What to Eat at Chipotle With Food Allergies and Intolerances

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsFast FactsDairy-FreeSoy-FreeWheat/Gluten-FreeSulfite-FreeFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Fast Facts

Dairy-Free

Soy-Free

Wheat/Gluten-Free

Sulfite-Free

Frequently Asked Questions

Chipotle Mexican Grill, which is known for its fresh ingredients and made-to-order food items, can work very well as a fast food option for people withfood allergiesorintolerances. A glance at alist of allergens in Chipotle menu itemseasily shows you what options contain some common food allergens—and there aren’t many.The restaurant chain does, however, use milk, soy, and wheat/gluten, the remaining three major food allergens. Some Chipotle menu items also includecorn, a less common food allergy.This article will help you to learn more about allergen-free menu items at Chipotle. It also provides ordering strategies that can keep you safe from any unwanted food reactions.Verywell / Christian AlzateFast Facts About Chipotle IngredientsChipotle, with more than 2,000 locations mainly in the United States,does not use peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, or fishas ingredients in any of its food, eliminating the possibility of contact with four of thenine major food allergens.Eggs are also not used except at locations where breakfast is served, while mustard and sesame are excluded too.Ingredients that do not contain dairy, soy, gluten, or sulfites include:ChickenBarbacoaAll beansFajita vegetablesSteakGuacamoleChipotle is a great option for people living with certain food allergies or intolerances, but Chipotle warns that itdoes not operate allergen-free kitchens, so cross-contamination is always a possibility.In addition, the restaurant chaincannot guarantee the complete absence of allergensfrom its foods, since it gets ingredients from outside suppliers.Milk Allergy-Friendly FoodsIf you have amilk allergyorlactose intolerance, the good news is that there are only three menu items that containdairy productsat Chipotle:Monterey Jack cheeseQueso blancoSour creamChipotle uses either cheese or sour cream—or often, both—in almost all of its menu items, including burritos, bowls, crispy corn tacos, soft corn tacos, soft flour tacos, and salads.Chips with salsa or chips with guacamole are two menu items that do not have dairy. In terms of individual food items, there are no milk-based ingredients in any of their meats, beans, taco shells, chips, or tortillas.If you don’t want sour cream or cheese, ask your Chipotle server to omit them. (They’re in almost everything ordered “as is.") You may also want to ask your server to change into fresh gloves before preparing your food to preventcross-contamination.Are Restaurants Required to Post Food Allergy Warnings?Soy Allergy-Friendly FoodsChipotle caters to the vegetarian and vegan community and offers a vegan meat substitute in the form ofsofritas. Sofritas are a popular protein option at Chipotle that are made of tofu that has been braised in spices, chipotle chilies, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.Clearly, people with asoy allergyneed to avoid tofu.In its place, you can choose fajita vegetables and/or pinto beans if you are vegetarian or vegan, or any of its meats (barbacoa, carnitas, chicken) if you are not.6 Food Allergy Apps to Eat Out SafelyWheat Allergy/Gluten-Free-Friendly FoodsChipotle has only one wheat-containing item on its menu: its soft flour tortilla used to make burritos and tacos. Nothing else on its menu contains wheat or gluten.If you need to avoid wheat or are gluten-free because you have awheat allergy,celiac disease, ornon-celiac gluten sensitivity, you can choose a corn tortilla taco, a bowl, or a salad instead. The bowls and salad don’t contain any grain items.However, be aware thatitems containing corn may have trace amounts of gluten. This is because of corn crops being exposed to other grains in the field. You may want to avoid corn tortillas and corn salsa if you are extremely sensitive to gluten.Avoid ordering beer, which contains barley (a gluten grain).How to Avoid Cross-Contamination at ChipotleTo reduce the risk of cross-contamination at Chipotle:Visit during off-peak hours when the service won’t be rushed.Advise your server or the location manager of your food concerns when you arrive.Ask your server to change their gloves before serving you.Ask the server to use a fresh set of utensils (tongs, spoons) to serve you.Sulfite Allergy-Friendly FoodsFor people with asulfite allergy or intolerance, Chipotle lists only four food items that contain sulfite in their ingredients:Burrito flour tortillaTaco flour tortillaSofritasHoney vinaigrette dressingSteer clear of those four items (substituting a corn tortilla for the flour tortilla) and you should be fine. In place of the vinaigrette dressing, you can try dressing your salad with the tomatillo green-chili salsa.SummaryChipotle does not use peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, or fish in any of its food, making it safe for people with those food allergies.It does, however, have menu items that contain dairy, soy, and wheat/gluten. There are ways to work around these foods—substituting flour tortillas for corn tortillas, for example, or asking your server to skip the cheese or sour cream.While Chipotle employees are trained in safe food handling, it is in your interest to make your allergy known, watch over the preparation of your food, and intervene when necessary.Frequently Asked QuestionsYes. All forms of rice are naturally gluten-free.Chipotle does not add any seasoning to either their white or brown rice that contains gluten.Chipotle has a non-GMO (genetically modified organism) policy and switched from soybean oil to sunflower oil in 2015.Soybean oil is one of the top four genetically modified oils next to canola, corn, and cottonseed oil.Chipotle chips are made of 100% corn and fried in 100% sunflower oil. The chips are then tossed in a liberal amount of salt and fresh lime juice.It’s easy to eat vegan at Chipotle, as the majority of menu options are available to those on vegan diets. This includes their popular sofritas made of tofu, spice, chipotle chilis, peppers, and onions.

