Halloween treats may contain hidden allergens.
HALLOWEEN LOLLIES THAT MAY TRIGGER ALLERGIC REACTIONS
Helping a child with a food allergy navigate school lunches, birthday parties, and everyday life is hard enough—but when it comes to trick-or-treating, a nut, seed, chocolate, gluten, or dairy intolerance can be downright disheartening. Some of the most common allergies—minus shellfish!—are lurking right in those fun-sized candy bars. Happily, that doesn’t mean your little pumpkin has to sit home and hand out the goods to other kiddos. With some savvy and a solid game plan, it’s definitely possible to have a great (and delicious) Halloween.
Take Time to Let It Sink In
If the allergy is a relatively new development, a peanut-less (or chocolate-free, etc.) Halloween can be a big blow. Says 8-year-old and gluten-, peanut-, nut-, and sesame-intolerant Jeremy, son of Bon Appétit test contributor Jackie Ourman: “[I originally thought] I couldn’t go trick-or-treating because there would be so much candy I am allergic to.” After speaking with his mother and experiencing an allergy-free Halloween, he realized how much fun he could still have.
Talk to your kids about what the new rules look like and what they can expect, but emphasize that trick-or-treating can still be a fun part of their night—then give them the opportunity to ask their own questions. Fourteen-year-old Alyssa Cook, who has been allergic to peanuts since age 1, has a mature outlook on things after years of being peanut-free: “I have never had them before, so I don’t really know what I’m missing. I’m used to it now.” In fact, her favorite part about Halloween isn’t trick-or-treating—it’s dressing up and handing out the goods to other kids.
No nutrition facts? No go. Photo: Flickr/curtsm
Focus on What’s OK to Eat
Navigating a food allergy can feel like living in a world of “no’s” and don’ts,” and Halloween is no exception—especially because so much candy is processed on equipment that comes in contact with common allergens, making even more candy off-limits. But it’s best for morale (your kid’s and yours) to focus on what is acceptable to eat. No peanuts? Get excited about taffy and bubblegum. Keeping the focus on the treats that are safe to eat is way more fun for everyone involved. Says Alyssa: “When I first encountered chocolate, I was bummed that I couldn’t have different kinds. I could eat only sweet candy like Smarties, so I adapted and learned to like the candy I could have.
Knowledge Is Power
“Don’t assume you know whether a piece of candy is allergen-free or not,” says Dr. Scott Sicherer, Chief of Allergy and Immunology at the Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai. Often, the complete nutritional facts of fun- and mini-sized candy bars aren’t printed on the individual portions your child receives—that information is found on the big package. “It may seem logical that there’d be no dairy in a sucker candy, but until you see it on the package, you don’t know for sure,” he says.