Gluten-Free Pantry Staples Checklist (Printable List)
Building a gluten-free pantry is less about buying special products and more about knowing which naturally gluten-free foods to keep stocked. Most whole foods are naturally gluten-free — it is the processed, packaged, and baked items that catch you out. This checklist gives you everything you need for a well-stocked gluten-free kitchen.
What Is Gluten and Where Does It Hide?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid). Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often cross-contaminated during processing — look for certified gluten-free oats. The Coeliac Australia recommends checking labels for gluten-free certification on all packaged foods.
Gluten hides in unexpected places: sauces (soy sauce contains wheat), stock cubes, marinades, processed meats, and even some medications. See our label reading guide for spotting hidden ingredients.
Naturally Gluten-Free Pantry Staples
Grains and Flours
- Rice (white, brown, arborio, basmati, jasmine)
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat (despite the name, it contains no wheat)
- Millet
- Sorghum
- Amaranth
- Rice flour, almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour
- Gluten-free oats (certified)
Legumes and Pulses
- Dried and canned lentils (red, green, brown)
- Chickpeas and chickpea flour (besan)
- Black beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans
- Split peas
Condiments and Sauces (Check Labels)
- Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) — regular soy sauce contains wheat
- Gluten-free fish sauce — most brands are naturally GF but check
- Gluten-free stock cubes or liquid stock
- Tomato paste (usually GF, but check)
- Mustard (check for wheat thickeners)
- Mayonnaise (usually GF, but check)
- Apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, white vinegar
- Maple syrup, honey, rice malt syrup
Snacks and Baking
- Rice cakes and rice crackers (check for soy sauce flavouring)
- Corn chips (check for wheat in seasoning)
- Popcorn (plain kernels, not microwave bags which may contain gluten)
- Nuts and seeds (raw or roasted without seasoning)
- Dried fruit (check for wheat-glucose syrup coating)
- Dark chocolate (most is GF, but check for barley malt)
- Xanthan gum or psyllium husk (for GF baking texture)
- Baking powder (some brands contain wheat starch — check)
Everyday Essentials
- Potatoes, sweet potatoes
- All fresh fruit and vegetables
- Fresh meat, fish, poultry (not crumbed or marinated)
- Eggs
- Dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt — all naturally GF)
- Olive oil, coconut oil, butter
- Herbs and spices (single spices are GF; check spice blends)
Foods That Surprise People (They Contain Gluten)
- Soy sauce: Contains wheat. Use tamari instead.
- Stock cubes: Many contain wheat as a thickener or filler. Look for GF-certified brands.
- Processed meats: Some sausages and deli meats contain gluten fillers.
- Communion wafers: Contain wheat. Some churches offer GF alternatives.
- Beer: Made from barley. Try gluten-free beer made from sorghum or rice.
- Some medications and supplements use wheat starch as a binder.
Gluten-Free Baking Basics
Gluten-free baking behaves differently. You cannot simply swap wheat flour for rice flour in a 1:1 ratio and expect the same result. Gluten provides structure and elasticity in baked goods. Without it, you need binders. The most common is xanthan gum (add half a teaspoon per cup of GF flour) or psyllium husk for breads. A good all-purpose GF flour blend will already include a binder. See our grocery guide for choosing GF products.
Use the PickFresh shopping list to build your GF pantry list, and scan any food label to check for hidden gluten ingredients before you buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rice, quinoa, buckwheat, lentils, chickpeas, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, tamari (GF soy sauce), rice vinegar, maple syrup, and certified GF oats. All fresh fruit, vegetables, unprocessed meat, fish, eggs, and dairy are naturally gluten-free.
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