer is a resounding yes! Kirkland is the official hot dog brand of Costco, which has had totally gluten free hot dogs since they first started selling them in 1984.

The only part of Costco’s hot dog combo that is not gluten free is the bun.

If you are an individual who does not eat gluten for any reason, Costco’s Kirkland’s hot dog brand is perfectly safe for you to eat.

You can even get a wide variety of gluten free toppings to spice up your hot dog! Just make sure that you ask to skip the bun.

References

https://www.mashed.com/103084/dont-know-costcos-1-hot-dog/