Lunch meat: gluten-free and dairy-free list
Posted on April 7th, 2009 by alison
Looking for a lunch meat you can eat? Here is a list of lunch meats by brand and their gluten-free and dairy-free (casein-free) information. Info about other processed meats — hot dogs, sausages, etc. — is coming in another post.
Note: This post was written on 4/7/09. Ingredients can change, so always read the label.
Applegate Farms
All Applegate Farms cold cuts and deli counter bulk meats are gluten-free and dairy-free. The lactic acid starter culture is not derived from dairy sources and is therefore safe for people with milk allergies. (confirmed via website)
Boar’s Head
Boar’s Head is saying loud and clear that all their meats are gluten-free (click to see!) All of their meats are also dairy-free EXCEPT these 4: Mortadella Bologna, Chorizo Sausage, Pesto Parmesan Ham and Italian Style Seasoned Roast Beef. (confirmed via phone)
Columbus
All Columbus salame and deli meats are gluten-free. All deli meats are dairy-free, but there are some salame items that contain dairy. (confirmed via email)
Diestel
Diestel deli meats are gluten-free and dairy-free and contain no artificial ingredients, no phosphates, no nitrites, no MSG. (confirmed via website and phone)
Dietz and Watson
Nearly all Dietz & Watson Meats are gluten free EXCEPT: Rotisserie Style Chicken, Scrapple, Bockwurst, Fat Free Beef Franks, Gourmet Lite Franks, Gourmet Lite Beef Franks, Chicken Cordon Bleu, Chicken Florentine and Chicken Portabella. Many of the lunch meats contain nonfat dry milk. (confirmed via website)
Hormel Natural Choice
I was pleased to find in my research that Hormel is now making a line called Natural Choice products that have no nitrites or nitrates added, and no artificial colors or flavors. Hormel Natural Choice Pre-sliced deli sandwich meats and Deli meats are gluten-free and dairy-free. (confirmed via website and phone)
Hormel also provides a list of gluten-free products on their website.
Jennie-O
They do not mask any gluten ingredients under “flavoring.” Check labels for dairy. Not all are dairy-free and no list was provided on the website.
Jennie-O Turkey Store Deli items that are gluten-free (via website) are:
- Deli chicken breast: buffalo style, oven roasted, mesquite smoked
- Smoked turkey breast: mesquite, hickory, honey cured
- Oven roasted turkey breast
- Hickory smoked turkey breast: cracked pepper, sun dried tomato, garlic pesto, honey cured
- NATURAL CHOICE® turkey breast: oven roasted, peppered, tender browned, applewood smoked, honey roasted
- GRAND CHAMPION® turkey breast: oven roasted, tender browned, mesquite smoked, home style pan roasted, hickory smoked, honey cured, Cajun style fried
- Turkey breast: oven roasted, peppered, smoked, tender browned, Italian style, honey mesquite, sun dried tomato, mesquite smoked, garlic peppered, hot red peppered, smoked peppered
- Turkey pastrami
- Turkey ham
Jones Dairy Farm
The people at Jones Dairy Farm have made a great effort to let everyone know that all of their products are gluten-free EXCEPT for Scrapple, and have even become a sponsor of the Celiac Disease Foundation. They were also kind enough to send me their products to taste! Everything I tasted — the Canadian Bacon, the Ham Slices, the Ham Steak — were delicious. I couldn’t bring myself to try the Braunschweiger (Liverwurst), but my 96 year old grandmother and my husband’s 93 year old grandfather loved it! And even though there is “Dairy” in the company’s name, their lunch meat does not contain dairy! More information: Jones Dairy Farms list of gluten-free products
Niman Ranch
All Niman Ranch meats are gluten-free. (confirmed via phone) Meats are dairy-free except for hot dogs (more specifics on hot dogs in future article).
Wellshire Farms
Wellshire Farms products display a Smart Chart so you can easily see if it is gluten-free and dairy free. Also, you can do a search for products by allergy, including gluten, casein/dairy, lactose, nuts, corn, soy, pepper, garlic, and mustard.
Related articles:
6 gluten-free lunch ideas for work
4 more gluten-free lunch ideas
Eating gluten-free, allergen-free at fast food chains
Thanks for the list, although I am a Canadian cfgf person I shop in the US because I love Trader Joes who is not on your list. As well here is a Canadian producer that has an excellent product http://www.freybe.com/html/products/products.htm, I have seen their products in the US
Irene Horvath beat me to it.
I was just going to comment on FREYBE. They make the most authentic “Frankfurter” (Wieners to you fellow Americans) outside of Europe.
You are right, Irene — Trader Joe’s Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Smoked Turkey Breast (West Coast) is gluten-free and dairy-free according to the ingredients. I buy this all the time, but it wasn’t listed on their Gluten Free List so I didn’t include it.
I will have to try Freybe and include it on my list about hot dogs! Thanks Irene and H.Peter!
http://www.thumanns.com/allnatural.html
GFCF and nitrate/nitrite free, too.
does anyone know of any vegetarian alternatives?
I was wondering what kind of american cheese is gluten free
Where can I find a book on gluten free/diabetic receipts
Thanks
I am very disturbed by your web site. The list that you give may be OK for people who are mildly lactose intolerant, but those of us who are actually allergic to the enzymes and other components in milk can get very ill from the items on your list. I purchased Columbus brand pastrami and roast beef from our local Trader Joe’s because of your listing and their packaging. My daughter was sick by the end of the week.
If they don’t put the milk in when they process it, they certainly do contaminate the meat some other way. The only meat I have had any success with is Applegate Farms brand. We have never gotten sick from any of their meats. Please be aware that what you are publishing may not be accurate.
Audrey,
I recommend that if your daughter is that sensitive, you should always call every company and discuss their manufacturing practices and the possibility of cross contamination. I simply wrote what was stated to me in an email from the company. Before you assume that their meat is contaminated, I would suggest that you call first. Perhaps your daughter is sensitive to something else in that brand of meat, like nitrates.
Thanks for sharing this list. I hope I can find the GF brands listed on your site. I made the mistake last week of buying oven roasted turkey at my deli it was not GF and boy did I pay… This site is so informative. Thank you for your research
Dina
When you say Boar’s Head is dairy-free, does that mean the lactic acid starter used in their hard sausage (i.e. pepperoni)is derived from plant rather than dairy? I am highly allergic to the dairy enzymes, but everytime I remember to call the company they are already closed.
If you know, would you please let me know. Thanks for the info!
Jim
There are many meat companies that use a non-dairy lactic acid starter. But if you are that allergic, I would call and double check!
Thank you for doing research and sharing the info!