How to Have an Allergy Friendly Halloween

My food allergy teal pumpkin is out and ready!

Halloween is approaching, but for some kids, getting candy isn't all that it's cracked up to be due to food allergies. But there are a few ways to turn this holiday around for kids who can't eat milk, peanuts, gluten, etc.

There are plenty of Halloween candy lists online that let you know which candies are free from the top 8 allergens and which are not. It's always recommended that you read the individual labels of candy because ingredients can change, and the fun size candies are not always made the same way as their larger counterparts. I like this list posted at Celiac.org, but you can do a quick Google search to find a variety of other lists, too.

If you don't want to worry about the candy at all, then check out the Switch Witch option. Kids still go out and collect candy, but then they leave it for the Switch Witch who will trade the candy for a non-food gift, such as a new toy. You can even purchase a storybook and doll to help kids understand this concept: The Original Switch Witch and The Switch Witch and the Magic of Switchcraft.

I also have a book called The No Biggie Bunch Trade-or-Treat Halloween. This is part of a series of books that aims to help kids with food allergies feel "normal" because having a food allergy is "no biggie". It doesn't look like the book is still in publication, but you could try to find it at your local library.

Whether or not food allergies affect your family, consider participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project and handing out non-food treats this year. Paint a pumpkin teal (or purchase one - apparently Target has some!) and then place it on your front porch so that trick-or-treaters know your house is safe. You can even add your home to an online map to make it easier for trick-or-treaters to find you. The Food Allergy Research & Education website offers many ideas for these non-food treats, but in the past I've handed out bubble necklaces and glow sticks. Someone once told me they were handing out Play-Doh as a non-food treat, but be careful with something like that because Play-Doh contains wheat and so, therefore, is generally not safe for kids with Celiac disease.

However you choose to celebrate Halloween this year, you can still do it safely and have a good time even with food allergies.

Have anything to add to this list? I'd love to hear how you safely celebrate Halloween with food allergies!