If you have ever been inside a Tim Horton’s, you know that there don’t seem to be a lot of gluten-free options to choose from. I happened to meet a friend there the other day and was discouraged when I was really hungry, yet the employees on duty didn’t have any idea if they had any gluten-free choices other than fruit. I made a mental note to not only check into the gluten-free options when I got home, but to share what I found with you all as well.
Upon browsing Tim Horton’s website, I found that they do indeed have an allergen list. I knew that there wouldn’t be any magically appearing gluten-free doughnuts, but I wanted to be better prepared the next time I was at Tim Horton’s, as I really like their coffee. I hadn’t made Tim Horton’s one of my priorities in the past because they weren’t on any of my daily routes. With a new location in my gym parking lot, I see that changing in the near future.
After perusing the allergen list, I found that the following items don’t contain any gluten (USA):
- Iced cappuccino (with milk, chocolate milk, or cream)
- Iced cappuccino supreme
- Mocha iced capp
- Iced coffee
- Iced mocha
- Iced chill mocha
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie with yogurt
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie without yogurt
- Mixed Berry Smoothie with yogurt
- Mixed Berry Smoothie without yogurt
- Frozen Lemonade
- Real Brewed Iced Tea
- Coffee
- Decaffeinated Coffee
- Hot Chocolate
- White Hot Chocolate
- French Vanilla Cappuccino
- English Toffee Cappuccino
- Café Mocha
- Caramel Café Mocha
- Apple Cider
- Caramel Apple Cider Supreme
- Steeped Tea
- Specialty Teas
- Hot Smoothies (all flavors)
- Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- Candy Cane Hot Chocolate
- Caramel Hot Chocolate
- Hashbrown
- French onion soup (broth only)
- Hearty potato bacon soup
- Turkey and wild rice soup
- Chili
- Creamy Sundried Tomato with Roasted Garlic
- Yogurt & berries
As always, ask questions before ordering. Iced beverages and smoothies may be made with the same blender as versions that contain gluten, so ask for a new one. Ask about the hashbrown preparation to see if they are cooked with gluten-containing foods. Some locations may have different procedures in place, so it is necessary to do your due diligence. I was pleased to learn the yogurt & berries were on this list, as I had asked about it yesterday, and since nobody had a definite answer at the time. I ended up settling on an XL coffee and a bar from my emergency stash. Tim Horton’s has locations across the US and Canada.
Have you eaten at Tim Horton’s gluten-free? What did you have?
We don’t have Tim Horton’s here, but when I did have the opportunity to go to one (before being gluten-free) I remember really liking the hot chocolate. I am glad to see that is one of the gluten-free friendly items. thanks!
I know that Jon was thrilled to see that! 🙂 He loves hot chocolate/mocha/etc. He was bummed when I told him Starbucks is out for him now.
Kim
Most Starbucks coffees are actually gluten free!
Linda,
Are you referring to the coffees offered in the shop or on the shelves in the grocery store?
Kim
As per my knowledge, in Canada ice caps and hot chocolate MAY contain wheat at Canadian Tim Hortons.
Ashley,
The allergen chart was updated in February 2012 and has notes for both the US and Canada. Is it the way they make them in the store?
http://www.timhortons.com/us/pdf/TimHortonsAllergyChart.pdf
Kim
In the US, the GF limit for labeling packages as being GF is 20 ppm (parts per million),, whereas in Canada it is 5 ppm. So, some products in the US can be labeled as GF but the same item cannot be marked GF in Canada.
The limit as set for gluten-free testing makes it hard for items contaminated with gluten from the processing operations, to slip through and be labeled as GF.
Thank you for posting your great bread recipe!
Having just spent the last week trying to ween myself off caffeine by using half hot chocolate and getting at first mild sleepiness and leg pain and now pretty extreme leg pain, I can tell you NOT to trust the hot chocolate. I’m so very sad. I guess the tin says “May Contain Malted Barley” – at least, I saw someone else say that online.
I wouldn’t trust the yogurt as it is made by Dannon, and on their website only plain yogurts are safe, but there is no guarantee…….
There have been reports that most flavoured coffees usually contain traces of gluten. As for TIm Hortons, I can confirm this fact as true. I drink a medium to x-large size French Vanilla Coffee (I guess it’s considered cappuccino on the list?) and was having reactions which I thought was to food. But after a violent episode of hives (as well as gastrointestinal, I get body-wide itching and hives from gluten once my body has processed it. It is usually delayed by a few hours) I looked at my diet and found there was NO WAY my food contained gluten as everything I had eaten was gluten-free. Then it hit me. The coffee. It was the only thing I had consumed that I couldn’t guarantee was gluten-free. It also explain a few other episodes I had that I didn’t know where it was coming from (realized those days I had also have a FV coffee). Upon research, voila, it’s true. Most flavoured coffees contain gluten. And although Timmies will not admit to it on their list, from weeks of experience I can conclude that there is traces of gluten in FV coffees!
