Gluten-Free Fast Food Breakfast: 100 Satisfying Options -

This post is all about gluten-free fast-food breakfast options you can grab for breakfast on the go.

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This is one of those topics I wish I wasn’t an expert on but I am. I have not (purposefully) eaten gluten since 2002! That’s right, it’s been over 20 years of reading labels, asking annoying questions, and doing research. I think we all know that fast foods are not known for healthy food options and so, in this post, I’ll be coloring outside of my normal clean eating/low toxic lines a bit to recommend some items that I don’t personally suggest (because they have unhealthy ingredients) but that are gluten-free. I will mark the healthiest items in GREEN (as in these items have a green light).

How I normally research which items at a restaurant are gluten-free:

I use the app Find Me Gluten Free to identify restaurants reported to have gluten-free breakfast items.
I find the restaurant’s website and search for an “allergen guide”.
I call the restaurant directly and ask if they have a gluten-free menu and/or have items that can be made gluten-free.
I read blog posts like this one!

What to look for in a gluten-free fast food breakfast option:

Few ingredients: You want food that is actually food… try to eat clean, whole foods like you would prepare from scratch at home. For instance, an egg with bacon and fruit is way more healthy than a gluten-free packaged muffin. If you are dedicated to a gluten-free diet that tells me you have had health problems and I can tell you from 20+ years of experience, the best way to heal your body is to avoid gluten-free substitutes and just eat real food that already doesn’t contain gluten.
Not Fried or Dedicated Fryer: Cross-contamination happens when gluten-free foods (like tortilla chips made from corn) are fried in oil that also fries items containing gluten. You want to avoid fried foods altogether for this reason or ask if the restaurant has a “dedicated fryer”.
Deconstructed Sandwiches: A lot of fast food restaurants carry breakfast sandwiches. Some are pre-packaged, but a lot of places, like Mcdonald’s make to-order breakfast sandwiches. A very simple way to broaden your menu selection is to ask for a breakfast sandwich without the bread (of course make sure the other parts of the sandwich are gluten-free). If I know I’m going to be having breakfast on the go a lot sometimes I’ll buy a bag of gluten-free bread or crackers and bring that with me so I can basically make my own sandwich if needed.
Smoothies: Smoothies from a juice bar or somewhere like Smoothie King can be an excellent fast-food breakfast option because they usually don’t contain gluten so you aren’t compromising the taste or quantity you are paying for. My favorite smoothie franchise is Smoothie King because they have a wide variety, are open early, and have protein powders you can add to make your breakfast more sustainable.
Protein: A simple formula to think of when ordering gluten-free breakfast from a fast food restaurant is: Protein + Carb= Sustained Energy & Satisfaction. That sounds cheesy but the reality is that breakfast needs to give you energy and hold you over until lunch so if you can focus your order around what gluten-free protein you want (examples are: meat, eggs, dairy) then half the battle is over, after that, you just need to decide what carb you want to satisfy your craving and give you quick energy (examples: fruit, breakfast potatoes, hash browns, quinoa, or something bready). I don’t eat dairy either so a normal breakfast for me at a fast food restaurant might be eggs and bacon and a latte with coconut milk or a glass of orange juice. The eggs and bacon fill me up and will give me longer-term energy and the drink gives me quick energy and satisfies my cravings.

Gluten-Free Fast Food Breakfast Items From The Most Popular Fast Food Franchises

McDonalds

Here’s the deal with McDonald’s breakfast when trying to eat gluten free:

It’s all going to be cross contaminated
Even the simple ingredients (like egg or meat) are full of unnecessary chemicals and ingredients.
The Bread items (Like pancakes, biscuits, tortillas and english muffins) are 100% a no so instead of ordering a “Sausage McMuffin with Egg and Cheese without the English Muffin” see if they will just let you order “A side of Egg, Cheese, and Sausage patty.” If that doesn’t fly with the person behind the counter then just order whatever breakfast sandwich you want but with no muffin/pancake/tortilla/biscuit. The meats, eggs, and cheese is all gluten free. The Sausage patty appears to be the cleanest of the meats.
There are two types of eggs: the type of egg on the McMuffin sandwiches and the type on the other sandwiches. The McMuffin type is a little healthier.
The hash browns are NOT gluten free. They contain wheat.

Sausage Patty
Canadian Bacon
Bacon
Cheese
Folded Egg
Egg that goes on McMuffin sandwiches is just called “Egg”
Apple Slices
Orange Juice
Coffee
Sausage, Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”), & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Sausage & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Sausage & Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”) (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Canadian bacon, Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”), & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Canadian bacon & Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”), (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Bacon & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Bacon, Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”), & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Bacon & Egg (designate “egg” or “folded egg”), (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Canadian bacon & Cheese (no biscuit/english muffin/griddle/tortilla)
Sausage Burrito (no tortilla)
Sausage and Egg Breakfast Burrito (without the tortilla)

My personal order if I had to eat breakfast at McDonald’s would be: “Can I please have 2 eggs (the type that goes on the Mcmuffin sandwiches) and a sausage patty- no biscuit or bread because I have a gluten allergy- sliced apples and a decaf coffee?”

