For families dealing with food sensitivity or allergies, the scariest thing on Halloween isn’t the ghouls and goblins they may encounter. Instead, it’s the candy dropped in their kids’ treat bags as they go door-to-door or to parties.
For this reason, we want to encourage you to consider looking for ways to give out allergy-free Halloween treats this year.
In case you didn’t know, some of the most common food allergens – dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy – are primary ingredients in many candies. Avoiding allergens on All Hallow’s Eve becomes a trick in and of itself.
Along with your cauldron of favorite Halloween treats, you can join The Teal Pumpkin Project to offer a different, safer alternative for 1 in 13 children living with food sensitivity or allergies.
By placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep, you tell parents of trick-or-treaters that – in addition to your copious collection of candy – you also offer non-food, allergy-free Halloween treats for those who could not safely navigate Halloween otherwise.
Click the image below to download our free resource to avoid Gluten Ghouls, Dairy & Milk Monsters and Peanut & Tree Nut Trolls.
Tasty Allergy-Free Halloween Treats
Here are 7 not-so-scary, allergy-free Halloween treats to offer trick-or-treaters this Halloween.
- Dum Dums – These lollipops do not include tree nuts, peanuts (or peanut by-products), eggs, or dairy products – and kids and parents love them.
- Ring Pops – Free of the major allergens, ring pops are a must-have fashion accessory for the candy couture set.
- Jelly Belly Jelly Beans – Short on allergens, these jelly beans have a seemingly endless variety of flavors.
- Skittles – We’ve got to say it: “Taste the allergen-free rainbow.”
- Smarties – A brilliant candy choice when avoiding food sensitivity and allergens.
- Starburst – This chewy favorite sometimes sticks to dental work but doesn’t include any significant allergens.
- Swedish Fish – While the jury is still out whether these fish actually come from Sweden, this international sensation avoids allergens.
One word of caution when serving up any of these candies: remember to carefully check the labels because ingredients and manufacturing processes change over time.
Teal Pumpkin Project (Non-Edible) Halloween Treats
Beyond a doubt, the safest offering for a child with a food sensitivity or allergy is to offer a separate bowl of small, inexpensive trinkets or toys.
Some wicked suggestions might be:
- Glow sticks
- Plastic jewelry
- Temporary tattoos
- Miniature pinball games
- Yo-yos
- Rubik’s Cubes
- Slime
- Slinkys
- Plastic snakes, spiders, or roaches
- Vampire’s teeth (our fave)
Important to note: Phone apps used to connect neighbors – like Nextdoor – let you search for or indicate street addresses handing out allergy-free Halloween treats. This growing digital trend may prove helpful to you when taking your kids trick or treating on Halloween.
Click the image below to download our free resource to avoid Gluten Ghouls, Dairy & Milk Monsters and Peanut & Tree Nut Trolls.
We don’t provide allergy-free Halloween candy at The Pickled Beet. However, we work closely with individuals, couples, and families with any food sensitivity or allergies to find flavorful and healthy meals to best fuel their bodies. Eating right should never be scary.
