Is Snoqualmie Ice Cream Gluten-Free?

Snoqualmie Ice Cream is a family-owned business that was founded in 1997. Barry and Shahnaz Bettinger dreamed of working together and making top-tier products for their customers.

They make organic ice creams, which are very rich and more like a custard, that are made with certified organic, grass-fed milk and fresh cream, and only the highest quality fruits. They also have their all-natural craft ice creams, which are made without preservatives or artificial flavors.

But is Snoqualmie Ice Cream gluten-free?

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Snoqualmie Gluten-Free Ice Cream Flavors

Below is a list of Snoqualmie Ice Cream’s gluten-free flavors:

• Snoqualmie Organic Chocolate
• Snoqualmie Organic Lavender
• Snoqualmie Organic Mint Chip
• Snoqualmie Organic Salty Caramel
• Snoqualmie Organic Sweet Berries & Cream
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream French Lavender
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream French Vanilla
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Ginger
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Green Tea
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Iced Latte
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Island Coconut
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Lemon
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Mint Chocolate Chips
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream MMMaple Whiskey
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Mountain Blackberry
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Mukilteo Mudd
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Salted Caramel
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Smooth Bourbon
• Snoqualmie Ice Cream Vanilla Bean

How Does Snoqualmie Protect Their Products From Cross-Contact?

Not all of Snoqualmie Ice Cream’s products are gluten-free. Some include mix-ins that contain gluten, which means that their production line processes gluten.

We couldn’t find any information on Snoqualmie Ice Cream’s website regarding how they prevent gluten and allergen cross-contamination between their products, so we contacted them. Here is their reply:

Any of our ice cream without inclusions which contain gluten are gluten-free.

We have a robust allergen program.

Thank you for writing.

Snoqualmie Ice Cream Representative

While we appreciate that they got right to the point, it would be nice to have a little bit more helpful information about their allergen program.

However, it is worth noting that all Snoqualmie Ice Cream flavors without inclusions are marked gluten-free on the packaging, though it does not say they are certified gluten-free.

How To Stay Safe While at a Snoqualmie Ice Cream Shop

Whether you’re out exploring the western Washington countryside or you live in the area, you might want to stop by one of Snoqualmie Ice Cream’s scoop shops. But how do you make sure your ice cream is gluten-free?

While not choosing ice creams with obvious gluten traps (cookies, brownies) is a good start, there are a few other things you’ll want to watch out for while ordering your creamy treat.

Ask Workers To Change Their Gloves

Workers tend to continue to wear the same pair of gloves until something happens and they are forced to get a new pair. For example, they might switch from ice cream scooping to money handling.

But keeping gloves on for almost every transaction also means that a worker is 99% likely to touch a gluten-filled ice cream cone and then move to serve you.

You cannot know what that Snoqualmie worker touched before you came in, so you always want to err on the side of caution and ask them to put on a new pair of gloves. It is also helpful to take it one step further and ask them to wash their hands before they put the new pair on.

Request Unopened Ice Cream

Ice cream shops handle inventory in the front of the house in a couple of different ways. They may have a large barrel of ice cream that they use until it’s gone. Or, they may have smaller containers of ice cream that they continually refill throughout the day.

Either way, the barrel or container sitting on display is not safe for people who want to eat gluten-free ice cream. That’s because the ice cream worker will push the scoop against the ice cream cone and load it up. Even that quick, seemingly minor contact with a gluten-containing cone renders the scoop unsafe.

As the scoops go from cone to ice cream back to the cone, the ice cream container or barrel also becomes unsafe for people on a gluten-free diet.

When you go to order, and after you’ve explained that you need to eat gluten-free, ask if the worker can get you fresh ice cream from the back. Most ice cream shops will be able to accommodate you because they have extra ice cream stored away.

Get a New Scooper

Health departments nationwide require ice cream scoops to be put into a water/sanitizer solution between scoops. While this sanitation solution will remove some of the gluten on the scoop, the scoop likely isn’t going to be sitting in the solution long enough to do any serious sanitizing. Plus, it’s sitting in gluteny water that’s not getting washed off.

To help better ensure you don’t get sick, ask the Snoqualmie Ice Cream attendant if it’s possible to use a new scooper. Explain to them your dietary restrictions, and make sure they get one that has been properly cleaned and sanitized, not just one sitting in a different sanitizer solution at the other end of the counter. Most ice cream shops have plenty of extra scoops on hand, so it shouldn’t ever be a problem.

Avoid the Toppings

I am a sucker for loads of toppings on my ice cream, but I stop in my tracks when shops share spoons between toppings. If you don’t see a separate spoon for individual toppings, you’re better off skipping them altogether.

You have no way of knowing whether someone before you got a scoop of cookie dough balls and then put the scoop back into the gummy bears. This is especially true at self-serve ice cream shops. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Also, gluten crumbs can easily go flying from one container to another, so it’s typically best to avoid toppings entirely unless they are stored separately and properly. When in doubt, just ask some questions to see how the ice cream shop handles its products.

Feel Comfortable Eating Snoqualmie Ice Cream

While Snoqualmie Ice Cream has two scoop shops in Washington state, one in Maltby and the other in Snoqualmie, you might not be able to visit them in person. Luckily, their products are available in grocery stores in Washington, and you can also order them online.

As the wise Dalai Lama said, “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” I don’t know about you, but a life without gluten-free ice cream is not a happy life at all. Thankfully, with plenty of gluten-free options from Snoqualmie Ice Cream, you won’t have a sad life anytime soon!

Go get your grub on!