The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Deli Meats

Plain turkey, chicken, roast beef, and ham do not contain gluten, but deli meat you buy pre-packaged or at the deli counter can contain gluten. Most brands and flavors of deli meat or cold cuts at the supermarket contain ingredients beyond meat, which means gluten ingredients and gluten cross-contamination can sneak in.

If you're following the gluten-free diet, you'll need to choose deli meat that's labeled "gluten-free." There are several brands where all (or virtually all) of the lunch meat options are gluten-free.

Understanding Gluten and Deli Meats

Most deli meats are gluten-free, but some contain gluten-containing additives or flavorings that won't necessarily appear on the label. However, many companies voluntarily label deli meats as gluten-free, so you are likely to find a clearly marked option at most grocers. If it's unclear, you may need to check with the company.

It's also important to regularly check labels just in case the brand changes ingredients or suppliers.

If you are ordering deli slices from a deli counter there is also the risk of cross contamination. A shared slicer and surfaces may transfer crumbs or seasonings with gluten and contaminate deli meat that would otherwise be gluten-free. Those with celiac disease who must strictly avoid gluten may want to stick to pre-packaged gluten-free deli meats or request that surfaces be wiped and worker's gloves changed when ordering from a deli counter.

Gluten-Free Meat Brands

Here is a detailed list of gluten-free deli meat products from each brand, plus a list of gluten-free vegetarian and vegan deli meat alternatives. You'll also find a list of lunch meat brands to avoid if you're gluten free, plus tips on how to minimize gluten cross-contamination risk (which is high with deli meat products) when buying sliced-to-order products from the deli counter.

Applegate Natural & Organic Meats

Gluten-free. The brand's cold cuts are also antibiotics and GMOs. Applegate promises humanely-raised products and makes a wide variety of pre-packaged gluten-free deli meats.

Organic gluten-free options include:

• Black Forest Ham
• Citrus Ginger Turkey Breast
• Herb Turkey Breast
• Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast
• Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
• Roast Beef
• Slow-Cooked Ham
• Smoked Chicken Breast
• Smoked Turkey Breast

Gluten-free options from the Applewood Naturals line include:

• Black Forest Ham
• Herb Turkey Breast
• Honey & Maple Turkey Breast
• Honey Ham
• Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Slow-Cooked Ham
• Smoked Turkey Breast

Armour Meats

Some gluten-free varieties. Armour makes bologna, roast beef, Virginia ham, and salami for sale at deli counters. Armour does not offer a list of gluten-free products nor does it label its products as gluten-free, but it's worth noting that some options do not appear to contain gluten ingredients. The company is a division of Smithfield Foods, which does label some products as gluten-free.

According to a customer service representative: "While we may not add gluten (wheat, oats, barley or rye) to our products, we do receive ingredients from outside suppliers that may contain gluten. Without a guarantee from our suppliers that gluten is not present in their ingredients, we do not make that claim. If there is no “gluten-free” claim on our label and you want to be conservative, assume that a source of gluten may be present. Please continue to read the ingredient statements carefully at the time you purchase the product because formulations can change at any time."

Bar-S

Gluten-free. The Bar S lunch meat line includes a wide variety of pre-packaged products, including:

• Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Beef Bologna
• Black Forest Turkey Breast
• Chicken Bologna
• Classic Bologna
• Classic Chopped Ham
• Cotto Salami
• Deli Shaved Black Forest Ham
• Deli Style Honey Ham
• Deli Style Smoked Ham
• Garlic Bologna
• Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast
• Signature Smokehouse Bologna
• Spiced Luncheon Loaf
• Thick Bologna
• Turkey Bologna

Boar's Head

Gluten-free. Boar's Head (also known for its gluten-free condiments) advertises "premium deli meats." They offer a wide variety of gluten-free deli meats, both pre-packaged and ready-to-slice at the deli (many are only available at the deli counter).

