An Allergy-Friendly Halloween

Tricks and treats for keeping kids safe while celebrating the candy-filled holiday

By Elizabeth Winchester

For the 1 in 13 U.S. kids with food allergies, Halloween can be the worst day of the year. Running from house to house for treats you can’t eat, and that can even make you really sick, is not exactly fun. It can be nerve-racking for parents, too.

Most Halloween candies contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, or wheat, which are all among the nine most common food allergens. (Fish, shellfish, and sesame account for the remaining three.) While kids with food allergies and their parents are accustomed to reading ingredient labels, Halloween-sized treats usually don’t have them. What are kids with food allergies and their parents to do, and how can friends without this challenge help?

Here are our tricks and treats to make Halloween a little less scary for kids with food allergies and their parents.

BE THE GIVER »

After a few years of trick-or-treating with friends, or not wanting to try it at all, some children with food allergies may prefer to be the designated person to hand out the treats from home. Handing out the treats can be fun, and it also teaches children to appreciate the value of giving. Plus, kids will be able to see friends when they come to the door. It may not be as tasty of an experience, but for some kids, it’s a heck of a lot safer and even more enjoyable. If you have a child with food allergies who prefers this route, be sure to have safe treats that your child can enjoy.

PARENT UP! »

If you have a child with food allergies, purchase candies that your child is allowed to eat. EnjoyLife sells chocolate Halloween-sized treats free of the top allergens. Some gummy or hard candies may be fair game, too.

TRICK-OR-TREAT SELECTIVELY »

Some of your friends may offer to provide safe treats. Carefully discuss with trusted friends what treats your child can eat. If homemade baked goods, make sure to discuss ingredients and steps, including what is used to grease a pan. (For people with certain allergies, this is super important.) You could even supply the treats to friends and make a map for your child to follow, like a scavenger hunt. If it’s your friends who have children with food allergies, offer to do this for their children—it’s something the parents and kids will always remember.

PLAN A SPOOKY SUPPER »

Make your Halloween meal the main event! From Spooky Chicken Poppers, Mummy Dogs, and Pumpkin Gnocchi to Pizza Dough Bones and Ghostly Cookies, there are many recipes online. Check out enjoylifefoods.com and weelicious.com for some great options.

Many kids’ cookbooks also have ideas, and creative young chefs might come up with their own creepy creations. Be sure to review ingredients and adapt as necessary to accommodate food allergies.

TAKE PART IN THE TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT »

Paint a pumpkin teal, which is the color for food-allergy awareness, and support this initiative that has taken off thanks to Food Allergy Research & Education and mom Becky Basalone, who came up with the idea in 2012. A teal pumpkin displayed at a home signifies that on Halloween, kids can trick-or-treat for non-food items there. Find teal pumpkin posters and other information at foodallergy.org.

Elizabeth Winchester is a content director for Davler Parents. Her oldest son has a life-threatening dairy allergy. Share your food allergy experiences with her at lwinchester@davlermedia. com.