We’ve added some new favorites to our growing list this year. Trick or treat! – Allergic Living Staff

New Raves

Organic Lollipops from YummyEarth are free of gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts and tree nuts; the unique flavors like Hot Chili and Soup Apple appeal to goblins of all ages. Visit YummyEarth (U.S.) or Yummy Earth (Canada).

Spooky Spiders from Surf Sweets are 90% organic with no artificial colors or sweeteners and will have the monsters howling. No top allergens. Check out their website for great allergy friendly Halloween recipe ideas. Mummy Gummys, anyone?

The Spider Web from Ange Gardien. Get back at scary Mrs. Spider by taking a nice big bite of chocolatey goodness. No nuts, peanuts, dairy or egg.


Happy Halloween Lollies (right) from Amanda’s Own Confections are so good it’s scary! The chocolate lollipops are dairy-, tree nut-, peanut-, egg- and gluten-free.

Vermont Nut Free has beautiful peanut- and nut-free chocolates to ease sweet cravings this Halloween. Three-inch by three-inch Crispy Jack O’Lanterns would be a perfect way to show that the Great Pumpkin has visited. Individual Witch (and Ghost and Scarecrow) Shapes are a considerable 1.2 oz. and always popular.

Not everyone has a sweet tooth. Just say “No” to the candy hangover and give out fun, no-eat treats!

Hasbro’s individual Play-Doh Pots in Halloween colors (photo, right) are sure to amuse. Do contain wheat. Find in U.S.: Walmart, Target, Toys “R” Us, Amazon.com.

Non-food ideas at Costco: Disney-themed Playing Cards or 50 Puzzle Erasers. Note: small parts; not suitable for young children.

Among Our Faves

Always read labels to make sure ingredients haven’t changed.

Amanda’s Own – See above, plus Happy Halloween Bag.
Free of: tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, gluten, dairy, sesame – click here

Ange Gardien Foods – Awesome chocolate bars and candies, with Halloween special treats.
Free of: tree nuts, peanuts, dairy and eggs – click here

Divvies – Delicious gourmet chocolate ghosts, bats and gorgeous Halloween jellybeans.
Free of: tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and dairy – click here

Gimbal’s Fine Candies – delicious gourmet jelly beans.
Free of: the top 8 allergens and no high-fructose corn syrup – click here

Hershey’s Twizzlers – A variety of great licorice products.
Free of: peanuts, tree nuts – click here

Indie Candy – The naturally gourmet sweets makers have a ghoulishly tasty product line. Ghost and bat lollipops and more.
Free of: Dairy, nuts, peanuts. No artificial colors or preservatives – click here

Nestlé Fav*Rites (Canada only) – Smarties, Kit Kat, Aero, Coffee Crisp and Kit Kat (snack sizes), peanut-free facility..
Free of: peanuts and tree nuts – click here

Pure Fun – Halloween lollipops, 6 flavors.
Free of: gluten and all top allergens – click here

Smarties (in U.S.; known as Rockets in Canada) – These melt-in-your-mouth candies are a Halloween tradition.
Free of: gluten, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs and dairy – click here

Next: Yet more safe candies!

Hoping to get some good visuals, the reporter asked Joey to sort through his loot from a Halloween party, dividing the candy into “safe” (no peanuts) and “unsafe” (with peanuts or a ‘may contain’ warning) piles. With the help of his mother, Joey adeptly separated his treats.

As the off-limits pile grew, the reporter looked at Joey sympathetically and asked: “How do you feel? It must be awful having a peanut allergy and not be able to have all of these things?” To the surprise of all of us, the 5-year-old responded nonchalantly, “Why? It’s just candy.”

Joey was clearly pleased with the amount of treats he could have and proud of the cool pirate costume he’d worn to his class party that morning. I wanted to give Joey a big hug. What a great attitude he had.

Parents, as you venture outdoors this Halloween with your food allergic youngsters, take a cue from Joey. Stay focused on what your children can have and can do, rather than their limitations. While ghosts and goblins may spook young children, food allergies don’t have to be scary. Halloween is an excellent opportunity to educate your kids. With some careful planning and simple precautions the evening will be a treat for all:

Emphasize safe eating habits
At this time of year, a lot of food will make its way into the classroom. Reinforce the “no sharing food” rule and remind children not to take goodies from others, even well-meaning adults. Explain that people who do not have a food allergy may not know what to look for on a food label and could miss something.

Remind teachers and caregivers about food policies
Ask them not to give food to your children without your knowledge. It’s very difficult for a young child to say “no” to an adult in a position of authority. We know of one case where a teacher innocently gave a child a baked good which was labeled “peanut-free,” forgetting that he was allergic to milk. (He had a reaction.) Ask teachers to remind other families about the school’s food policies, and to be on the lookout for unsafe foods that may slip into the classroom.

Have a plan for trick-or-treating
Remind your kids they must always carry an EpiPen or Twinject auto-injector, wear MedicAlert identification, and stick with an adult. Role playing can help for young children who may feel shy about declining treats with obvious allergens from neighbours. Make sure your children eat before going out. A full stomach will reduce the temptation to sample treats en route.

Food labeling 101
Use Halloween as a fun way to teach your children how to read a food label. Get them to help you sort “safe” and “unsafe” products. (Have them wash their hands before and after this activity.) Be mindful of the following:

• “May contain” warnings may get overlooked if they are under the flap of a package or printed away from the ingredient list. Some brands that are safe in a regular-size format may have a “may contain” warning on snack-size candies that are made on a different production line.

• It’s impossible to know what is in home-made goodies, loose candies, and unlabeled packages. When in doubt, throw them out.• Food labeling regulations differ from country to country so stick to products made by North American companies that you trust.

Set a good example
While there are more choices these days for consumers with peanut and nut allergies, the same cannot be said for individuals with other food allergies. Before shelling out at our home, we ask: “Does anyone have a food allergy?” Inevitably we get a handful of kids with milk allergy, so we keep chips, hard candies and dollar-store items on hand so that they are not disappointed. Teach your children the joy of giving. Get them to donate some of their treats to a shelter or seniors’ home.

With a little preparation, not to mention a cool costume, your child can enjoy a safe and fun Halloween this year.

Laurie Harada is Executive Director of Anaphylaxis Canada, www.anaphylaxis.ca.

Related Reading:

• Spooky but Safe Candy.
• When The Great Pumpkin Almost Goofed.
• Discussions on F.A. and Halloween here and Halloween Shopping here.