Halloween Question - Allergies

[PollyannaMom]

Parents of kids with allergies, what candy do you hope your neighbors give out on Halloween? (Or do you prefer your kids get non-food items?)

I always try to make sure that some of my treat choices for Halloween are peanut-free (and I don't put them in a shared bowl - I usually make up little bags or something anyway) but I wonder what the favorites actually are. -

Is there a certain candy your kids always hope for (that people maybe don't think of)?

Or one they get so much of (even though people mean well) that they're sick of it?

What about non-candy items? - Do you prefer those? Are certain ones overdone or "lame" in the kids' opinion?

 

[stout]

As a mom of a kiddo with celiac DD…I can say she loves gogo squeez and fruit snacks, but isn’t too fond of non-food stuff. Thank you for thinking about this! That being said, she is fine with whatever she gets, as she goes through her bucket at the end of the night and whatever isn’t “celiac safe” goes to DH’s work for his co-workers. She has never felt like she was lacking after trick-or-treating.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'm not a parent but I have a lot of neighbors who are vegan and/or cannot eat gelatin (which is found in gummy bears and candy corn for example) so I try my best to get candy/treats that they can eat. I usually give out individual bags of chips, popcorn and pretzels (which the kids LOVE) or non chocolate candies like Jolly Ranchers, Skittles and Sour Patch Kids.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I was surprised last year how many of the kids were more excited about chip options than candy options. Getting some of the small bags of a variety of chips was a last minute decision because I was worried we didn't have enough candy and the chips were the first to go and got the best response to my surprise.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

No allergy kids, but we do a variety of items. This year, we have full sized Skittles and Starbursts, which will be in one bowl; Reese's, Kitkats and Hershey bars, in another bowl; a bowl of Smarties and DumDums for the little little ones; and a bowl of random treats (pretzels, cheese balls, chips, popcorn). ToTers can pick one, or in the case of littles, a few. In the past, we've done goodie bags that had stickers and Halloween 'toys' (like sticky hands), but not this year.

We'll be outside, in the driveway, with our folding table and chairs; makes it easier for the cats, who panic and get all claw-y when the doorbell rings.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

We give out vegan candy so it’s not guaranteed to be allergen-free for all (check labels especially for wheat and soy), but it’s all the sugar-based candies so it does eliminate things like dairy, egg, peanuts/tree nuts, and gelatin (for religious reasons) right off the bat. Skittles, smarties, sour patch kids, airheads, dots, pixy stix, fun dip, twizzlers, plain lollipops….

My son is usually most excited by the non-candy items. Pencils, Halloween stamps, anything that glows. Someone passed out filled black and orange plastic eggs and he thought that was the greatest thing ever. Personally, I’m always grateful for the people who give out little bags of pretzels. They’re nice to snack on while walking the neighborhood once you reach that point where another bite of sugar is going to do you in.

 

[mjkacmom]

Non food items were always a bust with my kids. Their favorites are the typical chocolate based ones, snickers and reeses cups at the top. #4 out of 5 has celiac but she’d just trade with her siblings. Since Covid we gather with neighbors on the lawn across the street and put a bowl on our porch. We live 3 houses away from a cross street which is the busiest street in town on Halloween (hilly town and that street is about 2 miles long and no hills to get up to the houses). I buy chocolate because I like to put milky ways and such in the freezer. Back when they were in school I’d get chips and leftovers could be used for lunches.

 

[unrequited23]

Fun dip, ring pops and mini bags of SmartPop have been big hits in our area--no nuts, no gluten & vegan. My kids love getting the little bags of chips.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I always offer a variety of candy and non-candy food items, and let the kids choose what they like. In recent years, Pringle’s chips and Rice Krispie treats have been popular.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Add me to the list whose kids hate non-food treats.

For allergies, I always have swedish fish, sour patch kids, and Utz potato chips (Lays now sometimes has soy). And then I have the chocolate and nut options for the rest.