Chipotle Mexican Grill, which is known for its fresh ingredients and made-to-order food items, can work very well as a fast food option for people withfood allergiesorintolerances. A glance at alist of allergens in Chipotle menu itemseasily shows you what options contain some common food allergens—and there aren’t many.

The restaurant chain does, however, use milk, soy, and wheat/gluten, the remaining three major food allergens. Some Chipotle menu items also includecorn, a less common food allergy.

This article will help you to learn more about allergen-free menu items at Chipotle. It also provides ordering strategies that can keep you safe from any unwanted food reactions.

Verywell / Christian Alzate

Fast Facts About Chipotle Ingredients

Chipotle, with more than 2,000 locations mainly in the United States,does not use peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, or fishas ingredients in any of its food, eliminating the possibility of contact with four of thenine major food allergens.

Eggs are also not used except at locations where breakfast is served, while mustard and sesame are excluded too.

Ingredients that do not contain dairy, soy, gluten, or sulfites include:

Chipotle is a great option for people living with certain food allergies or intolerances, but Chipotle warns that itdoes not operate allergen-free kitchens, so cross-contamination is always a possibility.

In addition, the restaurant chaincannot guarantee the complete absence of allergensfrom its foods, since it gets ingredients from outside suppliers.

Milk Allergy-Friendly Foods

If you have amilk allergyorlactose intolerance, the good news is that there are only three menu items that containdairy productsat Chipotle:

Chipotle uses either cheese or sour cream—or often, both—in almost all of its menu items, including burritos, bowls, crispy corn tacos, soft corn tacos, soft flour tacos, and salads.

Chips with salsa or chips with guacamole are two menu items that do not have dairy. In terms of individual food items, there are no milk-based ingredients in any of their meats, beans, taco shells, chips, or tortillas.

If you don’t want sour cream or cheese, ask your Chipotle server to omit them. (They’re in almost everything ordered “as is.") You may also want to ask your server to change into fresh gloves before preparing your food to preventcross-contamination.

Are Restaurants Required to Post Food Allergy Warnings?

Soy Allergy-Friendly Foods

Chipotle caters to the vegetarian and vegan community and offers a vegan meat substitute in the form ofsofritas. Sofritas are a popular protein option at Chipotle that are made of tofu that has been braised in spices, chipotle chilies, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

Clearly, people with asoy allergyneed to avoid tofu.

In its place, you can choose fajita vegetables and/or pinto beans if you are vegetarian or vegan, or any of its meats (barbacoa, carnitas, chicken) if you are not.

6 Food Allergy Apps to Eat Out Safely

Wheat Allergy/Gluten-Free-Friendly Foods

Chipotle has only one wheat-containing item on its menu: its soft flour tortilla used to make burritos and tacos. Nothing else on its menu contains wheat or gluten.

If you need to avoid wheat or are gluten-free because you have awheat allergy,celiac disease, ornon-celiac gluten sensitivity, you can choose a corn tortilla taco, a bowl, or a salad instead. The bowls and salad don’t contain any grain items.

