For those following gluten-free diets, Udi’s hamburger buns provide a good alternative to regular flour buns.

Though they provide a solution, keep in mind that Udi’s gluten free buns will not fool anyone used to eating regular buns nor are they recommended nutritionally.

In this article, I’ll provide a review of Udi’s hamburger buns from a dietitian’s perspective. I’ll also provide advice for school cafeterias that may need to purchase them for gluten-free students.

Where to Purchase Udi’s Hamburger Buns

Udi’s hamburger buns are available in the frozen section of most grocery stores in 4 packs.

If you want to purchase them in larger quantities, you can purchase them in larger cases through Food Service Direct or Walmart Online.

Some of the larger cases even come individually wrapped, which is a lot easier to work with.

First Impressions

Visually, you can tell right away that we’re not talking about a standard hamburger bun made from regular flour.

The crust is not even in color or texture like a traditional hamburger bun. The shape is also less uniform, which I suppose does happen with regular buns.

On the other hand, the inside of the bun looks a lot more like a traditional bun, but pressing on it, it doesn’t have the softness and spring of a regular bun.

The size is on the smaller side, but should still work for most sandwiches.

I like that it comes pre-sliced, which makes it easier to serve.

Taste & Texture

There is a noticeable difference in texture between the Udi’s hamburger buns and traditional buns. The gluten free buns are a lot more dense and insanely dry. You’d need to pair it with a very juicy burger or plenty of condiments to keep it from drying out your mouth when chewing.

There is a slightly sweet taste to this gluten free bun because they do have quite a bit of added sugar. The overall taste is also not great, which is likely due to the difference in flour used.

Those experienced with gluten-free diets say that toasting the buns helps improve the texture and taste, but I can’t imagine it will ever measure up to a regular hamburger bun.

Udi’s Hamburger Bun Ingredients

Let me break down a few of these ingredients.

Gluten-Free Flours

Udi’s uses tapioca starch, brown rice flour, and potato flour in place of enriched or whole wheat flour.

These are commonly used in gluten-free baked goods. The downside of these gluten-free flours is that they contain fewer vitamins and minerals than wheat flours, such as folate and iron.

Some companies fortify/enrich their gluten-free products with the missing vitamins and minerals, but Udi’s does not.

Sugars

The buns also have four different kinds of added sugars: invert cane sugar, cane sugar, tapioca syrup, and cultured corn syrup solids.

No wonder it tastes sweet!

Udi’s Hamburger Buns Nutrition

Added Sugar

Since there are four different kinds of sugar listed on the ingredient list, it’s so surprise to see that each bun contains 5g of added sugar.

This is higher than a typical white bun, which typically contains 2-4g of added sugar per bun.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends Americans reduce their consumption of added sugars due to the increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

Dietary Fiber

Each gluten free bun contributes 5g of dietary fiber, which is a significant amount! This is coming from the brown rice flour, resistant corn starch, and sugarcane fiber.

Just beware that suddenly adding a lot of fiber to your diet can be hard on your stomach and intestines. Therefore, it’s best to add fiber gradually to your diet to ease your GI tract into it.

If you’re new to a high fiber diet and wanting to use Udi’s gluten-free items, I recommend transitioning slowly. For example, you could start your day with low fiber options, like eggs, yogurt, or puffed rice cereal, before making a sandwich with an Udi’s gluten-free hamburger bun for lunch.

Iron

The Udi’s hamburger bun has no iron. None. Zilch. Nada.

Iron is found naturally in whole grain flour, and the FDA requires it be added to enriched flour. This means that even Wonder Bread hamburger buns contain 10% of the iron you need for the day. Unfortunately, gluten-free flours are not held to the same standard, so these do not contain any iron.

Just be sure to consume plenty of iron from other sources, such as meat, beans, and spinach.

School Uses

If you’re looking to add this to a school menu, beware that it does NOT credit as a grain in the meal program.

If attempting to offer gluten-free options for all students, you would need to offer the gluten-free bun in addition to a creditable grain, such as rice. Just know this will be very costly compared to the federal reimbursement.

You can also provide gluten-free alternatives just to the students that have a medical need for them, without needing to also serve them creditable grains. However, since these buns do not credit, you would need a medical statement on file for each student to do so.

A Dietitian’s Recommendation

When needing to follow a gluten-free diet for a medical reason, these buns work for what you need.

Given the lower nutrient values and the lack of evidence that gluten is harmful to otherwise healthy individuals, I would not recommend these buns for those that do not have a gluten intolerance.

Procurement Tips for Schools

I recommend adding special diet foods to your bid whenever possible. It’s actually my first tip in this article!

Here is a suggested specification:

Hamburger bun, gluten free, pre-sliced

Comparable Products for “or Equal” Consideration

• Rotella’s 30003
  • Very similar to Udi’s in most aspects
  • Does contain 4% DV iron
• Flowers/European Bakers/Mountain Farm 27019160
  • These have less dietary fiber (2g per bun), making it a better option for those new to gluten-free diets
  • These are egg-free, and contain none of the major 9 allergens
• Schar’s SCH0029-6
  • These are also egg-free
  • Due to the addition of navy bean powder, these do actually contain iron, as well as calcium and vitamin D

Summary

Udi’s hamburger buns are a suitable alternative for those that need to follow a gluten-free diet, but I would not recommend them for those without a medical need.

Schools that need to serve gluten-free items to students should have a medical statement on file before doing so. However, these gluten free buns are a great way to ensure all students can access the school meal programs in a fair manner.

For more information on writing product specs, refer to my article Writing Product Specifications.