Gluten free takeaways

A lot of takeaway food is safe for people with coeliac disease.

However, you do need to be careful what you order, and be aware of the risk of cross contamination in some takeaway restaurants.

Please remember that our GF Accreditation scheme only covers delivery or takeaway when it is delivered directly by the accredited food business itself, not via a third party delivery company. We are actively working with our contacts to make sure that safe practices are in place, but please take care using third party delivery services.

Food businesses, including takeaways, must be able to give you information on the allergens that are in their dishes. They must be able to tell you if any dishes contain wheat, rye, barley or oats when you order and also when your meal is delivered or picked up. Read more about the information that food businesses have to provide.

What to look for:

Fish and chips

Eating out - Fish and Chips

  • Avoid chips if they are cooked in the same oil as battered fish. Chips or fish with a gluten free batter cooked in the same oil as battered products using gluten are not gluten free. Even if the chips appear to be cooked separately, be aware that the oil is often rotated so the chip oil may have previously been used to cook battered fish – it is worth asking.
  • Removing batter from fish does NOT make it safe to eat as it will already have been contaminated with gluten.
  • Some shops have designated gluten free nights or have a dedicated gluten free fryer so it is worth asking.

Chinese

Eating out - Chinese

  • Avoid wheat noodles and soy sauce.
  • Be careful of contamination if dishes that contain gluten are cooked in the same pan as your food.
  • Rice is gluten free and rice noodles are a great alternative to wheat noodles, so ask if these are available.
  • Remember that meat, fish and vegetables are naturally gluten free but check that they are not cooked in soy sauce or oil that has been used to fry gluten containing foods such as spring rolls.

Indian

Eating out - Indian Food

  • Avoid breads.
  • Poppadoms are usually made with rice and lentil flour. Make sure these are cooked in oil that has not been used to cook gluten containing foods.
  • Lentils constitute a key part of vegetarian dishes and are good gluten free options.
  • Sauces are mostly thickened with chickpea flour or yoghurt rather than a wheat based starch, so are safe for people with coeliac disease, but do check.

Pizza

Eating out - Pizza

  • Conventional wheat flour bases are unsuitable for people with coeliac disease.
  • Some take away chains now offer gluten free pizzas. If they don’t, sometimes outlets will cook your gluten free pizza base if you supply them with one, although contamination in the kitchen may be an issue.


Fast food

Eating out - Fast Food

  • Check out our Venue Guide for fast food restaurants and check their websites for their nutritional information. You can get the Venue Guide and all its recommended places to eat on our Live Well Gluten Free app. Simply search in the app store.