However, be aware thatitems containing corn may have trace amounts of gluten. This is because of corn crops being exposed to other grains in the field. You may want to avoid corn tortillas and corn salsa if you are extremely sensitive to gluten.

Avoid ordering beer, which contains barley (a gluten grain).

How to Avoid Cross-Contamination at ChipotleTo reduce the risk of cross-contamination at Chipotle:Visit during off-peak hours when the service won’t be rushed.Advise your server or the location manager of your food concerns when you arrive.Ask your server to change their gloves before serving you.Ask the server to use a fresh set of utensils (tongs, spoons) to serve you.

How to Avoid Cross-Contamination at Chipotle

To reduce the risk of cross-contamination at Chipotle:Visit during off-peak hours when the service won’t be rushed.Advise your server or the location manager of your food concerns when you arrive.Ask your server to change their gloves before serving you.Ask the server to use a fresh set of utensils (tongs, spoons) to serve you.

To reduce the risk of cross-contamination at Chipotle:

Sulfite Allergy-Friendly Foods

For people with asulfite allergy or intolerance, Chipotle lists only four food items that contain sulfite in their ingredients:

Steer clear of those four items (substituting a corn tortilla for the flour tortilla) and you should be fine. In place of the vinaigrette dressing, you can try dressing your salad with the tomatillo green-chili salsa.

Summary

Chipotle does not use peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, or fish in any of its food, making it safe for people with those food allergies.

It does, however, have menu items that contain dairy, soy, and wheat/gluten. There are ways to work around these foods—substituting flour tortillas for corn tortillas, for example, or asking your server to skip the cheese or sour cream.

While Chipotle employees are trained in safe food handling, it is in your interest to make your allergy known, watch over the preparation of your food, and intervene when necessary.

Frequently Asked QuestionsYes. All forms of rice are naturally gluten-free.Chipotle does not add any seasoning to either their white or brown rice that contains gluten.Chipotle has a non-GMO (genetically modified organism) policy and switched from soybean oil to sunflower oil in 2015.Soybean oil is one of the top four genetically modified oils next to canola, corn, and cottonseed oil.Chipotle chips are made of 100% corn and fried in 100% sunflower oil. The chips are then tossed in a liberal amount of salt and fresh lime juice.It’s easy to eat vegan at Chipotle, as the majority of menu options are available to those on vegan diets. This includes their popular sofritas made of tofu, spice, chipotle chilis, peppers, and onions.

Yes. All forms of rice are naturally gluten-free.Chipotle does not add any seasoning to either their white or brown rice that contains gluten.

Chipotle has a non-GMO (genetically modified organism) policy and switched from soybean oil to sunflower oil in 2015.Soybean oil is one of the top four genetically modified oils next to canola, corn, and cottonseed oil.

Chipotle chips are made of 100% corn and fried in 100% sunflower oil. The chips are then tossed in a liberal amount of salt and fresh lime juice.

It’s easy to eat vegan at Chipotle, as the majority of menu options are available to those on vegan diets. This includes their popular sofritas made of tofu, spice, chipotle chilis, peppers, and onions.

6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New York Allergy and Sinus Centers.Corn allergy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.What you need to know about food allergies.Chipotle.Allergens & special diet.Beyond Celiac.Is rice gluten-free?Strom S.Chipotle to stop using genetically altered ingredients.New York Times. Published April 26, 2015.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.GMO crops, animal food, and beyond.

6 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.New York Allergy and Sinus Centers.Corn allergy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.What you need to know about food allergies.Chipotle.Allergens & special diet.Beyond Celiac.Is rice gluten-free?Strom S.Chipotle to stop using genetically altered ingredients.New York Times. Published April 26, 2015.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.GMO crops, animal food, and beyond.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

New York Allergy and Sinus Centers.Corn allergy.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.What you need to know about food allergies.Chipotle.Allergens & special diet.Beyond Celiac.Is rice gluten-free?Strom S.Chipotle to stop using genetically altered ingredients.New York Times. Published April 26, 2015.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.GMO crops, animal food, and beyond.

New York Allergy and Sinus Centers.Corn allergy.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.What you need to know about food allergies.

Chipotle.Allergens & special diet.

Beyond Celiac.Is rice gluten-free?

Strom S.Chipotle to stop using genetically altered ingredients.New York Times. Published April 26, 2015.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration.GMO crops, animal food, and beyond.

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