Gluten-free deli meats from Boar's Head include:

• 1st Cut Cooked Corned Beef Brisket
• 1st Cut Pastrami Brisket
• 33% Lower Sodium Bologna
• 46% Lower Sodium Turkey Breast
• All American BBQ Seasoned Roasted Chicken Breast
• Beef Bologna
• Beef Salami
• Blazing Buffalo Style Roasted Chicken Breast
• Bold Blackened Turkey Breast
• Bold BourbonRidge Uncured Smoked Ham
• Bold Cajun Roast Beef
• Bold Chipotle Chicken Breast
• Bold Ichiban Teriyaki Style Chicken Breast
• Bold Jerk Chicken Breast
• Bold Madrasala Curry Chicken Breast
• Bold Peppenero Garlic Ham
• Bold Salsalito Turkey Breast
• Bologna (Pork & Beef)
• Branded Deluxe Ham
• Branded Deluxe Ham - 42% Lower Sodium
• Cajun Style Smoked Turkey Breast
• Cap-Off Cooked Top Round Corned Beef
• Cap-Off Top Round Pastrami
• Cappy Brand Ham
• Cooked Salami
• Cracked Pepper Mill Smoked Turkey Breast
• Deluxe Low Sodium Oven Roasted Beef - Cap-Off Top Round
• EverRoast Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Garlic Bologna
• Golden Catering Style Oven Roasted Turkey Breast (Lower Sodium)
• Golden Classic Oven Roasted Chicken Breast - 42% Lower Sodium
• Gourmet Pepper Brand Ham
• Head Cheese
• Hickory Smoked Black Forest Turkey Breast
• Honey Smoked Turkey Breast
• Italian Style Seasoned Beef with Bracoile Seasoning
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast
• Lite Braunschweiger Liverwurst
• London Broil Cap-Off Top Round Oven Roasted Beef
• Londonport Top Round Seasoned Roast Beef
• Maple Glazed Honey Coat Ham
• Maple Glazed Honey Coat Turkey Breast
• Maple Glazed Roasted Chicken Breast
• Mesquite Wood Smoked Turkey Breast
• No Salt Added Turkey Breast
• Olive Terrine Loaf
• Ovengold Roasted Turkey Breast
• Pastrami Seasoned Turkey Breast
• Rosemary & Sundried Tomato Ham
• Rotisserie Seasoned Chicken Breast
• Seasoned Filet of Roast Beef - Cap-Off Top Round
• Smoked Virginia Ham
• SmokeMaster Beechwood Smoked Black Forest Ham
• Strassburger Liverwurst
• Sweet Slice Boneless Smoked Uncured Ham
• Tavern Ham
• Virginia Ham

Buddig Original

Gluten-free. This Chicago-based brand makes its original pre-packaged deli meats in 11 different varieties, including:

• Beef
• Black Forest Ham
• Black Forest Turkey
• Chicken
• Corned Beef
• Ham
• Honey Ham
• Honey-Roasted Turkey
• Oven-Roasted Turkey
• Pastrami
• Turkey

Butterball

Most varieties are gluten-free. Butterball, best known for its turkeys, also offers chicken and turkey deli meat for slicing at the deli counter. Out of the 17 varieties of deli meat, all but one (the turkey ham) are labeled gluten-free by the company:

• 40% Less Sodium Turkey Breast
• Buffalo Style Chicken Breast
• Cajun Turkey Breast
• Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
• Deep-Fried Turkey Breast
• Deep-Fried Honey Turkey Breast
• Garlic and Herb Rotisserie-Style Chicken
• Golden Brown Turkey Breast
• Golden Brown Turkey Breast
• Honey Roasted Turkey Breast
• Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast
• Naturally Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey Breast
• Oven Roasted Chicken
• Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Smoked Turkey Breast
• Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey Breast
• Turkey Pastrami

Dietz & Watson

Almost all certified gluten-free. Dietz & Watson's gluten-free deli meats are widely available at stores like Food Lion and The Fresh Market. Gluten-free deli counter sliced meats include:

• All Natural Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• All Natural Uncured Classic Dinner Ham
• Bacon Lovers Turkey Breast
• Beef Bologna
• Black Forest German Brand Bologna
• Black Forest Honey Ham
• Black Forest Smoked Ham
• Black Forest Smoked Ham
• Black Pepper Homestyle Turkey Breast
• Bologna
• Breast of Turkey Chipotle Pepper
• Brown Sugar & Molasses Ham
• Cajun Style Breast of Turkey
• Carving Ready Turkey Breast
• Chicken Breast Buffalo Style
• Chicken Breast Honey Barbecue
• Chicken Breast Sriracha
• Chicken Breast Teriyaki
• Classic Branded Cooked Ham
• Classic Trimmed & Tied Ham
• Corned Beef Extra Lean
• First Cut New York Brand Corned Beef Brisket
• Glazed Honey Cured Turkey Breast
• Golden Recipe Oven Roasted Roast Beef
• Gourmet Breast of Chicken
• Gourmet Lite Cooked Ham
• Gourmet Lite No Salt Added Turkey Breast
• Gourmet Lite Turkey Breast
• Gourmet Lite Virginia Brand Ham with Pineapple
• Imported Tavern Ham
• Italian Style Classic Tomato & Basil Ham
• Italian Style Roast Pork
• Italian Style Turkey Breast
• Lower Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Maple & Honey Coated Turkey Breast
• Maple & Honey Ham
• Momma Dietz Original Recipe Roast Chicken
• Mortadella
• NAE Pepper Choice Eye Roast Beef
• Originals Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Originals Chicken Breast Harissa
• Originals Natural Angus Roast Beef
• Originals Organic Chicken Breast
• Originals Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Originals Uncured Cotto Ham
• Oven Classic Turkey Breast
• Oven Roasted All Natural Roast Beef
• Oven Roasted Homestyle Turkey Breast
• Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Pastrami
• Peppered Ham
• Ring Bologna
• Roast Beef Italian Style
• Roast Pork, Our Cuban Brand
• Rosemary Seasoned Ham
• Rotisserie Breast of Chicken
• Santa Fe Brand Turkey Breast
• Smoked Peppercorn Turkey Breast
• Southern Fried Breast of Chicken
• Top Round London Broil Roast Beef
• Top Round Roast Beef
• Traditional Corned Beef
• Turkey Breast Hatch Green Chile
• Turkey Breast Mesquite Smoked
• USDA Choice Roast Beef
• Virginia Brand Ham

Gluten-free pre-packaged options include:

• Angus Roast Beef
• Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Genoa Salami Medallions
• Herbed Turkey Breast
• Organic Chicken Breast
• Organic Turkey Breast
• Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast
• Pre-Sliced Sopressata
• Sliced Turkey Pepperoni
• Truffle Salami Medallions
• Uncured Applewood Smoked Ham
• Uncured Black Forest Ham
• Uncured Maple & Honey Ham

Gallo Salame

Gluten-free. Gallo, which distributes its products to the western one-third of the U.S. (Galileo distributes to the rest), makes gluten-free pre-packaged sliced salame in five different varieties:

• All-Natural Uncured Salame
• Dry Salame - 60% Less Sodium
• Italian Dry Salame
• Light Italian Dry Salame
• Peppered Salame

Jennie-O

Almost all gluten-free. Jennie-O makes nearly 40 chicken and turkey deli meats for sale at deli counters. Almost all of them are listed as gluten-free, including:

• All-Natural Oven Browned Turkey Breast
• Applewood Smoked Chicken
• Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Buffalo Style Chicken Breast
• Cajun Style Turkey Breast
• Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
• Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
• Deli Favorites Oven Roasted Reduced Sodium Turkey Breast
• Deli Favorites Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Deli Favorites Tender Browned Turkey Breast
• Extra Lean Turkey Ham
• Grand Champion Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Grand Champion Reduced Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Herb Roasted Turkey Breast
• Hickory Smoked Honey Turkey Breast
• Hickory Smoked Honey Turkey Breast
• Hickory Smoked Honey Turkey Breast
• Hickory Smoked Slicing and Shaving Turkey Breast
• Honey BBQ Seasoned Chicken Breast
• Honey Roasted Turkey Breast
• Honey Roasted Turkey Breast
• Mesquite Smoked Turkey Breast
• Original Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Original Reduced Sodium Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Oven Browned Turkey Breast
• Oven Roasted Chicken Breast
• Reduced Sodium Turkey Breast
• Sun-Dried Tomato Turkey Breast
• Tender Browned Shaving Turkey Breast

Land O'Frost

Gluten-free. Land O'Frost, a family-owned company based in Illinois, offers three different lines of pre-packaged deli meat: Premium, BistroFavorites, and Deli Shaved. According to the company's website, all the meats are gluten-free.

• Applewood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Applewood Smoked Uncured Ham
• Black Forest Canadian Bacon
• Black Forest Ham
• Black Forest Turkey Breast
• Black Forest Uncured Ham
• Black Peppered Uncured Beef
• Brown Sugar Ham
• Hickory Smoked Canadian Bacon
• Hickory Smoked Turkey Breast
• Honey Glazed Turkey Breast
• Honey Glazed Uncured Ham
• Honey Ham
• Honey Smoked Turkey Breast
• Natural Hickory Smoked Ham
• Natural Roast Beef
• Old-Fashioned Cooked Ham
• Oven Roasted Turkey Breast
• Oven-Roasted Chicken Breast
• Roast Beef
• Rotisserie Seasoned Turkey Breast
• Sliced Hard Salami
• Thick Sliced Canadian Bacon Natural Hickory
• Thick Sliced Canadian Bacon Sweet Country Maple
• Uncured Corned Beef

Land O'Frost also offers five gluten-free Premium Sub Kits (which includes only the meat, not the bread):

• Black Forest Ham and Turkey
• Classic Italian-Style
• Honey Ham and Turkey
• Primo Italiano-Style
• Smoked Ham and Oven Roasted Turkey

Gluten-Free Vegetarian Deli Meat

Making a deli-style sandwich is tricky when you're both gluten-free and vegetarian. Popular veggie-meat brands Tofurky and Yves Veggie Deli each contain vital wheat gluten as a primary ingredient, making them unsuitable for gluten-free diets.

