Kit Kat bars are a favorite snack of many people in North America and around the world! Kit Kat bars have been around for a very long time. The famous chocolate covered wafer candy bar was invented in England in 1935 by a company called Rowntree’s. Since 1988, the same chocolate bar has been manufactured by Nestle, who took over the Rowntree brand in that year. And, it was originally called something other than Kit Kat! It was called Rowntree’s Chocolate Crisp. After World War II, the popular confection was renamed, simply, Kit Kat. And that name has stuck ever since!
But, for those of us who must eat gluten free – the important question is: are Kit Kats gluten free? Going gluten free means needing to research which foods and snacks are safe to eat. When you first discover you’re Celiac or have a serious gluten allergy or intolerance, you go on a hunt to find out which of your favorite foods are still safe to eat! Today, we’re looking specifically at whether Kit Kat bars are gluten free or not.
Are Kit Kat bars gluten free?
Sadly guys, NO, Kit Kat bars are NOT gluten free. In fact, after milk chocolate and sugar, the very next ingredient is WHEAT FLOUR. And of course, wheat flour contains gluten and is dangerous for us to eat. So, Kit Kat bars are off limits and should not be eaten by anyone who needs to eat a gluten free diet for medical reasons.
I know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for, so I went hunting to see if there are any options for Kit Kat lovers to have a gluten free treat like their favorite chocolate bar.
Glutino gluten free chocolate covered wafers
Yay! I found something pretty wonderful as a gluten free Kit Kat alternative! I didn’t even know these existed before I started doing research for this article, but I’m pretty excited to discover that Glutino makes chocolate covered wafer cookies! (For American readers, you might like to try this multi-pack of gluten free wafer cookies by Schar, a brand we know and love.) On Amazon, these get a 4.5/5 star rating, so I’m quite confident that you’ll enjoy these like other gluten free eaters. The wafers are coated in milk chocolate, similar to what a Kit Kat bar has enrobed all over it. (Yum!! I loooove milk chocolate.)
These cookies are also soy free AND casein free, so they’re excellent if your family has multiple food allergies.
Conclusion – Are Kit Kats gluten free?
Sadly, Kit Kat is NOT gluten free. They contain wheat flour, which of course contains gluten. (And a tip for anyone new to gluten free eating – if you ever just see the word ‘flour’ in an ingredients list, always presume that it’s wheat flour! And that it therefore contains gluten.) So, those of us with medical reasons to avoid eating wheat and gluten must avoid traditional Kit Kat bars. BUT, I found a Glutino alternative that may help satisfy that craving for a chocolate bar that combines crisp wafers, a lovely vanilla filling and rich milk chocolate over top. Safe eating to you!
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