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A detailed breakdown to help parents navigate the CAVA kids menu safely for children with food allergies.
While CAVA clearly marks allergens for individual ingredients, their kitchens handle wheat, dairy, and sesame. Cross-contact is always a risk in a fast-casual environment. Always ask the staff to change gloves and use fresh serving utensils from backup bins if your child has a severe allergy.
Completely free of the top 9 major food allergens.
Safe from milk and dairy proteins.
Made without wheat or gluten containing ingredients.
The CAVA kids menu is surprisingly friendly for gluten-free diets, with only one major exception.
All rice bases (Saffron Basmati, Brown Rice) and Black Lentils are naturally gluten-free. All kids chicken, steak, and lamb proteins are gluten-free. Just ask to skip the side pita!
None of the core Kids Meal bases or proteins contain dairy. The danger lies primarily in the toppings and dips.
Swap Tzatziki for Hummus or Roasted Eggplant dip. Use Greek Vinaigrette instead of Yogurt Dill. All proteins (Chicken, Steak, Lamb, Falafel, Veggies) are dairy-free.
CAVA is generally a very safe environment for nut allergies. According to their official statements, they do not use peanuts or tree nuts in their core menu items, making it a safer fast-casual option than many others.
Sesame is widely used in Mediterranean cuisine. Avoid Hummus, Lemon Herb Tahini, and Balsamic Date Vinaigrette as they contain sesame. Be highly cautious of cross-contamination with sesame seeds on the line.
Not sure about a specific item? Browse the full list of kids meal components to see exact allergen tags and nutrition facts.