gluten-free

Gluten-Free Foods List: What We Can Eat

Looking for a clear gluten-free foods list?

The easiest way to understand gluten-free eating is to divide foods into three simple categories:

🟢 Naturally gluten-free foods

🟡 Foods that need gluten-free alternatives

🔴 Foods that contain gluten and must be avoided

This guide explains each category and provides a simple, easy-to-follow list of gluten-free foods so you know exactly what you can eat.

🟢 Naturally Gluten-Free Foods List

These foods don’t contain gluten in their natural form and can make up the foundation of a gluten-free diet. Many everyday meals can be built around these naturally gluten-free foods, such as meat, vegetables, rice, eggs and dairy.

However, it’s still important to be aware of how foods are processed or prepared, as some products may contain added ingredients that include gluten.

Fruit

All fresh fruit is naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Berries
  • Oranges
  • Grapes
  • Mango
  • Pineapple
  • Peaches
  • Nectarines
  • Plums
  • Watermelon

Things to watch out for though include:

✖ Fruit pies or desserts thickened with wheat flour
✖ Some fruit snacks, fruit straps, leathers or fruit bars containing wheat ingredients

Vegetables

All fresh vegetables are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Potatoes
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Pumpkin
  • Corn
  • Zucchini
  • Capsicum
  • Peas
  • Green beans
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce

Things to watch out for include:

✖ Potato products coated in flour (chips or wedges)
✖ Seasoned frozen vegetables
✖ Packet seasoning mixes that may contain wheat

Meat and Poultry

Fresh, unprocessed meat and poultry are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Beef
  • Chicken
  • Pork
  • Lamb
  • Turkey
  • Mince/Ground meat

Things to watch out for:

✖ Crumbed or battered meats
✖ Sausages or burger patties containing breadcrumbs
✖ Pre-marinated meats with sauces that contain gluten

Fish and Seafood

Most fresh seafood is naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Salmon
  • Tuna
  • Prawns
  • White fish
  • Mussels
  • Crab

Things to watch out for include:

✖ Battered or crumbed seafood
✖ Marinades or sauces containing soy sauce with wheat

Eggs

Eggs are naturally gluten-free and a versatile source of protein. They can be cooked in multiple ways, and used in breakfasts, baking, lunches and quick meals.

Things to watch out for with eggs:

✖ Egg dishes containing pastry or flour

Dairy

Most plain dairy products are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Milk
  • Cheese
  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Natural yoghurt
  • Sour cream

Things to watch out for:

✖ Flavoured yoghurt, and yoghurts with those extra add-ins
✖ Dairy desserts containing biscuit/cookie, or cereal ingredients

Naturally Gluten-Free Grains

Several grains are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Rice
  • Brown rice
  • Jasmine rice
  • Basmati rice
  • Sushi rice
  • Quinoa
  • Buckwheat
  • Millet
  • Sorghum
  • Teff
  • Amaranth

Things to watch for include:

✖ Grain blends containing wheat
✖ Cross-contamination during processing

Naturally Gluten-Free Noodles

Some noodles are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Rice noodles
  • Rice vermicelli
  • Glass noodles (mung bean)
  • Konjac noodles
  • Shirataki noodles

Things to watch for can include:

✖ Asian noodles made with wheat flour

Nuts, Seeds and Coconut

Most nuts and seeds are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Walnuts
  • Peanuts
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Flaxseeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Desiccated coconut

Things to watch for can include:

✖ Flavoured nuts
✖ Snack mixes that contain wheat crackers

Beans, Lentils and Legumes

These are naturally gluten-free and provide a great source of fibre and plant protein. Examples include:

  • Chickpeas
  • Lentils
  • Kidney beans
  • Black beans
  • Cannellini beans

Things to watch for:

✖ Occasionally stray grains mixed in during farming or packaging (rare, but something to be aware of)

Naturally Gluten-Free Flours and Baking Ingredients

Many flours used in gluten-free baking are naturally gluten-free. Examples include:

  • Rice flour
  • Corn flour (cornstarch in the US) – but be sure to check your brand!
  • Potato starch
  • Tapioca flour
  • Almond flour
  • Coconut flour
  • Buckwheat flour
  • Sorghum flour

Other gluten-free baking ingredients include:

  • Sugar
  • Honey
  • Maple syrup
  • Cocoa powder
  • Chocolate chips

Things to watch for

✖ Flour blends containing wheat
✖ Baking powder containing wheat starch

🟡 Foods That Need a Gluten-Free Alternative

Some foods are traditionally made with wheat, barley, malt, oats or rye.

