Is Dave’s Killer Bread gluten free? In a nut free nutshell, NO, Dave’s Killer Bread is not gluten free.
Dave’s Killer Bread offers an awesome range of breads (buns, rolls, english muffins, thin-sliced breads, and more) made from whole grains and organic whole wheat flour. In fact, I regularly bought several of their breads for my kids who can have wheat.
Honestly, I love the brand given their commitment to excluding genetically modified organisms (GMOs), using as many organic ingredients as possible, and their second chance employment which helps people with criminal backgrounds get hired. Plus, you can get some of the flavours at Costco and save a little money.
Dave does SO much right, it’s just unfortunate that the bread isn’t for those of us with Celiac Disease or a wheat allergy. Just know that if you need gluten free bread, Dave’s Killer Bread is not a safe option, so let’s talk about different gluten-free bread you can choose from.
Gluten Free Bread Choices
Here’s a starting list of gluten free product options where bread is concerned. Many of these brands will ship directly to you, so check their websites. If you’re in the approximate 30% group that can’t have food made on shared equipment with what you’re allergic to, don’t stop at nutritional information and what’s on the ingredient list.
It’s important that you contact brands to ensure your safety, as some listed share equipment with major allergens including wheat, eggs, milk, soy, and sesame.
- Against the Grain
- Arise
- AWG Bakery
- B-Free (they tend to use more kid-friendly ingredients across their product line)
- Base Culture
- Bread SRSLY (sourdough, they use some of the highest quality ingredients)
- Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free (consistently praised as one of the best gluten free bread options)
- Flax for Life
- Flour Craft Bakery
- Happy Camper’s Gluten Free
- Katz
- Kim & Jake’s
- Kinnikinnick
- Lilac Patisserie (dedicated GF bakery and cafe)
- Little Northern Bakehouse (they have a great gluten free white bread)
- Modern Bread and Bagel (they have a few bakeries across the country and ship select products nationwide)
- O’Dough’s
- Rise Bakery
- Rotella’s Gluten Free
- Schär (they have several good options across a wide range of products including puff pastry)
- Udi’s (warning, this is probably the most hated gluten free bread brand on the market)
- Young Kobras
You can also check out the bread section of Gluten Free Mall to see what else may be available.
So, which is the best bread with a killer taste that can compare to Dave’s Killer Bread?
Based on everything I’ve been told by trusted sources, Modern Bread and Bagel is going to take the W. In second place, Canyon Bakehouse.
After those two brands, it’s going to be a toss up. I’ll tell you who’s out of the race before it even starts: Udi’s.
I can also tell you that unless you absolutely need what these brands offer, both Base Culture and Happy Camper’s aren’t going to be loved by most. Appreciated, yes. Loved, questionable.
Unfortunately, that’s the way of gluten free bread, along with a lot of processed gluten free products. They’re hit and miss, and taste is very subjective.
For Reference: Ingredients in Dave’s Killer Bread White Done Right
Organic flours (organic wheat flour, organic whole wheat flour, organic barley flour, organic rye flour, organic spelt flour, organic millet flour, organic quinoa flour, organic potato flour) water, organic cane sugar, organic cracked whole wheat, organic expeller pressed canola oil, contains 2% or less of each of the following: organic wheat gluten, sea salt, yeast, organic cultured wheat flour, organic vinegar, organic acerola cherry powder, enzymes.
The white bread is one of the more popular varieties, and I can honestly say, my kids loved when I forgot to get the seeded bread at Costco and bought this in a pinch.
For Reference: Ingredients in Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds (this is the one I got at Costco)
Organic whole wheat (organic whole wheat flour, organic cracked whole wheat), water, organic cane sugar, organic 21 Whole Grains and Seeds mix (organic whole flax seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic tri-color quinoa [organic black quinoa, organic red quinoa, organic white quinoa], organic ground whole flax seeds, organic triticale, organic pumpkin seeds, organic rolled barley, organic rolled oats, organic rolled rye, organic blue cornmeal, organic millet, organic rolled spelt, organic brown rice flour, organic amaranth flour, organic yellow cornmeal, organic KAMUT® khorasan wheat, organic sorghum flour, organic buckwheat flour, organic quinoa, organic poppy seeds), organic wheat gluten, organic oat fiber, contains 2% or less of each of the following: yeast, organic molasses, sea salt, organic cultured wheat flour, organic vinegar, organic acerola cherry powder, enzymes.
Answering Your Gluten Free Bread Questions
Which brand has the best gluten free white bread?
