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Let’s find answer to the query, “Does McDonald’s ice cream have gluten?” Globally, McDonald’s is the most well-known fast-food chain. Even if it’s not the healthiest choice, it’s the ideal location to stop for a bite to eat, grab a drink, or pick up a snack to go. One of my guilty pleasures is McDonald’s, and I still find it rather easy to eat there even after learning of my diagnosis! Now let’s examine their gluten-free selections.
As a massive fast-food chain that serves millions of people every day, McDonald’s strives to meet a range of dietary requirements. Those who have gluten sensitivity or celiac disease may experience negative health outcomes from consuming gluten.
It’s crucial to remember that allergies vary by country, no matter where you are in the world. Something that is gluten-free in one nation could be gluten-containing in another. Therefore, before placing any food or drink orders, please be sure to review the allergen menus in your country.
Contents
Does McDonald’s Ice Cream Have Gluten?
No, because the ingredients of the McFlurry—soft serve ice cream, M&Ms, and Oreo cookies—don’t include the protein gluten, it is gluten-free.
Certain proteins included in cereals such as wheat, rye, and barley are referred to as gluten. Gluten-sensitive people or those with celiac disease are unable to tolerate certain gluten proteins.
The ingredients of McDonald’s McFlurry don’t specifically mention any gluten origins.
The only exception would be specific McDonald’s restaurants that add gluten-containing components, such as cookie dough pieces or other baked items, to the McFlurry as a temporary special. Therefore, those who are gluten intolerant must always change their orders and confirm with the personnel that no new gluten sources have been introduced.
Ingredients In McFlurry
The following are the components in McDonald’s soft serve reduced-fat vanilla ice cream (US):
- Milk
- Sugar
- Cream
- Corn Syrup
- Natural Flavor
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Cellulose Gum
- Guar Gum
- Carrageenan
- Vitamin A Palmitate
Is McDonald’s Hot Fudge Sundae Gluten-Free?
Indeed, the McDonald’s Hot Fudge Sundae is devoid of gluten.
McDonald’s soft-serve ice cream and hot fudge sauce are the only two ingredients in their hot fudge sundae. As previously stated, there is no gluten or gluten-based substance in the ice cream.
Likewise, there is no gluten in the hot fudge sauce. It is gluten-free because the only allergies indicated for the same are soy and milk. But once more, keep in mind not to eat this sundae on a cone.
Is McDonald’s Ice Cream Vegan?
The ice cream from McDonald’s is not vegan. The main ingredients of McDonald’s vanilla soft-serve ice cream are milk and cream. The ice cream cannot be considered vegan because it contains both animal products.
Is McDonald’s Ice Cream Dairy Free?
It is not dairy free to eat McDonald’s ice cream.
Going back to the list of components used to create McDonald’s ice cream, milk and cream are the main ones. Since dairy is the source of both of these components, the ice cream cannot be considered dairy free.
Comparable to the vegan ice cream campaign, numerous McDonald’s restaurants worldwide, particularly in Europe, have begun to provide dairy-free soft serves. For additional information, check whether McDonald’s ice cream is dairy-free.
Exceptions
There are two exceptions to keep in mind:
Cookie Dough Pieces: Cookie dough chunks can be found in certain McDonald’s ice cream products, such as the Baked Hot Fudge Sundae. Gluten can be found in wheat flour, which is used to make McDonald’s cookie dough. A product containing chunks of cookie dough cannot be considered gluten-free.
Cone Varieties: McDonald’s plain ice cream cones are gluten-free, although certain stores can also have cake or waffle cones available. These cone variants would contain gluten because they are probably produced using wheat flour. If available, always refer to the cone’s ingredient list.
Also check How to Thicken Instant Pudding- 4 Easy Tips and Tricks.
Risk Of Cross-Contamination
In McDonald’s restaurants, there is a chance of cross-contamination even if the ice cream product is gluten-free. Here are some points to remember:
- A variety of menu items are prepared using equipment. Ice cream may come into touch with cookie dough or other gluten-containing product scoops.
