Be Free For Me Blog

Question: Do you have any suggestions on celebrating a safe gluten-free Halloween? How about a gluten-free candy list?

Answer: It’s that time of year again – Time for witches, ghosts, goblins and other scary stuff. And for those that are on a gluten-free diet, many favorite Halloween candies can be added to the list of frightening thing. That is why it is so important that due-diligence and extra caution is given when it comes to deciphering what Halloween candy is a “treat” vs. a “trick”.

Following are a few tips and pointers to make you and your family’s Halloween a goblin’ good time!

–    Hidden Gluten Is Scary! When people think of foods that could possibly contain gluten, candy is normally not on the list. That is why so many people are surprised to learn that many candies, such as licorice and caramels, can be packed with wheat. My rule of thumb? Never assume that candy doesn’t contain gluten. Treat all candy like “normal food” and read every single label before eating!

–    Fun-Sized Candies May Not Be Fun! Many food manufacturers use different formulations for different sizes of the same candy. So that jumbo sized candy bar you eat during the year may contain gluten in the fun-sized portion. Again, read every single label before eating!

–    Watch Out Smartie-(Pants)! Depending on what country you live in different candies can be called the same thing. One may contain gluten and the other may not. An example of this is Smarties. In the USA, Smarties are tiny, tart pastel colored candies that are free of gluten, while Smarties in Canada are small candy coated chocolates – that contain gluten. This is why it is so important that when you review a gluten-free candy list you are sure that the list is specific to the country where you live. I love the gluten-free Halloween Candy List that is published, each year, by MyGlutenFacts.com. They have two lists – one candy list for Canada and the other candy list for the USA.

–    Don’t Eat Candy With No Label: Many people like to put candy corn and other small Halloween candies in little, cute bags for party favors or to hand out to Trick or Treaters. This means that there is no ingredient label on the candy. If this happens follow this mantra: No label = Not Able.

–    Other Resources: Check out these other links for more info on enjoying a safe & gluten-free Halloween:

Ask Shelley Case: Gluten-Free Family Activities for the Fall
Wish Craft: Keeping Halloween Gluten and Allergen Free

–    Recipes: Check out these recipes that are healthy and perfect for Halloween festivities:

Quick & Easy Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Flax Pumpkin Squares
Pumpkin Spice Rice Pudding
Pumpkin Nut Muffins

Ask Shelley Case is a feature of BeFreeForMe.com. Shelley Case, RD is a Consulting Dietitian, Speaker and Author of Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide. Visit Shelley and get more gluten-free tips & info at: GlutenFreeDiet.ca

Question: My child was diagnosed with celiac disease a year ago. Over the summer we found it easy to eat gluten-free with all the fresh fruits, vegetables, outdoor picnics & barbeques. Now that fall is here we are struggling to get into the swing of things, not to mention having to deal with Halloween. Any ideas?

Answer:

Congratulations on the first year of gluten-free living! It has been said that the first year of being gluten-free can often be the toughest. With the change of seasons, there is always a learning curve, as well. Just when you seem to find seasonal gluten-free recipes and dishes that are both gluten-free and delicious – a whole new season of change occurs!

Autumn is a time to enjoy some great gluten-free recipes that hinge upon outdoor family activities & fun. So put on that extra sweater, get out for a walk and enjoy the changing colors of the season. Here are some family friendly activities & recipes to enjoy the autumn season gluten-free plus tips for a safe Halloween. Enjoy!

How ‘bout them apples? The fruit that is most associated with the fall and the change of seasons is the apple.  A portable, affordable and healthy snack, there are many different tasty varieties of apples. To find out more about different varieties of apples and their uses, check out this article. Apple picking is also a great family activity that is inexpensive, fun and yielding of fresh fruit. To find an apple orchard near you check out PickYourOwn.org.

And after you’ve picked your bag, basket or bushel of apples, make sure you check out these gluten-free apple recipes:

Spiced Apple Cake

Apple-Cinnamon Stuffed Squash

Sweet Onion, Cranberry & Apple Bake It’s the Great Pumpkin! Loaded with dietary fiber, Vitamin A and potassium, pumpkins make a healthy addition to your diet. For a great outdoor activity try pumpkin picking! Find your very own pumpkin patch close to your home on this website.

I love that pumpkin picking also leads into other family activities such as pumpkin carving and recipes such as these pumpkin seeds. No time to carve your own pumpkins? Use canned pumpkin for these Flax Pumpkin Squares and these Pumpkin Nut Muffins.

Tailgate Time! Tailgating is a time to cheer on the home team while enjoying time outside with family & friends. Preparing a gluten-free menu can be an easy game plan if you keep the menu options simple and prepare the foods ahead of time.  Some suggestions for gluten-free tailgating recipes that can be prepared ahead of time include: Sweet & Sticky Chicken Drumsticks, Sesame Chicken Skewers and Red Pepper Hummus.

Boo! Gluten-Free Treats for YOU! Halloween treats can often be laden with a lot of tricks when you are concerned with a gluten-free diet.  Make sure that you review all candy label ingredients prior to allowing your child (or you!) to eat. For those items that contain gluten offer to trade the unsafe candy for pennies, nickels or dimes.

Check out the article and links for safe candy lists at “Wish Craft: Keeping Halloween Gluten & Allergen-Free”.

When attending Halloween parties bring along non-food treats such as decorative pencils, markers, stickers, bouncy balls or other small toys – which are all are great alternatives to sweets.

If you saw and wondered why there was a gal scrutinizing the ingredient list of every candy package in your local Walgreen’s over the past few weeks now you know why.

Just in time for Halloween, Alison, from Sure Foods Living, has been more than generous in sharing with us her comprehensive list of the common and mainstream candies that are gluten-free. How sweet is that?

To check out her list of the gluten-free candies check out her blog posting. If anyone out there knows of a similar list for food allergens (soy, dairy, nuts, etc.) … please let us know! Or please share your favorite gluten or allergen free candy.

And once again, Alison… I, as well as every other gluten free ghost and goblin out there, thank you from the bottom of our Trick and Treat bag.

Dig in!