Are Marshmallows and Rice Krispies Gluten Free?
So you've just found out you can't eat gluten - at least you can still eat rice cereal, right? Hmmm…let's talk about gluten in rice cereal. Yes, I know, it's everywhere, including cosmetics, and it’s also in most rice cereals to disguised under the name of malt, barley malt, or malt flavoring.
Why is Gluten In Rice Cereal?
Many times, you'll find gluten in rice cereal under the disguise of malt flavoring. Malt is made from barley unless otherwise specified on the ingredients, a grain containing gluten. Malt is used because it's an easy and cheap sweetener, especially on rice cereal. You can find malt in canned and prepared drinks as well, especially in teas that are Asian in origin.
Rice cerals are gluten free, right? Well . . . not always, actually. That would be simple!
Is Rice Krispies Safe to Eat on a Gluten-Free Diet?
Rice Krispies has malt flavoring in their cereal, along with many other crisped rice kinds of cereal. So, no, they are not safe to eat if you're on a gluten-free diet! Very few rice cereals do not have malt or malt flavoring in them. Ironically, Malt-O-Meal crisped rice is the one cereal I found safe to eat. You can find this brand in the bag section of the cereal aisle.
Malt-O-Meal is what I call an "economy food," which are foods that are highly processed with little or no nutritional value. However, if you're using these to make rice Krispies for your gluten-free family members or yourself, and you're not planning on eating them daily for breakfast, these are a good choice!
Rice Chex and Other Rice Cereals
Remember to read the labels on packages when you're shopping, even if the package says "gluten-free" because the cereal may be made in a factory that isn't gluten-free. If you're gluten intolerant, that may be OK, but if you're Celiac, that's no Bueno! Stay away from any cereal that says it's made in a factory with wheat, barley, rye, triticale, or other gluten products. That cross-contamination can make you really sick or give you more secondary issues from Celiac disease if you're not careful.
Making S’mores and Rice Krispy Treats for Travel
If you're traveling and want a s'more or a Rice Krispie treats, here is what I suggest. For Rice Krispies, make your own Rice Krispie treats (you can use the same recipe on Kellogg's site for Rice Krispies treats, just use the gluten-free rice cereal) and individually wrap them in plastic wrap. Then take your treats and put them in a bigger Ziploc bag. I always recommend using real Ziploc for travel because they stand up to more wear than other types of food storage bags.
For s’mores, you can take gluten-free graham crackers with you, such as Pamela's, Kinnikinnick, or Schar gluten free graham crackers, or buy them when you're at your destination. Make sure to research health food stores near you and call them to see if they carry gluten-free graham crackers. That way, you won't have to carry them in your bag and have some crushed crackers. You'll also have more space in your bag on the way to your destination!
Marshmallows are usually gluten-free, but always make sure to read the labels anyway! You never know when someone is going to decide to add gluten to something. Ugh! You can easily purchase marshmallows at any store.
Chocolate is usually gluten-free. Hershey's milk chocolate bars are gluten free, but not all their chocolates are gluten-free, so again, make sure to read the label before you buy!
If you're camping, make sure to pack s'more sticks and label them with tape, so you know which ones are for the gluten-free marshmallows and which s'more sticks are not gluten-free. You don't want to get cross-contaminated your first night of camping with gluten-free s'mores!
Buying Pre-Packaged Rice Krispies Treats
If you’re in a time crunch, and you don’t have time to make and package your own rice crispy treats, you can purchase them online. Made Good Crispy Squares comes in four flavors and uses rice syrup instead of malt syrup for a sweetener. Annie’s brand, who makes those cute little bunny mac & cheese, also makes gluten free crispy treats. Their Crispy Snack Bars are also made with rice syrup instead of malt. If you’re keto, then you can indulge in Sinless Snacks Marshmallow Crisps which use allulose and monk fruit for sweetener. They do have milk protein in the ingredients, so if you can’t have dairy, this one is a no-go.
Find out more about how to safely travel gluten-free travel with my complimentary ebook, the Ten Tips for Traveling Gluten Free! You can also find out more details about how to travel via cruise, road trip, or camping and learn the freedom you can have when you know how to travel with Celiac disease when you grab my Guide to Traveling Gluten Free.