Halloween can be a tough time for those of us on a gluten free diet – thankfully there are many candies that are safe to include in a gluten free diet. Some of my favorites are Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids, and YumEarth Candy Corn. Other candies like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups(original only) and Hershey kisses are gluten free but contain other allergens. A quick online search will tell you if a candy is gluten free – when in doubt, Google it. (There’s a great list on celiac.org)
Be sure to use caution as some candies have special holiday varieties that are not Celiac-safe(for example, Holiday shape Reese’s are subject to cross contamination) and some may change ingredients.
Don’t worry if some of your old favorites aren’t gluten free, many gluten free and allergen free copycats of popular candies have become available in recent years. GoMaxGo Foods makes gluten free and dairy free versions of many popular candy bars, and Enjoy Life Foods makes allergen free chocolate bars in a few different varieties.
When Trick-Or-Treating make sure to check everything carefully before consuming – and check out The Teal Pumpkin Project. The Teal Pumpkin Project promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies – look for teal pumpkins in your neighborhood to denote that a house has allergen free or non-food treats available. If you want to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project by providing allergy safe items to your Trick-or-Treaters be sure to add your home to the map on their website. You can get a Teal Pumpkin Project yard sign or inflatable teal pumpkin on Amazon, and Amazon also has some great options for non-food treats to give away. Glow sticks, Halloween themed party favors, crayons, bouncy balls, and stickers are treats that all kids can enjoy – you can find more ideas on the Teal Pumpkin Project website.
