When I go on road trips, deli meat and cheese are staples in the cooler. However, I have to be mindful when I go shopping because not all deli meat is gluten-free. Luckily, there are plenty of safe options to choose from!
Pick the best gluten-free bread to pair with your gluten-free lunch meat.
Top Gluten-Free Deli Meat Brands
If you love a juicy meat and cheese sandwich or a tortilla roll-up, don’t worry that you might have to give them up. Use this list of gluten-free deli meats to help guide you so you’re not stuck on your road trip making frequent bathroom stops!
This post is informational only. Gluten-Free Grubbin’ will not receive compensation in any form for mentioning these products or brands.
Applegate
- Applegate Naturals Black Forest Ham
- Applegate Naturals Herb Turkey Breast
- Applegate Naturals Honey & Maple Turkey Breast
- Applegate Naturals Honey Ham
- Applegate Naturals Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Applegate Naturals Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Applegate Naturals Slow Cooked Ham
- Applegate Naturals Smoked Turkey Breast
- Applegate Organics Black Forest Ham
- Applegate Organics Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Applegate Organics Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Applegate Organics Roast Beef
- Applegate Organics Slow Cooked Ham
- Applegate Organics Smoked Turkey Breast
- Applegate Organics Herb Turkey Breast
- Applegate Organics Smoked Chicken Breast
Cross-Contact: Applegate follows strict cleaning and sanitizing protocols and conducts tests for allergens before starting any production runs. They also manufacture all gluten-free products before gluten-filled ones. (Source: Applegate)
Armour Meats
Armour Meats is a part of Smithfield, and Smithfield doesn’t have a list of gluten-free lunch meats. They don’t specifically add gluten to any of their products, but they can’t verify if the ingredients from their suppliers are safe. Because of this, we cannot recommend any Armour Meats gluten-free deli meat but felt that it was still important to include it in this list because it’s such a popular brand. Some people avoiding gluten will have no problem eating Armour Meats lunch meat, but more sensitive eaters may need to stay away. (Source: Email from Armour Meats (Smithfield) )
Bar-S
- Deli Style Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Deli Shaved Black Forest Turkey Breast
- Deli Shaved Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
- Fresh Pack Deli Shaved Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Fresh Pack Deli Shaved Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
- Classic Chopped Ham
- Deli Style Smoked Ham
- Deli Shaved Honey Ham
- Deli Shaved Black Forest Ham
- Fresh Pack Deli Shaved Smoked Ham
- Classic Bologna
- Garlic Bologna
- Signature Smokehouse Bologna
- Thick Bologna
- Turkey Bologna
- Beef Bologna
- Chicken Bologna
- Cotto Salami
- Spiced Luncheon Loaf
Cross-Contact: Bar-S says that all of their deli meat is gluten-free, but they don’t have any information about how they avoid gluten cross-contact. In an email response to us, Bar-S said that all of their gluten-free products are produced in dedicated gluten-free facilities. (Source: Bar-S; Email)
Boar’s Head
- Bold Aloha Sunshine Turkey Breast
- Bold Blackened Turkey Breast
- Cajun Style Smoked Turkey Breast
- Bold Salsalito Turkey Breast
- Cracked Pepper Mill Smoked Turkey Breast
- Golden Catering Style Turkey
- Hickory Smoked Black Forest Turkey Breast
- Honey Smoked Turkey Breast
- 46% Lower Sodium Turkey Breast
- Maple Glazed Honey Coat Turkey Breast
- Mesquite Wood Smoked Turkey Breast
- No Salt Added Turkey Breast
- Ovengold Roasted Turkey Breast
- Pastrami Seasoned Turkey Breast
- Carve and Serve Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Simplicity All Natural Tuscan Brand Roasted Turkey Breast
- Bold BourbonRidge Uncured Smoked Ham
- Bold Peppenero Garlic Gam
- Branded Deluxe Ham
- Branded Deluxe Ham – 42% Lower Sodium
- Cappy Brand Ham
- Gourmet Pepper Brand Ham
- Maple Glazed Honey Coat Ham
- Pesto Parmesan Ham
- Rosemary & Sundried Tomato Ham
- Smoked Virginia Ham
