Sandwiches are one of the most handy sorts of food that can be obtained, and they also have a tendency to be well-liked by a large number of people. It is reasonable to assume that the majority of sandwiches are prepared using bread that contains gluten unless it is expressly stated that they are gluten-free. The vast majority of chain restaurants do not provide gluten-free bread for a variety of reasons, including the ease with which ordinary bread and gluten-free bread may get cross-contaminated with one another. If you follow a diet that excludes gluten, does that imply you can no longer visit sandwich shops?
Although Jimmy John’s does not supply gluten-free bread, customers have the option to transform any of their sandwiches into “Unwiches” by wrapping it in lettuce instead of the traditional bread. The vast majority of Jimmy John’s spreads and chip varieties are free of gluten as well. This includes their chips. The restricted dessert menu at Jimmy John’s is the primary section of the restaurant that does not provide gluten-free options.
You shouldn’t assume that all sandwich shops are familiar with manufacturing lettuce wrap sandwiches; thus, you can feel free to ask for a “unwich” instead. Read on for an in-depth guide that will take you through all of the gluten-free sandwich options available at Jimmy John’s!
Contents
- How It All Began
- Does Jimmy John’s Have Gluten Free Bread?
- How To Order Gluten Free At Jimmy John’s?
- Jimmy John’s Gluten-Free Menu
- Limited Time Offers
- Cheeses
- Tips & Tricks for Ordering Gluten-Free at Jimmy John’s
- Other Reasons For Choosing A Lettuce Wrap Over Bread
- Does Jimmy John’s Use Natural Meat?
- The Jimmy John’s Gluten Free Verdict
How It All Began
Jimmy Johns, just like the majority of other franchises, began as a single brick and mortar location. The creator, Jimmy, had a choice to make in 1983: either start a company or enlist in the military. He chose to pursue the former option and the sub shop was born in Charleston, Illinois. We are able to make out exactly which path he traveled.
Despite the fact that the location prevented him from going abroad, it was not an ideal site. However, since it was situated in close proximity to a campus, there was the perspective of a hungry college student. Jimmy had an epiphany and realized that the solution to his problem was to become a delivery driver.
Examine the image on the right to see the first delivery vehicle.
Jimmy John’s menu expanded gradually over time, as did the number of shops that opened their doors one by one. You may place an order for “freaky quick” delivery anywhere in the United States via your computer, their mobile app, or, if you want to truly throw it back, you can give them a call.
Let’s find out what gluten-free options are available at Jimmy John’s now that we know how the restaurant got its start.
Does Jimmy John’s Have Gluten Free Bread?
Jimmy John’s is known for its very speedy sandwiches, which are made using all natural meats and vegetables obtained from the surrounding area. This indicates that there are no added hormones, nitrates, MSG, or artificial chemicals!
You could believe that the only way to order meat is without a bun at a restaurant that bakes fresh French bread throughout the whole day. At this time, Jimmy John’s does not provide a gluten-free option for their bread. Despite this, they do offer wonderful Unwich wraps, which are essentially your choice of sandwich encased in lettuce and served in a wrap. When you do decide to eat out, though, be sure to follow our “how to” instruction! If you are the one to unwrap the cigar first, the competition is finished. They are able to accommodate all of your dietary requirements with a cuisine that is free of gluten and allergens.
How To Order Gluten Free At Jimmy John’s?
Make careful to mention that you have an allergy, just as you would with any other food sensitivity. Request that they switch their gloves and create your sandwich on the paper before you continue. You won’t have to worry about coming across bread crumbs on the exterior and should be able to prevent cross-contamination as a result. Additionally, you have the option of requesting that they clean the blade of the meat cutter.
Be wary of the many toppings and condiments! If they spread them on the bread using a spatula, you will want to steer clear of that option. If you want to prevent being cross-contaminated when dining out, follow these recommendations.
Jimmy John’s Gluten-Free Menu
Now we get to the juicy part of the discussion. Even though Jimmy John’s does not provide a specific gluten-free menu, they make it very obvious which ingredients include allergies. Unfortunately, they do not provide gluten-free bread on their menu. On the other hand, they have an option available called an unwich that does not contain gluten.
The unwich, in its most basic form, is a lettuce wrap that may be stuffed with any meat, sauces, and toppings of your choosing. Fill your sandwich with one of the gluten-free alternatives listed below.
Meat
When Jimmy John’s initially started out, the only types of meat that they offered were smoked ham, hand-sliced turkey, handmade tuna salad, capicola, and salami. Other alternatives were chicken and tuna salad. Although they have opened more restaurants, they have only made minor adjustments to the meat choices at each.
Their gluten-free meat choices include the following:
- Ham
- Turkey
- Roast Beef
- Salami
- Capicola
- Bacon
The tuna salad is the only option available for the meat category that contains gluten. Because tuna does not normally contain gluten, this may give the impression that it does. Steer away of this product since it is plainly labeled as having an allergies chart that includes gluten, even though I have no idea what the gluten-containing component is.
Condiments
The condiments on a sandwich are one of my favorite components of the sandwich. A simple spread is all that’s needed to completely transform the taste.
All of the alternatives that follow do not include gluten. Make it a point to try Jimmy’s mustard, which he makes in-house.
