Snickers chocolate bars are one of the most popular candies out there, but you may be wondering, are snickers gluten-free? Find out which varieties are safe to eat for those with celiac disease or on a gluten-free diet.
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Snickers candy bars were created in 1930 by the American company, Mars Incorporated, now Mars-Wrigley. The sweet treat was created in Chicago, IL, named after a family horse, and sold for 5 cents! They have since become one of the most popular candy bars the world over.
It's no wonder snickers is a favorite candy bar for many looking to satisfy a sweet tooth. A Snickers chocolate bar consists of creamy nougat, crunchy peanuts, and a smooth caramel layer all dipped in milk chocolate. There are now several varieties including peanut butter, almond, and brownie.
Snickers Ingredient List
The ingredients in original snickers candy bars are as follows:
Milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, chocolate, skim milk, lactose, milk fat, soy lecithin), peanuts, corn syrup, sugar, palm oil, skim milk, lactose, salt, egg whites, artificial flavor.
Contains peanuts, milk, egg and soy. May contain tree nuts.
What Does Mars Say?
After searching (and emailing) for gluten or allergy information directly from the parent company Mars Wrigley or Snickers, the only Information currently available is a statement on the FAQ page from Snickers website:
"Any ingredient added as part of the recipe, whether it is a source of allergen or not, will appear in the ingredient declaration or listing on the packaging. This ingredients declaration provides the latest and most accurate information."
The snickers website also lists this under the nutritional information on each product page:
"Please refer to the product label for the most accurate nutrition, ingredient, and allergen information."
So what we can deduce is that the best way to know if a certain Snickers bar is safe to eat is to check the label.
It is interesting that Mars-Wrigley has no information about allergens on their FAQ page. Most major companies do have this information available, as it is a common question.
While a direct statement from the company about their allergen protocols would be great, most major companies do have allergen protocols in place.
These usually include proper cleaning procedures in the manufacturing facility to avoid cross contamination with other allergens and/or labeling policies to properly identify allergen sources.
Is Snickers Gluten-Free?
Yes, the general consensus is that snickers candy bars are gluten-free as they do not contain any gluten-containing ingredients and wheat is not listed as a possible allergen in the "may contain" statement on the ingredient label.
It should be noted that Snickers bars are not validated gluten-free. This is not to say everything you eat must be certified gluten-free, but the company is not taking steps to make this claim.
Are All Varieties of Snickers Gluten-Free?
At the time of writing, all varieties of snickers candy bars appear to be free of gluten ingredients. This does not include Snickers ice cream bars, which do contain or may contain wheat.
At the time of posting, these varieties of Snickers do not contain gluten:
- Snickers Milk Chocolate Candy Bar - singles size, sharing size, fun size, and mini candy bars
- Snickers Almond Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers Peanut Butter Squared Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers White Chocolate Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers Peanut Brownie Squares Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers Dark Chocolate Almond Brownie Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers Creamy Peanut Butter Squared Candy Bar - all sizes
- Snickers Ice Cream Pint or Cup
Snickers Products to Avoid:
All varieties of Snickers Ice Cream Bars should be avoided as they either contain wheat or may contain wheat.
- Snickers Ice Cream Bar: May contain wheat.
- Snickers Peanut Brownie Ice Cream Bars: Contains wheat.
Can celiacs eat snickers?
Yes, provided a check of the product label for the most up to date information, someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should be able to eat snickers candy bars.
As noted above, currently the only varieties to avoid are the snickers ice cream bars, which either contain wheat or state may contain wheat on the label.
Please, always check labels as the product formulation can change from time to time. Snickers states that the ingredient label on the package has the most up to date and accurate information.
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Alisa
My daughter has celiac disease. She is very sensitive to cross-contamination of gluten. She was very sick after eating the snack size snickers. I called the manufacturer and they are actually not safe. They are cross-contaminated.
Kathy
Good to know! Thanks.