- There is gluten in certain mix-ins and toppings. For instance, gluten-containing foods like wheat flour may be present in M&Ms and Oreo cookies.
- There is a chance that fryers used to make fried menu items contain gluten traces.
- Food preparation mistakes could occur, particularly during busy periods.
These elements could be dangerous for those who are extremely sensitive. The safest option in these situations would be plain ice cream items without any toppings or mix-ins.
Steps To Minimize Risk
When purchasing ice cream from McDonald’s, there are several precautions you may take to reduce cross-contamination if you must strictly avoid gluten:
- Be aware of your safe options by researching the menu and ingredient lists online in advance.
- When placing an order, let the staff know if you have a dietary sensitivity or allergy. Ask to have fresh gloves and clean equipment used.
- To prevent scoops from being used for other things, choose soft serve or pre-packaged ice cream.
- Steer clear of mix-ins and toppings that can contain gluten.
- Go to the restaurant off-peak hours when there is less hustle and bustle in the kitchen.
Gluten-Free McDonald’s List
It’s annoying that the US and the UK don’t follow suit, as European nations like Spain have amazing gluten-free cuisine. There are, nevertheless, a number of foods and beverages available without any gluten-containing components. To make things easier, you should frequently bring my own bun to McDonald’s. Let’s examine this.
US
Meats
It’s crucial to remember that these selections are only gluten-free when requested without the bun. Avoid the bun at all costs as it is definitely not gluten-free.
- Beef Patty
- Grilled Chicken
- Quarter Pounder
- Sausage Patty
- Bacon
- McPlant
Desserts
- Hot Fudge Sundae
- Hot Caramel Sundae
- Soft Serve Ice Cream
- McFlurry with M&M’s
Sauces
- Big Mac Sauce
- Spicy Buffalo Sauce
- Creamy Ranch Sauce
- Honey Mustard Sauce
- Honey
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayonnaise
- Tartar Sauce
Drinks
- Strawberry Shake
- Vanilla Shake
- Chocolate Shake
- Apple Juice
- Milk
- Tea
- Coca Cola
- Sprite
- Dr. Pepper
- Fanta Orange
- Orange Juice
Notably, their McCafe beverages—lattes, smoothies, coffee, hot chocolate, frappes, cappuccino, mocha, and macchiato—are all OK because they don’t have any wheat or gluten.
UK
While you could assume the US and the UK would offer comparable alternatives, but the UK has far more options! Compared to the US, it’s comparatively simple to enjoy McDonald’s in the UK while following a gluten-free diet, from breakfast to dinner.
Breakfast
- Hash Browns
- Sausage Patty
- Egg
- Bacon
Mains
- Big Mac (without the bun)
- Cheeseburger (without the bun)
- Hamburger (without the bun)
- Quarter Pounder (without the bun)
- Veggie Dippers (pesto and pepper goujons – even cooked in a separate fryer!)
Sides
- Fries
- Fruit Bag
- Carrot Sticks
- Side Salad with Balsamic Dressing
Desserts
- Plain McFlurry
- Crunchie McFlurry
- Dairy Milk McFlurry
Drinks
At the time of writing, all beverages at McDonald’s UK—including their milkshakes with chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and banana—were gluten-free.
The no-gluten selections vary by region, and ingredients can change at any time, so before placing an order, always be sure to check the most recent version of the allergen menu.
Conclusion
We hope that this post answers this question “Does McDonald’s Ice Cream Have Gluten?” and helped to clarify if McDonald’s ice cream is gluten-free. and made you better acquainted with the range of gluten-free food items that McDonald’s offers. It’s incredibly annoying to not have a gluten-free menu, as they do in places like Spain, as someone who travels there frequently. Being able to eat a burger on a bun feels like such a rare pleasure!
All we can do is hope that McDonald’s restaurants everywhere will eventually be more willing to provide gluten-free options. They have recently expanded their menu to include vegan options, so why not gluten-free ones as well?
Check out this homemade McFlurry recipe at home.
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