The good news is that gluten-free versions of many of these foods are widely available and keep on getting better and better!

Bread and Wraps

Regular bread almost always contains wheat flour. Well labelled gluten-free alternatives include:

  • Gluten-free sandwich bread
  • Gluten-free rolls
  • Gluten-free wraps
  • Gluten-free flatbread
  • Gluten-free pizza bases

Things to watch for

✖ Bakery products made in shared kitchens
✖ Products labelled only ‘wheat free’ but not gluten-free

Pasta and Noodles

Traditional pasta in packets and served in restaurants is made from wheat flour. Gluten-free alternatives include:

  • Rice pasta
  • Corn pasta
  • Brown rice pasta
  • Lentil pasta
  • Chickpea pasta

Things to watch for:

✖ Fresh pasta made with wheat

Breakfast Cereals

Many breakfast cereals contain wheat or barley malt, but there are a lot of great alternatives now. Gluten-free options include:

  • Gluten-free cornflakes
  • Gluten-free rice bubbles
  • Gluten-free weetbix (or ‘Weetabix’)
  • Gluten-free granola
  • Gluten-free muesli

Things to watch for in cereals:

✖ Malt flavouring
✖ Barley extract

Crackers, Biscuits, Cookies and Snacks

Most crackers, cookies and biscuits that you can buy in grocery stores will contain wheat flour. Gluten-free alternatives include:

  • Gluten-free crackers
  • Gluten-free biscuits/cookies
  • Rice crackers
  • Corn chips (check the brand to ensure no added flavouring has gluten in it!)

Things to watch for:

✖ Wheat starch
✖ Malt extract

Sauces, Condiments and Cooking Ingredients

Many sauces use gluten as a thickener, or flavouring. However, gluten-free versions are widely available and there is no taste difference. Examples include:

  • Soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari)
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • BBQ sauce
  • Tomato sauce / ketchup
  • Mayonnaise
  • Curry sauces
  • Stir-fry sauces

Things to watch out for include:

✖ Wheat flour
✖ Malt vinegar
✖ Barley
✖ Soy sauce containing wheat

Stock, Broth and Gravy

Many stock cubes, bullion and gravy mixes contain gluten. Gluten-free alternatives are usually well labelled and include:

  • Gluten-free stock cubes
  • Gluten-free liquid stock/broth
  • Gluten-free gravy powder

Things to watch for:

✖ Wheat starch
✖ Malt extract
✖ Barley ingredients

🔴 Foods That Contain Gluten

For people with coeliac disease, foods containing gluten must be avoided completely. Gluten is found in the following grains and derivatives:

  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Rye (common to find this in malt products)
  • Triticale (hybrid of rye and wheat)
  • Oats

If you’re unsure about a product, always check the ingredient list or look for foods labelled ‘gluten-free’.

This list focuses on foods that are safe for people with coeliac disease, following Australian gluten-free labelling rules.

Learn More About Gluten-Free Living:

If you’re new to gluten-free eating, these guides may also help:

Gluten-Free Foods FAQ

What foods can people with coeliac disease eat?

People with coeliac disease can eat many naturally gluten-free foods including fruit, vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy, rice, legumes, nuts and seeds. Foods such as bread, pasta and cereals can also be eaten if they are labelled gluten-free.

Are potatoes gluten-free?

Yes. Potatoes are naturally gluten-free. However, some potato products such as chips, wedges or processed potato snacks may contain gluten if they are coated in flour or cooked with gluten-containing foods.

Is rice gluten-free?

Yes. Plain rice is naturally gluten-free. This includes white rice, brown rice, basmati rice and jasmine rice.

What grains are gluten-free?

Naturally gluten-free grains include rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, sorghum, teff and amaranth.

Can people with coeliac disease eat oats?

In Australia, oats are not considered safe for people with coeliac disease because they may trigger a similar immune response and are often contaminated with wheat during processing.

Gluten-Free Food Options

Although gluten is found in wheat, barley, malt and rye, many everyday foods are naturally gluten-free. Once you understand which foods are naturally gluten-free and which ones simply need gluten-free alternatives, grocery shopping and cooking become much easier.