Gluten may not be an ingredient, but with all cappuccinos being made with the same machine, this allows cross-contamination of gluten, into everything that shares that same equipment. If someone is not gluten tolerant, this will be a problem.
The TH website states:
None of our products are “gluten-free”. Wheat is present in our manufacturing facilities and in all our food preparation areas.
Just felt like chiming in on this, as I’ve worked for Tim’s for 6 years and am a major part of the health and safety team at my location (I have a big interest in allergies and special diets too).
As far as in store production goes, The French Vanilla cappuccino is dispensed through our Hot Capp machine, each with their own separate container to hold the powders (FV, hot chocolate, white hot chocolate, apple cider, etc.) and have their own water supply. They don’t touch each other and the dust is confined to the outside of the machine. None of them contain gluten so that wouldn’t be an issue.
Someone above mentioned something about the smoothies.. we don’t use blenders at all. We mix everything with our single whipper mixer machines in the same cup we are serving to the customer and rinse before and after each use. And again.. nothing we would put in the cups to whip with that machine would have gluten.
In all honesty though, coming from someone who has studied Nutrition and Biology a lot, if you’re having issues with food intolerances you shouldn’t even be consuming processed sugar in the first place. A lot of the issues stem from eating poorly (yes , Tims food and drinks are crap. Except coffee I suppose). The French vanilla and hot chocolate contain more than the dietary amount of sugar someone needs in a WEEK. Plus they’re loaded with preservatives. All these fast food places are about money. If you’re really having a hard time with food and allergies, take the time to make your own food and consume beverages that your body actually needs to function properly.
I have had reactions to their non-flavored coffee as well – just regular black coffee. So I no longer go to Timmy’s at all.
Coffee has no glutten,you might be sensitive to caffeine..anything that is related to gerds disease you may be reacting to as well!! Look up gerds and see the list of what not to have!!!! I have celiac disease.. I have coffee all the time and I’m fine!! But there are some things that are related to gerds disease that don’t have glutten that I’m still sensitive to!!!! Doesn’t mean you have gerds, just means your body’s sensitive to some of those things!!!!
I have a reaction to their coffee too, but not other coffee. Makes me wonder what they put in it. Their “sugar” is just syrup, you know…and their “cream” is a milk solids mix.
I have celiac.. I’m pretty sure hashbrowns in general have glutten!! If you have the disease be extremely careful with the soups as well..it may have even the slightest bit of glutten!! It’s not just wheat you have to stay away from, it’s barley and rye as well!! I had Tim Hortons chilli the other day and I was fine so highly unlikely that has glutten!!!! Just be very careful, google it!!!! Other then that, everything else on this list should be fine!!!!
Thanks for uploading..still very helpful!!
Hash browns in general don’t have gluten in them and shouldn’t ever (McDonald’s are 100% gluten-free). I’m guessing that, since I ate 2 of TH’s hash browns this morning and I’m feeling pretty icky, they do have a sort of breading on them…or I got cross-contamination since they stick them in the same toaster they use for all their breads. However, since I can’t find a complete ingredient list ANYWHERE ONLINE I can’t be certain what it was.
But I’m pretty sure about 98% of this list is NOT safe for celiacs. For instance, the Caramel Apple Cider Supreme might LOOK GF, but caramel flavouring itself is generally made from barley.
McDonalds Hasbrowns are NOT Gluten Free !!!!
HASH BROWNS:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative]), Salt, Corn
Flour, Dehydrated Potato, Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Extractives of Black Pepper.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK.
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.
Thank you for pointing that out, but the ones in Canada are (although they are still filled with crap):
http://www1.mcdonalds.ca/NutritionCalculator/IngredientFactsEN.pdf
I’m not sure about the USA, but as with their fries, McDonald’s removed the “beef flavouring” long ago due to complaints from vegans and religious groups that do not condone beef eating.This is the only restaurant I personally know of that makes a point of frying their hashbrowns and fries in a vat that is completely separate from their breaded, meaty items so as not to piss off the vegans. I personally know that because I used to work there.
If you go to that website they have for answering questions, they recommend both the hashbrowns and french fries for a gluten-free diet (and that’s ALL they recommend!).
What I had posted earlier was the updated nutritional list for USA McDonalds – They still have the beef flavoring and note that only their Yogurt Parfait is recommended for the Gluten Free Diet minus the granola – I just avoid all together
Hash browns in general don’t have gluten in them and shouldn’t ever (McDonald’s are 100% gluten-free). I’m guessing that, since I ate 2 of TH’s hash browns this morning and I’m feeling pretty icky, they do have a sort of breading on them…or I got cross-contamination since they stick them in the same toaster they use for all their breads. However, since I can’t find a complete ingredient list ANYWHERE ONLINE I can’t be certain what it was.
