Campers catering for coeliac disease
Choose an identifiable gluten-free wrap, check the fillings and prepare the meal away from gluten-containing food. Coeliac UK advises cleaning preparation surfaces and equipment to avoid transferring crumbs.
Who needs to plan ahead?
Campers with limited cold storage
Check when the wrap pack must be used after opening and plan separately for fillings that normally need refrigeration. An unopened pack’s storage directions do not apply to an assembled wrap.
Groups serving gluten-free and wheat wraps
Keep the packs identifiable and use clean preparation equipment for the gluten-free meal. Similar-looking wraps are not necessarily interchangeable: Mission Original Wraps list wheat flour, and Old El Paso says its Regular Corn Tortillas contain wheat.
What should you check before packing?
Start with the exact wrap variant, then match the pack and storage arrangements to the meals you plan to make.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free label | Read the gluten-free declaration and ingredients on the exact pack. Do not infer its status from a corn-related name or the shop’s Free From range. | I need to know that the wrap I serve is the gluten-free variant, not a similarly named wheat-containing product. |
| Preparation | Check sauces, seasonings and fillings as well as the wrap. Coeliac UK advises cleaning surfaces and utensils when preparing gluten-free food. | If wheat wraps are being made too, I want to keep crumbs and shared equipment away from the gluten-free meal. |
| Pack size | Compare the number of wraps and their individual weights: Old El Paso lists six 36 g gluten-free tortillas, while Tesco lists four wraps in a 160 g pack. Check the chosen pack’s after-opening directions. | Four wraps may fit one planned meal; for several meals, I need to consider both the number of wraps and how I will store an opened pack. |
| Chilled fillings | Identify fillings normally kept in the fridge. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance calls for a cool bag or box with ice or frozen gel packs for foods that need keeping cool. | I need a way to keep chilled fillings cool outdoors, regardless of how the unopened wraps are stored. |
Common mistakes to avoid
-
Assuming every corn tortilla is gluten free
Old El Paso says its Regular Corn Tortillas contain wheat, although it sells a separately named gluten-free tortilla six-pack.
Check the gluten-free declaration and ingredients for the exact variant in your basket.
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Checking the wrap but not the completed meal
Sauces and seasonings need their own label checks, while crumbs can transfer from shared boards, utensils or condiments.
Check each ingredient and prepare the gluten-free portion with clean equipment, following Coeliac UK’s preparation advice.
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Treating a filled wrap like an unopened pack
A filling that normally needs refrigeration still needs to be kept cool outdoors, whatever the unopened wrap’s storage directions say.
Plan cold storage for those fillings and check the chosen wrap pack’s directions for use after opening.
Relevant brand and retailer ranges
Old El Paso
Old El Paso lists a UK gluten-free tortilla six-pack, but its other tortilla variants need checking individually.
- The gluten-free pack is listed as six 36 g tortillas.
- Its Regular Corn Tortillas contain wheat, according to Old El Paso.
Tesco
Tesco lists Free From White Tortilla Wraps as a four-wrap, 160 g gluten-free option.
- The product listing identifies four gluten-free white tortilla wraps.
- Check the current pack’s ingredients and storage directions when planning the trip.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's lists a separate Free From four-pack of gluten-free white tortilla wraps weighing 168 g.
- The listing identifies four plain gluten-free tortilla wraps.
- Check this product’s own pack rather than applying directions from another four-pack.
Mission
Mission Original Wraps are a useful reminder to check the precise variant when shopping for a group.
- Mission lists wheat flour in Original Wraps; that ingredient list does not describe every Mission product.
Asda
Asda has a Free From shopping range; choose a tortilla wrap by its individual pack information.
- A range name alone does not establish a particular wrap’s ingredients or gluten-free status.
M&S
M&S lists Made Without Wheat plain gluten-free flatbreads as an alternative food type, not the same product as a tortilla wrap.
- The listed flatbreads have cool, dry unopened storage directions.
- Their listing says to eat them within two days of opening; do not apply that period to other products.
A Joybuy gluten-free wrap option
This Old El Paso gluten-free tortilla pack is an option to consider when planning wraps for a camping meal; check the current pack and fillings before serving.
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Old El Paso Gluten Free Tortilla Wraps 216 g
A gluten-free tortilla wrap pack for meals planned around the six-wrap format. Check its after-opening storage directions before taking it on a longer trip, and check and store fillings separately.
Frequently asked questions
Is a corn tortilla automatically gluten free?
No. Old El Paso says its Regular Corn Tortillas contain wheat. Check the exact pack’s gluten-free declaration and ingredients rather than relying on the word “corn”.
What does “gluten free” mean on a food label?
The Food Standards Agency gives a threshold of no more than 20 mg of gluten per kg of food as sold to the consumer for a gluten-free claim. The label on a wrap does not establish the ingredients or preparation conditions of the completed meal.
How can I prepare gluten-free wraps alongside wheat wraps?
Keep wheat-wrap crumbs away from the gluten-free portion, use cleaned surfaces and utensils, and check sauces and seasonings too. Coeliac UK advises washing preparation surfaces and equipment with hot, soapy water.
Do camping-wrap fillings need a cool bag?
Fillings that you would normally refrigerate still need to be kept cool outdoors. Food Standards Agency picnic guidance advises using a cool bag or box with ice or frozen gel packs for foods requiring cold storage; the wrap pack’s unopened storage directions do not change that.