- SmokeMaster Beechwood Smoked Black Forest Ham
- Sweet Slice Boneless Smoked Uncured Ham
- Tavern Ham
- Virginia Brand Ham
- Hot Uncured Capocollo
- Mortadella
- Mortadella with Pistachio Nuts
- Porketta
- Prosciutto di Parma
- Roasted Pork
- Simplicity All Natural Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham
- Uncured Biano D’Oro Italian Dry Salami
- Uncured Sopressata Grande
- Uncured Sopressata Grande Hot
- 1st Cut Cooked Corned Beef Brisket
- 1st Cut Pastrami Brisket
- Bold Cajun Roast Beef
- Corned Beef Top Round
- Top Round Pastrami
- Deluxe Low Sodium Oven Roasted Beef – Cap-Off Top Round
- Italian Style Seasoned Beef with Braciole Seasoning
- London Broil Top Round Roast Beef
- Londonport Top Round Roast Beef
- Seasoned Filet or Roast Beef Cap-Off Top Round
- No Salt Added Roast Beef Round
- Pastrami Round
- Bold Ichiban Teriyaki Style Chicken Breast
- Bold Jerk Chicken Breast
- Bold Chipotle Chicken Breast
- All American BBQ Seasoned Roasted Chicken Breast
- Blazing Buffalo Style Roasted Chicken Breast
- EverRoast Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Golden Classic Oven Roasted Chicken Breast – 42% Lower Sodium
- Lemon Pepper Roasted Chicken Breast
- Maple Glazed Roasted Chicken Breast
- Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Bold Madrasala Curry Chicken Breast
- 33% Lower Sodium Bologna
- Lite Braunschweiger Liverwurst
- Beef Bologna
- Beef Salami
- Bologna (Pork & Beef)
- Garlic Bologna
- Head Cheese
- Olive Terrine Loaf
- Roasted Salami (Cooked)
- Strassburger Liverwurst
Cross-Contact: The Boar’s Head website didn’t have any information about how they prevent gluten or allergen cross-contact, so we reached out to them. We will update this article if they respond.
Buddig
- Buddig Original Beef
- Buddig Original Black Forest Ham
- Buddig Original Black Forest Turkey
- Buddig Original Chicken
- Buddig Original Corned Beef
- Buddig Original Ham
- Buddig Original Honey Ham
- Buddig Original Honey Roasted Turkey
- Buddig Original Oven Roasted Turkey
- Buddig Original Pastrami
- Buddig Original Turkey
- Premium Deli Black Forest Ham
- Premium Deli Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Premium Deli Rotisserie Flavored Chicken Breast
- Premium Deli Smoked Ham
- Premium Deli Honey Ham
- Premium Deli Honey Turkey Breast and White Turkey
- Premium Deli Smoked Turkey Breast and White Turkey
Cross-Contact: All Buddig deli meat is certified gluten-free. However, they don’t specify how they prevent gluten cross-contact, so we have reached out to them. If they respond to us, we will update this email. (Source: Buddig)
Dietz & Watson
- Corned Beef Extra Lean
- Chef Carved Ham
- Traditional Corned Beef
- Originals Uncured Classic Dinner Ham
- Classic Cooked Peppered Ham
- Gourmet Lite Cooked Ham
- Originals Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
- Golden Recipe Honey Cured Dinner Ham
- Cooked Ham
- Pre-sliced Originals Napoli
- Ham Capocolla
- Boneless Hickory Smoked Chef Carved Ham
- Original Calabrese
- Chicken Breast Buffalo Style
- Gourmet Lite Tavern Ham
- Rustico Salami
- Pre-sliced Cooked Ham
- Braised Breast of Turkey
- Low Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Originals Pepperoni
- Navel Pastrami
- Black Forest Smoked Breast of Turkey
- Originals Toscano
- Pre-sliced Oven Classic Turkey Breast
- Originals Genoa Salami
- Pre-sliced Capocolla Ham
- Pre-sliced Roast Beef
- Vino Rosso Salami Chub
- Pre-sliced Oven Classic Turkey Breast
- Chicken Breast Teriyaki
- Oven Roasted Roast Beef
- Breast of Turkey Oven Roasted Homestyle
- Pre-sliced Gourmet Lite Ham
- Pre-sliced Sriracha Chicken Breast
- Hard Salami Chub
- Black Forest Smoked Ham
- Chicken Breast Honey Barbecue
- Pre-sliced Virginia Brand Ham
- Originals Uncured Applewood Smoked Ham
- Toscano
- Pre-sliced Genoa Salame Party Pack
- Extra Lean Turkey Ham
- Premium Homestyle Roast Beef
- Originals Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Sliced Pepperoni
- Lebanon Bologna
- Gourmet Breast of Chicken
- Honey Cured Ham Steak
- Turkey Breast Gold’n Brown
- Ring Bologna
- Originals Pre-sliced Sopressata
- Originals Herbed Turkey Breast