Besides most of the beverages, I’m pretty sure about 98% of this list is NOT safe for celiacs. For instance, the Caramel Apple Cider Supreme might LOOK GF, but caramel flavouring itself is generally made from barley.
McDonalds Hasbrowns are NOT Gluten Free !!!!
HASH BROWNS:
Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oil (Canola Oil, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Natural Beef Flavor [Wheat and Milk Derivatives]*, Citric Acid [Preservative]), Salt, Corn
Flour, Dehydrated Potato, Dextrose, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate (Maintain Color), Extractives of Black Pepper.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK.
*Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients.
Thank you for pointing that out, but the ones in Canada are (although they are still filled with crap):
http://www1.mcdonalds.ca/NutritionCalculator/IngredientFactsEN.pdf
I’m not sure about the USA, but as with their fries, McDonald’s removed the “beef flavouring” long ago due to complaints from vegans and religious groups that do not condone beef eating.This is the only restaurant I personally know of that makes a point of frying their hashbrowns and fries in a vat that is completely separate from their breaded, meaty items so as not to piss off the vegans. I personally know that because I used to work there.
If you go to that website they have for answering questions, they recommend both the hashbrowns and french fries for a gluten-free diet (and that’s ALL they recommend!).
What I had posted earlier was the updated nutritional list for USA McDonalds – They still have the beef flavoring and note that only their Yogurt Parfait is recommended for the Gluten Free Diet minus the granola – I just avoid all together
I have a reaction to their coffee too, but not other coffee. Makes me wonder what they put in it. Their “sugar” is just syrup, you know…and their “cream” is a milk solids mix.
If I have anything with gluten in it, I get a lovely rash on my neck within 30 minutes that itches like crazy. I had a Tim Hortons Hot Chocolate today (the store-bought kind) and within 30 minutes, my neck was going nuts. Everything I’ve eaten today, I’ve made myself, except for the powder that I used for the hot chocolate. I don’t understand how their website can say ‘These products are gluten-free’ and then just above that say that there may be cross-contamination from the factory. If they’re not sure then they shouldn’t be saying gluten-free; this isn’t a guessing game!
If I have anything with gluten in it, I get a lovely rash on my neck within 30 minutes that itches like crazy. I had a Tim Hortons Hot Chocolate today (the store-bought kind) and within 30 minutes, my neck was going nuts. Everything I’ve eaten today, I’ve made myself, except for the powder that I used for the hot chocolate. I don’t understand how their website can say ‘These products are gluten-free’ and then just above that say that there may be cross-contamination from the factory. If they’re not sure then they shouldn’t be saying gluten-free; this isn’t a guessing game!
Since this allergen list is based on US standards…I’m guessing that the French Vanilla cappuccino does have a small amount of gluten…Canada only allows 20 ppm and I have Celiac’s and have had a reaction from drinking one and have had employees tell me it is not gluten-free.
I wish I had the same experience as you at my Tim Hortons, I had a smoothie no yogurt because that was the only thing that was a guarantee. I love there steeped tea but every time I have it I have a reaction. I am wondering if it a cross contamination , they do have their own bakery in the back. Has only one else having the same problem with cross contamination?
I don’t react to the McDonald’s hash browns:
Potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, safflower oil, natural flavour (vegetable source), salt,
dehydrated potato, vegetable monoglycerides, corn flour, dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate, extractives of black pepper, citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane, cooked in vegetable oil [canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil,
hydrogenated soybean oil (THBQ), citric acid, dimethylpolysiloxane].
But I react to Tim Horton’s hash browns. I can’t find an ingredient list.
I will never drink any of Tim hortons coffee even the plain drip coffee because it makes me feel so bad like gluten does – I’m not arguing but like all people who can’t handle gluten just a heads up go get your coffee somewhere else it’s not worth feeling like this for a half decent cup of coffee ~ seriously- for those who say it does not effect you try going somewhere else for a week ur body will thank you
I live my summers in the area of Florenceville-Hartland, Woodstock and Tim Hortons has nothing for me which is gluten free-they all tell me the macaroon they don’t have as no one asks for them and is a waste-why don’t they have something sweet as in a gluten free bagel at least-nothing in this area-have not checked in Saint John or other areas-ver doubtful if they have anything— is shameful for us Tim Fans
Available for us are gluten free buns and English muffins. Why goes Tim’s not use them. They can remain frozen until you use them. They are great and gluten free people would be able to eat at Tims
I have celiac disease and I’m very sensitive to gluten. I get sick from the ice caps, there’s a lot of cross contamination. So be really careful.
Please, that’s what theu call gluten free? What about sandwiches and bakery items?
Plrase tell me regular black tea is gluten free. Youd think so. But only steeped tea is mentioned.
I’m on a gluten free diet. At Tim Horton’s
I eat omelet bites, hashbrowns & decaf coffee.
What about the new canned items? The Cream of Broccoli seems to be good. It only says “Contains Milk” in the warnings.