Although not necessarily a true deli meat substitute, Quorn's turkey roast cuts come close because they're already pre-sliced on the thicker side. You can also slice the chicken fillets to fit on gluten-free sandwich bread.

Non-Gluten-Free Deli Meat Brands

These brands generally do not label any of their deli meats "gluten-free," although some state that the foods have no gluten ingredients.

Hillshire Farm

May contain gluten. Hillshire Farms, a subsidiary of Tyson Foods, offers deli meat in 29 varieties, including:

• All-Natural Hardwood Smoked Turkey Breast
• Black Forest Ham
• Chipotle Chicken Breast

Hormel

No gluten ingredients. Hormel does not label its meat products "gluten-free." Instead, it provides a list of products that do not include ingredients derived from wheat, rye, barley, and oats.

Pre-packaged lunch meat products on Hormel's "no gluten ingredients" list include:

• Canadian Bacon
• Cooked Deli Ham
• Cubed Ham
• Grilled Chicken Strips
• Ham Steaks
• Hard Salami (uncured)
• Honey Deli Ham
• Honey Deli Turkey
• Hormel Black Label Brand Chopped Ham
• Hormel brand Diced Ham
• Hormel Natural Choice Brand Brown Sugar Deli Ham
• Mesquite Turkey
• Oven Roasted Chicken Strips
• Oven Roasted Deli Turkey
• Pepperoni (uncured)
• Roast Beef
• Rotisserie-Style Deli Chicken Breast
• Smoked Deli Ham
• Smoked Deli Turkey
• Uncured Bacon

Oscar Mayer

No gluten ingredients. Oscar Mayer makes pre-packaged bologna, turkey, chicken, ham, salami, and ham and cheese loaf in more than 100 varieties. None have any gluten ingredients listed.

Oscar Mayer is a subsidiary of Kraft Foods, which has a policy of clearly disclosing any gluten-containing ingredients on products' ingredients labels. However, the labels won't necessarily disclose any risk of gluten cross-contamination.

Russer

May contain gluten. Russer, which makes cold cuts for sale at deli counters and in packages, is another Tyson Foods subsidiary. This brand does not label products "gluten-free" in the consumer market.

Sara Lee Deli

May contain gluten. Sara Lee, best known for its pies, also makes multiple deli meat for sale in packages and at the deli counter. Like Hillshire Farms and Russer, Sara Lee Deli is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods, which does not maintain a list of gluten-free products.

Weaver, Wilson, and Wunderbar

May contain gluten. These three smaller brands are subsidiaries of Tyson Foods and don't label anything gluten-free so be sure to read the label carefully for any gluten ingredients.

Tips for Choosing Gluten-Free Deli Meats

Although most deli meats don't contain gluten ingredients, a few of them do. Unfortunately, deli workers use the same slicing machines for everything, which raises your risk of gluten cross-contamination significantly.

The best way to eliminate this risk is to buy pre-packaged gluten-free lunch meat. If you can't find the same variety of flavors in the pre-packaged refrigerator section of your favorite grocery store, you might want to try the deli counter.

To lessen your risk of gluten cross-contamination when ordering at the deli counter:

• Arrive at the store at opening time. Being the first in line at the deli will ensure a freshly cleaned slicing machine.
• Purchase a chunk of the gluten-free product. Slice it yourself at home (make sure to ask the deli staff to use a clean knife and cutting board).

These measures won't eliminate your risk of gluten cross-contamination, but they can lessen it—especially at delis that offer gluten-containing sliced-to-order products and those that make sandwiches to order in the same area as sliced-to-order products.

If you're still concerned, make sure to talk with the deli staff or manager, who may have additional ideas on how to make sure your deli meat is safely gluten-free.

When building your gluten-free deli sandwich at home, make sure to use the best gluten-free bread, gluten-free cheese, gluten-free pickles, gluten-free relish, and gluten-free mayonnaise you can find.