Does Taco Bell Have Gluten-Free Menu Items?
Fans of fast food titan Taco Bell recently enjoyed the limited-time release of crispy chicken nuggets with three dipping sauces ... unless they have gluten sensitivities. Although most folks can process the protein found in wheat and some other grains, some experience symptoms of discomfort and worse after consuming it. These individuals typically have to search for what is gluten-free at Taco Bell, and fortunately for them, the restaurant offers customers several options.
Taco Bell has quite a few foods in its kitchen that aren't made with any gluten. Certain ingredients like meat and veggies are somewhat obvious. Yet some of the restaurant's more unique items — like its crunchy taco shells and Nacho Cheese Doritos Loco taco shell — are also produced without gluten. Beans, guacamole, and cheeses are likewise up for grabs ... for some folks, that is.
That's because trace amounts of gluten may be in some or all menu items because of shared kitchen surfaces. People with serious gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately three million Americans, may need to carefully source ingredients for a build-your-own taco bar because eating at Taco Bell might not be a risk worth taking.
Made-without-gluten menu items to order at Taco Bell
Simply because some menu items aren't made with gluten doesn't guarantee they are strictly "gluten-free." A Taco Bell location produces all its fare on shared prep and cooking surfaces, meaning anything that exits the back of the house could contain gluten via cross-contamination. Given that the safe amount of gluten to consume for folks with celiac disease is 20 parts per million, even a little bit could make them ill.
Taco Bell does not recommend that individuals with celiac disease order anything from its establishments due to the highly sensitive nature of the condition. Still, for those with minor intolerances, like people with gluten sensitivities who can eat sourdough bread, the restaurant does have some tempting meals in store. The popular Doritos Locos Taco is fair game, as is a bowl of black beans and rice. Taco Bell's Crunchy Taco is made without gluten – even if you order it "Supreme" – and its Power Menu Bowl consisting of cheese, beans, rice, veggies, and your choice of chicken or beef is also an option. Unfortunately for early risers, the only made-without-gluten item the restaurant can recommend from its breakfast menu is hash browns, but a little morning snack is better than nothing at all.