Here's What to Know About Allergy-Friendly Trick-or-Treating for a Safer Halloween
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If you were to ask a child what they love most about Halloween, there's a safe bet that trick-or-treating for Halloween candy tops their list, and can you blame them? Even adults can’t resist the bite-sized goodies that fill their little one’s treat bags. Of course, not everyone can partake in the sugar-fueled fun without taking some precautions. To make sure Halloween is enjoyable and safe for all kids, including those with food allergies, it's a good idea to have an allergy-friendly trick-or-treating setup that accommodates a variety of needs.
It's estimated that 8% of children in the United States have food allergies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That equates to one in every 13 children, making up roughly two children per classroom. In candy products, common allergens include nuts, milk, eggs, soy, or wheat — and even if the candy itself is free of allergens, it may have been made in a facility that processes these ingredients. Food allergies can be a major health concern, with symptoms of an allergic reaction ranging from mild (i.e., itching and rashes) to severe (think swelling, difficulty breathing, or a drop in blood pressure).
Halloween can be a frightfully fraught time for parents who have to monitor their little one’s candy stash to prevent a medical event from happening. However, trick-or-treating doesn't have to be so, well, tricky, because it's easy to make tweaks to the holiday’s traditional treats. Read on to learn how to approach allergy-friendly trick-or-treating this year.
Join the Teal Pumpkin Project
True, teal isn’t a traditional Halloween color, but it's a welcome sight to children and households with dietary restrictions. The Teal Pumpkin Project was founded by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), and it highlights food allergy awareness during the Halloween season. “This promotes the inclusion of patients with food allergies in the fun of trick-or-treating,” says allergy and immunology specialist Shaan Waqar, MD.
This is as simple as displaying a teal pumpkin or candy bucket on your doorstep to indicate that you have allergy-friendly trinkets or treats to give out to neighbors.
Be careful with store-bought candies
Store-bought candies are potentially allergenic and should either be avoided or heavily monitored, says Waqar. Chocolate-based candies may be the trickiest of all since they're most likely to contain or come into contact with allergens.
However, candies like Skittles, Life Savers, Nerds, Dum Dum Lollipops, Sour Patch Kids, and Smarties, “can potentially be less problematic,” Waqar notes, because they mostly comprise artificial ingredients that aren't common food allergens. But, he notes that parents will still need to exercise caution.
Hand out festive, non-food treats
Whether or not there are food allergies in your household, handing out little toys and trinkets instead of candy avoids the risk of food allergens altogether, and it's an inclusive solution to help kids with allergies not feel left out of trick-or-treating.
This is also an opportunity to get creative with the types of goodies you give out to trick-or-treaters. Waqar suggests “glow sticks, glow-in-the-dark bracelets, bouncy balls, Halloween-themed pencils, temporary tattoos, stickers, and small puzzles.” Additionally, spider rings, festive hair scrunchies, vampire teeth, and bookmarks would also be fun and festive.
Keep allergy-safe options on hand
Another way for participating households to participate in allergy-friendly trick-or-treating is to have a separate, clearly labeled candy bowl filled with allergen-free treats. These could be non-food treats, as Waqar previously suggests, or allergen-free candies, like options from Yum Earth, Enjoy Life, and No Whey!
If you're not sure if a food is allergen-safe, you can search items on Allergen Inside to check.
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