- Jimmy Mustard
- Gray Poupon
- Yellow Mustard
- Oil & Vinegar
- Oregano-Basil
- Kickin Ranch
- Hellman’s Mayo
Toppings
Fill your sandwich with a variety of veggies and top it with an unwich. This could as well be a salad for you if you follow a gluten-free diet, are vegan or vegetarian, and eat only plant-based foods. There are no vegetarian alternatives to meat available at Jimmy John’s.
- Lettuce
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Onion
- Jimmy Peppers
- Pickles
- Pickled Red Onions
Sides
Include a bag of Jimmy chips as an accompaniment to your unwich. Gluten is not present in any of the following three selections.
- Regular Jimmy Chips
- Thinny Chips
- Jalapeño Jimmy Chips®
It is essential that you be vigilant in your search for gluten-containing foods since salt and vinegar Jimmy Chips as well as barbecue Jimmy Chips include the substance.
A helpful hint: I haven’t attempted it with an unwich, but one of my favorite things to do is sprinkle a handful of chips over the top of my sandwich. This adds a satisfyingly crunchy texture to the dish.
Limited Time Offers
Because Jimmy John’s strives for simplicity, the restaurant seldom ever makes modifications to its menu. On occasion, though, you may come across special offerings that are only available for a short time. These may include new sauces, toppings, or even an occasional submarine.
Gluten-free options are available for four out of the six limited-time menu items. These include the following:
- Fire-Roasted Pineapple
- Mango Habanero Sauce
- Pickled Red Onions
- Sweet Chili Sauce
Gluten can be found in both the wasabi ranch wonton strips and the red peppers that have been seasoned with pineapple guajillo.
Cheeses
If you are familiar with Jimmy John’s, you are aware that provolone is the only kind of cheese they provide; on the other hand, if you do not often eat at Jimmy John’s, this information can come as a surprise to you. In 1983, Jimmy John’s began offering solely provolone sandwiches, and the company has remained true to its origins ever since. Sadly, gluten may still be found in this cheese.
As was mentioned previously, Jimmy John’s offers a special menu that is only available for a short time. Always keep an eye out for this if you want to try a variety of cheeses. At this time, there is gluten-free cream cheese available on their restricted menu.
You are now prepared to make your own unwich now that you are aware of the gluten-free options that are available to you. Still unsure? Watch the video that we’ve provided below to get an inside look at the process.
Tips & Tricks for Ordering Gluten-Free at Jimmy John’s
- You may ask for any sandwich on the menu, with the exception of tuna salad, to be prepared as a “Unwich,” which means it will be wrapped with lettuce. Due to the fact that Jimmy John’s does not provide gluten-free bread or a salad menu, this is the only choice available to customers who must adhere to a gluten-free diet.
- You won’t be able to fulfill your want for anything sweet at Jimmy John’s since they don’t have any gluten-free desserts.
- With the exception of the Thai Satay sauce, the most of the spreads and sauces offered at Jimmy John’s do not contain gluten; nonetheless, you should steer clear of that particular option.
- If you have a high intolerance to gluten, you should stay away from provolone cheese since it has a warning label stating that it may contain traces of gluten from barley. In place of the provolone, you may try it with some shredded pepper jack cheese, some parmesan cheese, or some avocado spread.
- Except for the barbecue and salt and vinegar varieties, most flavors of Jimmy Chips, which are a brand of potato chips sold at Jimmy John’s, do not contain gluten.
Other Reasons For Choosing A Lettuce Wrap Over Bread
You could decide to eat a lettuce wrap rather than a bun for a variety of reasons, one of which is that it does not contain gluten. You may save between 230 and 350 calories on each sandwich by using lettuce in place of the French bread. This results in a reduction of as much as 80 percent of the calories that are included in foods like sandwiches (like slims) in which the bread makes up the bulk of the sandwich. Because of this, those who are trying to reduce their weight can decide to have an unwich instead of a sandwich.
People who have diabetes or other conditions that affect their blood sugar may find that reducing the amount of carbs they consume helps them better control their condition. If you are watching the amount of carbohydrates you consume for personal or health reasons, there is another another compelling argument in favor of selecting an unwich rather than a sandwich made with traditional bread.
Does Jimmy John’s Use Natural Meat?
In an attempt to consume less food that has been processed, many individuals prefer to steer clear of deli meat since it is a frequent source of dietary nitrates. According to Jimmy John’s, their “meats are lightly processed” (with the exception of adding caramel color to their roast beef), and they do not include any artificial substances.
Nitrates may be found in their naturally occurring state in foods such as lettuce, celery, and beetroot. However, the quantity of them that may be found in processed deli meats is far larger.
Celery and normal salt are two examples of more natural preservatives that are utilized in deli meat rather than nitrates. Because natural deli meats may still contain a lot of sodium, the fact that they are natural does not always imply that they have a low salt content.
The Jimmy John’s Gluten Free Verdict
If you are following a gluten-free diet, I believe it will not be too difficult for you to still enjoy Jimmy John’s. However, only you can choose what will be most beneficial for you and your dietary requirements.
I’d really appreciate it if you could share any of your ideas and experiences in the comments section below. It is to our advantage to have as much data as possible.