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“Orange means it has peanuts in it, right?” asked my 4-year-old, surveying the mountain of miniature candies he’d collected over two hours of trick-or-treating. My heart did a little flip-flop as he picked up a piece of candy in a brown wrapper that I knew contained peanuts. I reminded him that we couldn’t tell which candy had peanuts just by looking at the outside, then went back to sorting the treats into two piles: safe and scary.
Getting spooked is part of the fun of Halloween, but when your child has a food allergy, the fear of a reaction isn’t just spine-chilling, it’s dangerous. Nearly 8% of U.S. children are allergic to a food item, according to the medical journal Pediatrics, with about 40% of those kids allergic to more than one ingredient. Allergen-free candy is available, but you can’t count on everyone to exclusively hand it out.
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“Halloween is a high-risk holiday for food allergy reactions, especially severe allergic reactions,” says Tanya Bumgardner, managing editor for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “It’s a busy and exciting day, and there’s candy everywhere. Schools, community centers, and churches often have Halloween events that involve food, and other children are actively eating during the activities.”
But having an allergy doesn’t have to mean skipping the festivities—or the sweet treats. “If you prepare before Halloween and are diligent on that day, kids with food allergies can have a lot of fun and greatly reduce the risk of a reaction,” Bumgardner says.
1. Go teal
Along with chocolates and candy corn, more houses are offering non-food treats like temporary tattoos, stickers, bouncy balls, and spider rings. The Teal Pumpkin Project, promoted by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), encourages households to offer safe treats and to display a teal pumpkin to signal to those in the know that non-food items are available.
If your household is participating, add it to the Teal Pumpkin Project map to help other families with allergies choose a safe trick-or-treating route. You can also DIY a teal pumpkin with a bit of paint or buy one at many national retailers.
2. Talk it out
No matter how allergen-savvy your child seems to be in regular situations, the food-centric holiday is reason enough for a refresher. Sit down with your child to make sure they understand expectations before heading out on the trick-or-treating trail. Explain why they will need to wait until they get home before they eat any candy, and teach (or remind) them to politely decline any homemade treats.
“Many children with food allergies get anxious about Halloween, so if they know you have a plan to help them have fun and prevent reactions, it can ease their concerns,” Bumgardner says.
3. Carry an EpiPen (and know how to use it)
Allergic reactions can happen in a matter of seconds, so it’s imperative that whoever takes your kiddo trick-or-treating knows how to spot symptoms and is trained on how to administer epinephrine. Some of the most common reactions to food allergies include itching and hives, especially around the mouth and face, as well as asthma, wheezing, vomiting, and swelling in the throat, says Julie McNairn, MD, an allergy and immunology specialist based in Ithaca, New York. She advises using caution if your child’s costume includes a mask, “as the initial signs of anaphylaxis could be missed.”
Allergists typically recommend carrying two EpiPens, in case a second dose is required or the first injector fails to work properly. Bumgardner suggests also getting a complete list of possible symptoms from your child’s healthcare provider, as well as an anaphylaxis emergency action plan so you are prepared if symptoms arise.
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4. Swap it out
When a kid watches half of his or her candy haul get swept into the forbidden pile by parents, it can spark some big emotions. One way to lessen feelings of unfairness is to suggest a candy swap with a friend who doesn’t have allergies. Or consider embracing the new Halloween tradition of the Switch Witch, a good witch who visits the house overnight, replacing allergen-laden treats with allergy-free candy, a toy, or other allergy-free Halloween treats.
5. Be label savvy
Manufacturing practices for miniature-sized and holiday-specific candies can sometimes differ from standard versions. That means you can’t assume the bite-size version of a treat is safe simply because your child has eaten the regular-sized candy before. Several organizations, such as the AAFA’s Kids With Food Allergies division, publish updated Halloween candy guides each year to help you identify safe candy options for your child.
With these easy modifications, your child can enjoy the festivities, without risking a dangerous reaction.
Top 20 allergy-free Halloween candy brands
These candies are free of most common allergens. Be sure to always read labels, and check with your allergist about your child’s specific needs.
- Blow pops
- DOTS
- Dum dums
- Gimbal’s gourmet jelly beans
- Haribo gold-bears
- Hot tamales cinnamon candy
- Jelly Belly jelly beans
- Jolly rancher
- Mike and Ike candy
- Nerds
- No Whey! Chocolatey halloween figurines
- Peeps marshmallow ghosts
- Ring pop
- Skittles
- Smarties
- Sour patch kids
- Spangler circus peanuts
- Starbursts
- Swedish fish
- Tootsie roll
Bottom line: Trick or safer treating
Even if your children have food allergies, they don’t have to miss out on trick-or-treating. By taking careful measures, avoiding candies containing allergens is possible. Do a little homework in advance to find out which candies your kids can eat, and ask them to wait for your approval before consuming any of the sweets they gather. Then, play it safe by keeping an Epi-pen on hand for emergencies. Happy Halloween!
Sources
- The Public Health Impact of Parent-Reported Childhood Food Allergies in the United States. Pediatrics (2018)
- The Teal Pumpkin Project Map. Food Allergy Research & Education
- 2022 Allergy-Friendly Halloween Candy Guide. Kids With Food Allergies
