Does McAlister’s have Gluten Free Bread? (The Truth!)


mcalisters gluten free bread

Do you know if McAlister´s has gluten free bread? this is one of the questions our readers ask a lot. Well, we´ve got you covered.

Finding gluten free restaurant options can be challenging, especially in fast food or quick service settings.

If you are gluten sensitive, you know that bread, cakes and pastas are generally off limits. So what can you expect from a sandwich shop?

If you are trying to avoid gluten, you’ll be happy to learn that many McAlister’s menu items are compliant with a gluten free diet. .

Does McAlister´s have gluten free bread? Yes, McAlister´s have gluten free bread. McAlister’s Deli has 350 locations across 29 states. Of those individual locations, many of them (not all) do offer gluten free bread choices.

Which McAlister’s bread choices are gluten free?      

Flour naturally contains gluten, so any bread made from traditional wheat flour is going to contain some amount of gluten. Breads made from rye and barley also contain gluten.

Almond flour is one of the most common grain- and gluten-free flours. Rice flour is also used to make gluten free bread.

Kneading bread makes it chewier because it produces more gluten in the bread. Breads that are kneaded longer have more gluten; those that are kneaded less have less gluten, generally speaking.

However, gluten can also develop if bread dough containing yeast is allowed to rest for a long period of time (12 hours or so).

Therefore, if you are only sensitive to gluten but can handle a little, you can opt for white breads that are not kneaded as much and chewier breads like focaccia or ciabatta.

McAlister’s Deli offers a wide range of bread choices. Unfortunately, the ones listed below all contain gluten:

  • Baguette
  • 9-grain
  • Pita
  • Ciabatta
  • Croissant
  • Marbled rye
  • Sliced wheat
  • Country white
  • Wheat wrap

Sourdough bread has a very low amount of gluten, but McAlister’s Deli does not currently offer a sourdough option.

The good news is that some McAlister’s Deli locations carry Udi’s Whole Grain Sliced Gluten Free Bread.

People with gluten sensitivity are usually familiar with Udi’s products, which can be purchased in grocery stores across the U.S. In addition to sliced breads, Udi’s offers hamburger and hot dog buns, dinner rolls, and baguettes for at-home dining.

Read also: Does Jimmy John´s have Gluten Free Bread? (Secrets You´ll Never Imagine)

Udi’s breads are also served in many popular chain restaurants in an effort to expand their gluten free items.

It’s an easy switch for those needing gluten free restaurant options, and gluten free bread is a much better alternative to just taking the bun or bread off. Who wants to eat a sandwich without bread?

Udi’s gluten free breads contain tapioca starch, rice flour, and/or rice starch, which are ingredients tolerated by gluten sensitive individuals. Udi’s offers a wide range of bread options, such as sprouted grains, white, cinnamon raisin, and wheat.

Although more McAlister’s locations are now carrying gluten free bread for sandwiches, the specific Udi’s bread flavor offered at your local McAlister’s may vary.

As of April 1, 2021, McAlister’s Deli made a commitment to expand its menu to include even more gluten free items.

 This move is no doubt in response to the higher demand from customers who have a growing number of gluten free options elsewhere.

And with bread being the number one item on the menu with high gluten content (and desserts, of course), bread was the perfect place to start incorporating more of these items.

However, around this same time of this change, McAlister’s did not have a standardized cross-contamination policy.

This means that you could still experience an allergic reaction to gluten that passed to your food on the gloves or utensils used to prepare someone else’s food.

To combat this, you can ask the McAlister’s staff to do any or all of the following:

  • Change gloves before preparing your food
  • Clean the food preparation space
  • Flag the gluten free items in your order
  • Prepare your order without bread if a gluten free bread option isn’t available

Staff members regularly handle food orders for customers with food sensitivity and allergies, so this won’t come as a surprise to them. As long as you clarify that your request is for an allergy versus a preference, you shouldn’t have any problem with your request being honored.

Read also: Jersey Mike’s Gluten-Free Bread? (Secrets You´ll Never Imagine)

What other gluten free items does McAlister’s have?

In response to the growing number of customers with gluten sensitivity and celiac disease, McAlister’s now labels which foods on their menu are safe for people with gluten sensitivity.

This easy-to-read guide indicates gluten sensitive foods on the menu with a black leaf icon.

These items include the following:

  • Nachos – Go ahead and add cheese and vegetable toppings like olives, lettuce, jalapenos and guacamole you want. McAlister’s corn tortilla nachos are naturally gluten free.
  • Soups – You’ll have to be a little more careful with the soups, but some, specifically the Veggie Chili and Tomato Bisque, are gluten free.
  • Salads –Salads are a safe gluten free choice. Just be sure to order it without croutons.
  • Meats – Virtually all of the McAlister’s meats are gluten free.
  • Potatoes – Known as “Spuds” at McAlister’s, potatoes with a wide range of toppings are one of the menu items that made the restaurant famous.
  • Cheeses – Most cheeses are naturally gluten free.
  • Side dishes –McAlister’s Deli offers several different gluten free side dishes, like fresh fruit, potato salad, coleslaw, and steamed vegetables.
  • Salad dressings – The restaurant claims that all of its salad dressings are gluten free.
  • Too many toppings to name! Most of the restaurant’s toppings are vegetables. Croutons may be the only topping containing gluten at McAlister’s.

McAlister’s Deli features a Choose 2 menu, so gluten free individuals can select two items from any half appetizer, half sandwich, half spud, half salad, or cup of soup, making McAlister’s a very flexible option for lunch or dinner on a gluten free diet.

Customers report that the overall selection of gluten free items at their local McAlister’s Deli and that the flavor and quality of these items, including McAlister’s gluten free bread options, is exceptional.


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References

https://www.mcalistersdeli.com/nutrition/allergen-menu

Lindsey

Lindsey graduated with an MBA in 2009. Since then, Lindsey has worked in the retail and consumer service industry as a manager, advisor, and marketer. Lindsey is also the head writer and Co-founder of Rvandplaya.com. Lindsey is based in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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