Unpacking Bugles’ Gluten-Free Status: Insights & Alternatives for Sensitive Consumers

Many people enjoy Bugles, but whether they are gluten-free is a bit complicated. While the ingredients themselves do not contain gluten, the packaging of General Mills Bugles, the most popular brand, suggests they “may contain wheat,” possibly due to cross-contamination in their processing facility.

Additionally, General Mills doesn’t have explicit information on their website about their current processing methods and suggests checking the package label for this warning and ingredients.

To add to the confusion, many brands or manufactures list the same wheat cross contamination note so don’t make the mistake of thinking every brand is gluten free when most contain trace amounts of wheat — although there is one brand that does not have the “may contain wheat label” and is free from ingredients with gluten.

So those with a minor gluten sensitivity could potentially eat most brands of Bugles without worry, while those who are more precaution or with Celiac disease should be sure they’re choosing the on and only brand we found that does not contain gluten or made in a facility that processes products with wheat.

What Are Bugles?

Bugles are a corn-based chip that was created by General Mills in 1964. They were actually one of the three different snacks made by General Mills that introduced them into the market for snack foods.

The Bugles market has expanded significantly since its first introduction and is now available all around the world in a variety of different flavors.

There are also now 2 different brands of Bugles in the United States: General Mills and Tom’s. In the United Kingdom, they are sold as Walkers.

In the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, Bugles are sold as Lays Bugles.

Are Bugles Gluten-Free? Do Bugles Contain Gluten?

Whether Bugles are gluten-free is both yes and no. Looking at their specific ingredient breakdown there is no wheat or other gluten-containing ingredients.

Still, on the ingredient label, it does specify there may be wheat in the product, indicating a high risk of cross-contamination due to processing.

A common reason someone would need to follow a gluten free (gf) diet would be if they have celiac disease. Celiac disease is a chronic digestive and immune disorder that is triggered by eating gluten.¹

Avoiding gluten is especially important because celiac disease can cause long-lasting digestive problems thus causing the body to have trouble absorbing the necessary nutrients if gluten is consumed.

With this in mind, it’s important to be vigilant and mindful when choosing snacks and brands when someone has celiac disease because of the long-term risks associated with eating gluten. So while Bugles do not contain gluten in their ingredient list, they do include the disclaimer that wheat may be present due to the other snacks and foods General Mills produces.

Hence, there is no 100% guarantee, and those with extreme allergies to wheat may be better off avoiding Bugles and finding a different 100% gluten free snack.

Are Any Flavors of Bugles Gluten Free?

There are 5 different flavors of General Mills Bugles and while each flavor does not have any gluten-containing ingredients, each flavor has the warning that there may be wheat present. This is because of the variety of different foods General Mills produces that do contain wheat products so the possibility of cross-contamination is quite high.

Below is the list of the different flavors and their ingredients.

1. Original: Degermed yellow corn meal, coconut oil and/or palm kernel oil, sugar, salt, and baking soda, preserved by BHT. May contain milk and wheat ingredients.
2. Nacho Cheese: Degermed yellow corn meal, coconut oil and/or palm kernel oil, sugar, maltodextrin. Contains 2% or less of salt, monoglycerides, baking soda, dried buttermilk, monosodium glutamate, dried whey, reduced lactose whey, dried onion, tomato powder, natural and artificial flavor, dried garlic, citric acid, dried cheddar cheese, spice, paprika extract, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, dried enzyme modified cheddar cheese, disodium phosphate, artificial color (red 40, yellow 6, yellow 5).Freshness preserved by BHT. It contains milk and may contain wheat ingredients.
3. Hidden Valley Ranch: Degermed yellow corn meal, vegetable oil, sugar. Contains 2% or less of dried buttermilk, salt, maltodextrin, monoglycerides, baking soda, dextrose, monosodium glutamate, citric acid, onion powder, parsley, modified corn starch, disodium guanylate and inosinate, natural and artificial flavor. Freshness preserved by BHT. It contains milk and may contain wheat ingredients.
4. Caramel: Degermed yellow corn meal, sugar, coconut oil and/or palm oil and/or palm kernel oil and/or canola oil and/or soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup. Contains 2% or less of soy lecithin, salt, molasses, distilled monoglycerides, baking soda, natural flavor, milk. Freshness preserved by BHT and TBHQ. Contains soy and milk and may contain wheat ingredients.
5. Cinnamon Toast Crunch: Degermed yellow corn meal, vegetable oil (coconut and/or palm), sugar, fructose and contains 2% or less of cinnamon, salt, distilled monoglycerides, baking soda, and natural flavor. Freshness preserved by BHT.May contain milk and wheat ingredients.

It is clear to see that the different flavors of Bugles contain significantly more ingredients compared with the original flavor. Additionally, each flavor comes with the disclaimer that they may contain wheat ingredients.

While Bugles may appear to be gluten-free based on their ingredients, it’s important to note that each flavor might still contain traces of gluten. Therefore, they can be enjoyed, but caution should be exercised.

Cross Contamination Risks of General Mills Bugles

Because following a 100% gluten-free diet is the only efficient and safe treatment option for individuals with celiac disease, it’s crucial to be very mindful and aware of cross-contamination and how to avoid it.² Unfortunately, cross-contamination of gluten free foods with gluten is very common, especially when a brand produces a variety of different foods and snacks like General Mills.³

General Mills announced their Cheerios as well as a few other brands they produce are gluten-free and in response, the Canadian Celiac Association warned customers with celiac disease or gluten allergies to not consume the products even with the gluten-free label because of the high risk of cross-contamination. This is just one example of a gluten-free label that is better not trusted and people should remain skeptical and cautious.