Based on what I hear from people in the free-from space, I’m going to say Canyon Bakehouse. However, most people who say it’s the best white bread aren’t thinking about how many grams of protein or how many grams of fiber are in the bread. Instead, they’re focused on the size because we’ve all been burned by tiny GF bread, and they’re very focused on the taste.
Given the price of gluten free bread, I think that should be the focal point. If you don’t mind that Canyon Bakehouse isn’t the healthiest bread available, I’d start there. If other factors are important to you, check out the sourdough bread from Bread SRSLY. I’d also encourage you to check out Base Culture and Happy Campers. Whilst these brands are a lot less popular, they have more nutritious ingredients.
Are there gluten free brands that make really good thin-sliced breads?
Not that I know of. I’d check out Little Northern Bakehouse, as you may deem the bread on the thinner side. The thing about gluten free bread (especially when it’s gluten and egg free), is that you need structure. The thinner the slice, the less structure you have, and the more likely it is to fall apart (we’ve all been there).
If the slice thickness is really important to you, I’d suggest purchasing a whole, uncut loaf, or baking one at home. You may be able to purchase a good gluten free loaf at your local farmer’s market depending on where you live. Either way, you can then cut a little slice, just the way you want it.
How can I find out if my gluten free bread is made on shared equipment with wheat?
Getting extensive product information, including shared equipment, is going to start on the company’s website rather than in the bread aisle. It’s rare that all of the detailed allergen info will be on the actual product. But the great news is, these days especially, many brands are taking a more transparent approach.
Sometimes all of the extra product details are on the individual product page, but more often, I’ve found this kind of allergy information on the FAQ page. The link to the FAQ page is usually in the footer menu, and sometimes it’s under the about us section. If you can’t find it, use the search tool if they have one.
From there, read about their allergen information if it’s there. Once you’ve gone thru the questions, if you still have more, there should be a contact button or even a phone number. I often call, but I also email at times if I’m searching outside of business hours. Make sure you’re clear with your questions, and don’t be afraid to ask in a few different ways if they aren’t quite giving you the info you’re looking for.
Can I eat Daves Killer Bread if I have a gluten sensitivity?
If you have a gluten sensitivity, and not a wheat allergy, Celiac Disease, or another medical condition, my knee jerk answer will be no. However, your personal threshold matters. If you know you can tolerate a slice of bread here and there, you could try Dave’s bread, but should you really?
Honestly, you really shouldn’t. Anytime someone has a food sensitivity, that’s the body letting you know “RED FLAG”. Stop, do not pass go, do not collect $200. By eating the foods that we know will mess with us, we’re knowingly damaging our body and forcing it to deal with something we could have avoided.
I know I go to great lengths to avoid foods I’m not only allergic to, but also intolerant to because it’s just not worth it. I want to feel my best and function my best. There’s a great song that’s appropriate to mention: Just ‘Cos You Can Don’t Mean You Should, by Joe Bonamassa. I’d push you to ask yourself if eating gluten is worth it, even if “a little bit” seems tolerable.
Is it possible to purchase bread made without any added sugar?
For a standard yeasted bread, no, you won’t be able to purchase a loaf with zero added sugar. The reason why is because the yeast feed on sugar to create the reaction that leads to rise.
If you need a bread that’s free from added sugar, you want to look into sourdough bread. Rather than use a traditional yeast and sugar process, sourdough uses a traditional fermentation process that’s based on flour and water.
Some brands take this a step further and only use wild, naturally occurring yeast, which is a great way to add a range of subtle flavors to the bread.
How do I know if my gluten free bread is also vegan?
This is a great question because there are some items commonly found on ingredient lists that aren’t vegan, or have the potential to contain animal products and byproducts. A great example of this is organic cane sugar, which can be processed with bone char.
When a product is vegan, I’ve found that a lot of brands will put that kind of ingredient info on the front and call it out somehow. However, if your bread packaging doesn’t say “vegan” anywhere, start with the company’s website.
Check their FAQ section to see if they have info on food allergies and special diets, including info on vegan ingredients. If you don’t see the answer to your question, reach out to the brand, but be specific. Ask things like, “are you using vegan sugar” or “what is your shortening derived from”.
If they’re transparent, great. If you’re not comfortable with their responses, I’d move on to a different brand.
Are the snack bars from Dave’s Killer Bread gluten free?
Whilst the protein bars from Dave’s Killer Bread look like a fantastic healthy option, each flavour does indeed contain wheat. These snack bars are not gluten free and should not be eaten if you have Celiac Disease or manage a wheat allergy.
If you’d like to see brands that are making gluten free and allergy friendly snack bars, download my 99+ Free-From Snack Brands PDF.
