Find out what Sun Chips are, what they’re made of, what flavors and varieties they come in, and if they’re gluten-free.

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If you love grabbing a bag of chips to enjoy at a barbecue, party, or at a deli for lunch on your break at work, you have likely seen Sun Chips as one of the options.

This brand is known for offering whole grain chips that most folks would consider a healthier option than many other chip brands out there.

But what if you’re on a gluten-free diet. Are these a good choice for you? What ingredients are used in these chips? And what brands of chips are a good option for folks avoiding gluten?

Find out in this post what Sun Chips are, what flavors and varieties they come in, the ingredients used in Sun Chips, and what chips are available for people who are gluten-free. Of course, we’ll also get down to the big answer of why you’re here – “Are Sun Chips gluten-free?”

What are Sun Chips?

Sun Chips are a variety of chips that are manufactured by the Frito-Lay Company. These chips have a signature wavy shape and a unique texture from the whole grains used in them.

They come in a variety of flavors, but you’ll likely find the Harvest Cheddar, Garden Salsa, or Original options most frequently at stores and sandwich shops.

What flavors and varieties do Sun Chips come in?

Sun Chips come in a few flavors that you can find at most grocery stores and convenience stores. Here is their current lineup according to the Sun Chips website:

Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar
Sun Chips Garden Salsa
Sun Chips Chili Lime
Sun Chips Original
Sun Chips French Onion
Sun Chips Black Bean
Sun Chips Black Bean Spicy

Ingredients in Sun Chips

The most popular flavors of Sun Chips are their Harvest Cheddar and Original flavors. Let’s have a quick look at what ingredient are in these products to get an idea as to whether or not they’re considered gluten-free.

Ingredients in Sun Chips Original:

“Whole corn, sunflower and/or canola oil, whole wheat, brown rice flour, whole oat flour, sugar, salt, natural flavor, and maltodextrin (made from corn).”

Ingredients in Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar:

“Whole corn, sunflower and/or canola oil, whole wheat, brown rice flour, whole oat flour, sugar, maltodextrin (made from corn), salt, whey, natural flavors, cheddar cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), onion powder, buttermilk, potassium chloride, romano cheese (cow’s milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), yeast extract, lactose, paprika extracts, sodium caseinate, citric acid, skim milk, garlic powder, lactic acid, and parmesan cheese (milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes).”

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. If you purchase wheat bread, there will be gluten in it, because wheat by nature has gluten.

Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form of gluten or wheat derivatives. These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives.

Are Sun Chips gluten-free?

Unfortunately, all flavors of Sun Chips contain gluten. They all have whole wheat as an ingredient, making this not a safe choice for folks who are following a gluten-free diet.

They also have a “Contains Wheat Ingredients” label on all their products near the ingredients lists. This is an easy way to help you narrow down options when trying to stick with a gluten-free diet.

Are Sun Chips Harvest Cheddar gluten-free?

After looking through the ingredients list, we can say that this flavor and brand of chips are not gluten-free. They contain whole wheat in their ingredients, as well as have a note on their packaging that says “Contains wheat ingredients.”

You’ll want to avoid these chips if you’re on a gluten-free diet.

What chips are gluten-free?

Find out what chips are gluten-free, which brands to buy, and find out if your favorites are safe for your gluten-free diet by checking out this Gluten-free Chips post.

I go over specific brands that are gluten-free as well as answer questions about popular brands and whether they fit (or don’t fit) into a gluten-free diet.

If you have been wondering whether Sun Chips are a brand of chips you can enjoy on a gluten-free diet, I hope this information has been helpful for you. While this brand isn’t a safe choice for folks avoiding gluten, there are plenty of other brands that you can choose from to snack on.

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