- Originals Truffle Salami Medallions
Cross-Contact: Dietz & Watson’s website doesn’t contain information about how they avoid gluten cross-contact, so we emailed them clarification. In an email response, they said their gluten-free products are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. (Source: Email from Dietz & Watson)
Jennie-O
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Premium Tender Browned Turkey Breast
- Honey BBQ Seasoned Chicken Breast
- Hickory Smoked Slicing and Shaving Turkey Breast
- 95% Fat Free Turkey Pastrami
- Cajun Style Turkey Breast
- Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
- Sun dried Tomato Turkey Breast
- All Natural Oven Browned Turkey Breast
- Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
- Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
- Hickory Smoked Honey Turkey Breast
- Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast
- Premium Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast
- Honey Roasted Turkey Breast
- Oven Browned Turkey Breast
- Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
- Tender Browned Turkey Breast
- Buffalo Style Chicken Breast
- Deli Favorites Oven Roasted Reduced Sodium Turkey Breast
- Premium Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
- Original Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Tender Browned Shaving Turkey Breast
- Honey Mesquite Turkey Breast
- Extra Lean Turkey Ham, 25% water added
- Premium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Original Reduced Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Deli Favorites Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Deli Favorites Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast
- Deli Favorites Tender Browned Turkey Breast
- Grand Champion Reduced Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
- Applewood Smoked Chicken
- Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
Cross-Contact: Jennie-O doesn’t have any information on their website about how they prevent allergen or gluten cross-contact, so we reached out to them. In an email response, they said that they follow a HACCP plan to prevent cross-contact. (Source: Email from Jennie-O)
Kunzler
- Virginia Baked Ham
- Sweet Bologna
- Lebanon Bologna
- Cooked Salami
Cross-Contact: Kunzler does say that over 85% of their products are gluten-free. However, their website doesn’t have any information regarding how they prevent gluten cross-contact, so we have reached out to them. If they respond to us, we will update this article. In the meantime, look closely at their labels for gluten-containing ingredients. (Source: Kunzler)
Trader Joe’s
- Organic Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
- Organic Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast
Cross-Contact: While Trader Joe’s doesn’t have a gluten cross-contact policy listed on their website, they do have a resource page explaining that a “Gluten Free” label on Trader Joe’s products means that the item has been proven to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.
We reached out to Trader Joe’s for more information on how they keep their consumers safe. We’ll update this posting when we hear back. (Source: Trader Joe’s)
Wellshire Farms
- Slow Cooked Deli Ham
- Top Round Seasoned Roast Beef
- Corned Beef
- Cooked Pastrami
- Black Forest Seasoned Deli Ham
- Virginia Brand Seasoned Deli Ham
Cross-Contact: Wellshire Farms says that they make sure that their vendors follow strict cleaning and sanitizing protocols so that their products are free from allergens. The Wellshire Farms website says, “Wellshire offers allergy free and gluten free foods for special diets” and contains a product filter to sort by allergen choices, including gluten, casein, garlic, lactose, dairy, mustard, corn, nuts, pepper, and soy. (Source: Wellshire Farms)
What To Watch Out for When Eating Gluten-Free Deli Meat
Most deli meat is gluten-free. However, there are some circumstances that you should watch out for to avoid getting sick. You need to look at how the meat was processed and avoid scenarios where the meat might have come into contact with gluten-containing items.