The FDA labeling rule for when a product can be labeled gluten-free is if the product contains less than 20 ppm of gluten, which has been coined a safe amount of gluten for those with celiac disease to consume.⁴ This ruling also does account for cross-contamination and whether the products are produced in a facility with wheat, such as General Mills Bugles.⁵

A pro tip would be looking for gluten-free brands that have a separate gluten-free facility for production to ensure there is no risk of cross-contamination.

Are All Brands of Bugles Gluten-Free?

General Mills and Walkers Bugles do not contain any ingredients that have gluten but both have disclaimers on the packaging that the Bugles are produced in a facility that also handles wheat. This means, there is a high risk of cross-contamination.

Source: alexat25 via Canva.com⁶

Tom’s Bugles also do not contain any ingredients that have gluten. Furthermore, they are not produced in a facility with wheat products so there is no risk of cross-contamination.

Due to this, rather than focusing on methods to distract yourself from hunger, opting for Tom’s Bugles may be the preferable choice for individuals following a gluten-free diet.

Are Bugles Healthy? What Makes Bugles Considered Unhealthy?

Bugles are fairly low calorie and the original flavor doesn’t contain any ingredients that would raise a lot of red flags but there are a couple of different factors that make Bugles a less healthy option. Here are two things to keep in mind when deciding whether or not someone should add Bugles to their snack list.

1. Saturated Fat: Bugles contain 7 grams of saturated fat for 1 serving size. Saturated fat is recommended to be limited as high saturated fat intake has been linked to heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels.⁷
2. Containing BHT: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) is used as a preservative for foods containing fat. In animal studies, BHT has been shown to increase cholesterol and could impact liver and adrenal health.⁸

Due to the higher levels of saturated fats and the preservative present, Bugles would be best to be enjoyed in moderation. Additionally, due to the possibility of cross-contamination with gluten, Bugles may be best avoided when on a gluten-free diet.

Bugles Nutritional Information, Macronutrients, & Ingredients

Below is a breakdown of the macros, micros, and ingredients found in the original Bugles flavor.

Here is the macronutrient breakdown for Bugles, detailing their nutritional content. The following is for 1 serving size which is 25 grams.

• Calories: 130
• Total Fat: 8 grams
• Saturated Fat: 7 grams
• Sodium: 270 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15 grams
• Dietary Fiber: 0 grams
• Total Sugars: 1 gram
• Protein: 1 gram

Bugles are not a significant vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium source so there is no specific information or quantity on vitamins and minerals found in this snack. That being said, Bugles do not contain any of the vitamins listed in the category of vitamins that aid in weight loss.

Source: moxumbic via Canva.com⁹

The ingredients present in Bugles are degermed yellow corn meal, coconut oil, sugar, salt, and baking soda. It is important to note that on the General Mills website and on the ingredients list it does mention that it may contain milk and wheat ingredients so the possibility of cross-contamination is fairly high due to the wide range of products General Mills produces.

Bugles also contain the preservative butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Research has shown that BHT even in small amounts may cause carcinogenic effects on humans so it is important to try to limit preservatives when possible.¹⁰

Alternative Gluten-Free Snacks

Looking for snack ideas that are certified gluten-free would be best because those products have met strict standards. Additionally, checking the packaging to see if the item has been produced in a gluten free facility is an added layer to ensure there is also no risk of cross-contamination.

While considering whether now and laters are gluten-free, explore these five delicious snack alternatives that are entirely gluten-free.

1. 1. Kodiak Gluten-Free Buttermilk & Maple Flapjack Power Cup: With 10 grams of protein this power cup makes for a satisfying gluten-free snack option. Going gluten-free means giving up pancakes and this flapjack cup gives a sweetness with the maple and a familiarity with the buttermilk flapjack flavor. Reviewers rave over the flavor and ease of preparation with all someone needs to do is add water and microwave. It is important to note that one cup does have a pretty high amount of sugar at 15 grams so for someone wanting to limit their sugar there may be better options.
   2. Baba Beans Bada Boom: These are crunchy broad beans that have a powerful kick for 1 serving with only 110 calories, 6 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fat. There are 9 different flavors, all mirroring common potato chip flavors such as bold BBQ, ranch, and sweet salt. They also have some fun, unique flavors including sweet onion and mustard, spicy wasabi, garlic and onion, and sweet cinnamon. These are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. These snacks could serve as a great option for those exploring different strategies for weight management.

1. Rise Bars: These are very simple protein bars with all the different flavors having 5 ingredients or less. The almond honey flavor has 20 grams of protein and only 3 ingredients. These products are a great source of protein with a very clear, simple ingredient list. Additionally, these are produced in a certified peanut, gluten, and soy-free facility, making Rise Bars an excellent option for those who are gluten-free and those who may have some of the other common allergies.
2. Quinn Peanut Butter Filled Pretzel Nuggets: While these snacks have a higher fat and calorie count because of the peanut butter, these are a fantastic gluten-free snack option as they are certified gluten-free and are also corn and dairy free. They have a very simple ingredients list and make for a tasty, salty snack option.
3. Tate’s Bake Shop Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies: These chocolate chip cookies are a fantastic gluten-free option for those looking for a sweet treat. They are certified gluten-free with great reviews on the crispy, sweet texture. Being a sweet treat they will have a higher amount of sugar compared to some of the other snacks listed here at 12 grams of sugar for 2 cookies but they are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility making them a fantastic sweet option with no risk of cross-contamination.

When making the switch to a gluten-free diet it’s important to keep in mind which foods and brands have certified gluten free options and what the risk of cross-contamination is. Although Bugles may be considered gluten-free, there is a significant risk of cross-contamination. If you choose to consume them, it’s essential to exercise caution and be aware of the associated risks.

Frequently Asked Questions