Starbucks

Berry Trio Parfait (NO granola)
Kind Bars (check label for individual flavor but I think all or most of these are GF)
Petter Rabbit Organics Fruit Pouch
Country Archer Turkey Jerkey
String Cheese
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip “Perfect Bar”
That’s It Fruit Leathers
Protein Boxes (without bread or crackers)
Sous Vide Egg Bites

If I were going to get breakfast at Starbucks and I did not have a dairy or soy intolerance I would order either the sous vide egg bites or a protein box (don’t eat crackers or bread) and a latte. Since I do have soy and dairy intolerances the only think I can really get for a breakfast at starbucks is a drink with coconut milk and then a bag of chips (I didn’t list these because who eats chips for breakfast?).

Chick-Fil-A

Chick Fil A seems like a healthier option but their ingredients list has become so full of fake food and chemicals in the last few years that I actually think they might be worse than McDonalds. Their ingredients also change based on your location so before you order, go on the chick-fil-a app and choose which ever of these options looks best and just check their ingredients for your local store first. For instance, they list their hash browns as having no soy on their website but when I look at the ingredients for my local restaurant there is soy listed on the ingredients. There is MSG in their scramble bowls. I’m literally disgusted by what Chick-Fil-A has done to their food ingredients recently.

Cinnamon Apple Sauce
Bacon Slice
Sausage Patty
Hash Browns
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Sausage
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Grilled Filet
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Bacon
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ No Meat
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Sausage – no hash browns
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Grilled Filet – no hash browns
Hash Brown Scramble Bowl w/ Bacon – no hash browns
Greek Yogurt Parfait (without granola)
Grilled Chicken Breakfast Filet
Fruit Cup

Burger King:

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissan’wich (without the croissant)
Egg and Cheese Croissan’wich (without the croissant)
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit (without the biscuit)
Ham, Egg, and Cheese Croissan’wich (without the croissant)

Dunkin’:

Egg and Cheese Bagel (without the bagel)
Southwest Veggie Power Breakfast Sandwich (without the bread)
Bacon Egg and Cheese Wake-Up Wrap (without the wrap)
Veggie Egg White Omelette
Sausage, Egg, and Cheese English Muffin (without the muffin)

Subway:

Egg and Cheese Breakfast Wrap (without the wrap)
Veggie Delight Salad
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Flatbread (without the flatbread)
Ham, Egg, and Cheese English Muffin (without the muffin)

Wendy’s:

Grilled Chicken Sandwich (without the bun)
Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad
Baconator (without the bun)
Fresh Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich (without the bun)

Taco Bell:

Grilled Breakfast Burrito (order without tortilla)
Power Menu Bowl (customize without gluten-containing ingredients)
Bacon and Egg Soft Taco (without the tortilla)
Egg and Cheese Breakfast Soft Taco (without the tortilla)
Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes

Panera Bread:

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on Artisan Ciabatta (without the ciabatta)
Modern Greek Egg & Quinoa Bowl (without the flatbread)
Power Breakfast Bowl with Steak
Avocado, Egg White & Spinach Breakfast Power Sandwich (without the bread)
Mediterranean Egg White Wrap (without the wrap)

Hardee’s / Carl’s Jr.:

Low Carb Breakfast Bowl
Frisco Breakfast Sandwich (without the bread)
Loaded Omelet Biscuit (without the biscuit)
The Big Carl (without the bun)
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit (without the biscuit)
Charbroiled Chicken Club Sandwich (without the bun)

Jack in the Box:

Chicken Fajita Pita (without the pita)
Southwest Scrambler Plate (without the toast)
Bacon & Egg Chicken Sandwich (without the bun)
Meat Lovers Breakfast Burrito (without the tortilla)
Grande Sausage Breakfast Burrito (without the tortilla)

KFC:

Chicken and Egg Bowl
Bacon Bowl
Grilled Chicken Drumstick
Grilled Chicken Whole Wing
Grilled Chicken Hot Wing

Denny’s:

All-American Slam (without pancakes or bread)
Fit Slam (without pancakes or bread)
Veggie Skillet (without bread)
Build Your Own Omelette
Santa Fe Sizzlin’ Skillet (without bread)

IHOP:

Egg White Vegetable Omelette
Simple & Fit Vegetable Omelette
Simple & Fit Fresh Fruit Bowl
Bacon and Eggs
Simple & Fit Two-Egg Breakfast

Things to keep in mind when eating gluten-free food at fast food restaurants.

Ingredients/recipes can change from time to time. Check your go-to item’s ingredients from time to time to make sure they haven’t changed the recipe.
If you eat something that is gluten-free and feel sick after don’t assume someone sabotaged you. I figured out over the years that I was sensitive/intolerant to dairy, soy, and oats as well, and once I started also avoiding those ingredients I almost never felt sick- even when eating out.
If you feel ill after eating something that has been fried the most likely reasons why are: 1. Cross contamination (fryer is used also to fry gluten-containing foods). 2. You also have an intolerance to soy (most fast food restaurants use “vegetable oil” which actually is soy oil. 3. You have a sensitive gall bladder and ate too much fat.

Conclusion for Gluten-Free Fast Food Breakfast Options

Following a gluten free diet can be difficult because of the lack of variety offered at restaurants and social events. It’s very important to find a mindset that works for you in the long term. For me, trying to eat a “clean” diet with whole foods instead of just finding substitutes for my favorite gluten-filled foods was the best decision. This way, I am acclimating to a new diet/way of eating no matter what but when I am choosing to eat clean whole foods it takes a level of frustration and disappointment away and adds another level of up-leveling my health.