Look for Additives
Unfortunately, deli meat isn’t always just a whole piece of meat that has been cooked and sliced. That means the same is true with gluten-free lunch meat. Sometimes, deli meat is made up of bits and pieces of meat that have been glued together with a food-safe glue. You might have heard this referred to as “meat glue.” Some meat glues are created with maltodextrin, which could be made with gluten-containing products.
Additionally, some deli meats have broths and flavorings injected into them to help keep them moist. They are also often injected with modified food starch to enhance moisture levels and plump up the meat, allowing the cuts of meat to be sliced into more pieces of deli meat. Most food starches are made from potatoes, corn and wheat. Yes, wheat!
If the deli meat you want to buy is made with wheat-based food starch or maltodextrin, it’s required by law to be listed on the ingredient label. However, only products that are made with the top eight allergens are required to be listed. So, if you just see them listed as “food starch” or “maltodextrin,” chances are that the deli lunch meat is gluten free.
Avoid Pre-Sliced Deli Meats
If you see a product on this list of gluten-free deli meat and want the deli clerk to slice you a pound, stop! Those deli slicers cut all different types of meats and cheeses and are not thoroughly cleaned between each use. That means deli slicers are a hotbed for gluten cross-contact. It’s best to stick to the pre-sliced deli meats to ensure they are actually gluten free.
Be Aware of Cross-Contact
Meat and cheese trays are usually a big hit at parties, but they create so many opportunities for allergen cross-contact. Perhaps your host thoughtfully laid out the meat, cheese and crackers on a platter and made a beautiful arrangement with the meat right next to the crackers. You might try to tell yourself that the food on the tray is OK to eat, but even people with only slight sensitivities can have an adverse reaction to small amounts of gluten.
Another common method of cross-contamination during a party is when people are making sandwiches. It’s very typical for someone to grab a piece of bread, then reach into a deli meat container with their gluteny hands and ruin the meat for you.
If you’re going to a party, make sure your host knows about your allergies and has gluten-free lunch meat set aside away from the main meat, cheese, and cracker tray. This is important so you (or others) don’t use the same tongs meant for your gluten-free deli meat to pick up gluten-containing items.
If you don’t want your food issue to become their issue, let them know that you’ll bring your own gluten-free snacks. Your bottom line should always be about keeping yourself safe and happy, so don’t worry about what other people might think.
Gluten-Free Deli Meat FAQ
Can celiacs eat deli meat?
Yes, people with celiac disease can eat deli meat as long as it’s gluten-free. Deli meat can have fillers and additives that are full of gluten, so if you’re a celiac, stick to deli products that are labeled gluten-free. Also, it’s best to buy only items that are pre-packaged because the deli cuts gluten-containing meats and cheeses all day, so their slicer will be contaminated and unsafe for people on a gluten-free diet.
What gluten-free deli meat is the safest?
The following brands are safe to eat on a gluten-free diet:
- Applegate
- Bar-S
- Boar’s Head
- Buddig
- Dietz & Watson
- Jennie-O
- Kunzler
- Trader Joe’s
- Wellshire Farms
Is salami gluten-free?
There are many safe brands of gluten-free salami. Look for a gluten-free label on the package or check for gluten-containing ingredients before purchasing.
Fortuna’s Italian Genoa Salami Stick is a popular authentic gluten-free salami you can try.
Have Confidence When Buying Gluten-Free Lunch Meat
So, are deli meats gluten free? Yes! There are a wide variety of lunch meats you can eat if you’re avoiding gluten. We hope that this list has been helpful to you. If you know of any gluten-free deli meat brands that we missed, please let us know!
Go get your grub on!
