Halloween is the time of year for dressing up, playing tricks, and enjoying sweet treats. The freights of the season may be spooky, but they should remain harmless for yourself and others. Those with food allergies may find the Halloween season a bit more frightening than normal, however, as certain ingredients in candies can lead to major allergic reactions if consumed.
In this article, we’re helping those with dairy, gluten, and nut allergies navigate some of the most popular Halloween candies by listing some allergy-free options.
Please note: The options listed in each category do not contain the specific allergen but may be a product made in the same facility as another product that includes the allergen. Understand your or your child’s allergies and monitor candy consumption carefully.
For Dairy Allergies
Children and adults with milk or dairy allergies can enjoy the sweets of the Halloween season with options* like:
- Airheads
- Bubble Gum**
- Brach’s Candy Corn and other products***
- Candy corn**
- Dots
- Fun Dip
- Gummi bears, worms, rings, and various shapes**
- Jellybeans**
- Junior Mints
- Laffy Taffy
- Lollipops**
- Nerds
- Now and Laters
- Pez Candies
- Skittles
- Smarties
- Sour Patch Kids
- Starbursts
- Swedish Fish
- Sweetarts
- Twizzlers
Tip: If the candy contains caramel, chocolate, butterscotch, or anything cream-flavored, proceed with caution and check the label.
There are more dairy-free options available, so check the labels and enjoy!
For Gluten Allergies
Patients with a gluten allergy can take a bite out of gluten-free candy options* like:
- Brach’s products***
- Bubble Gum**
- Chocolates
- 3 Musketeers
- Almond Joys and Mounds
- Baby Ruth
- Butterfinger
- Heath Bars
- Hershey’s products***
- Junior Mints
- M&Ms products***
- Payday
- Reece’s products***
- Snickers***
- Tootsie Rolls and all Tootsie Roll Industries products
- Fun Dip
- Gummi bears, worms, rings, and other shapes**
- Jellybeans**
- Laffy Taffy
- Nerds
- Now and Laters
- Lollipops**
- Skittles
- Smarties
- Sour Patch Kids
- Starbursts
- Swedish Fish
- Sweetarts
- Twizzlers
There are more gluten-free options available, so check the labels and enjoy!
Peanut and Tree Nut Allergies
Those with an allergy to peanuts and tree nuts can partake in the Halloween season with options* like:
- Brach’s products***
- Bubble Gum**
- Chocolates
- 3 Musketeers
- Crunch Bars
- Hershey’s Chocolate Bars***
- Kit Kats
- M&Ms***
- Milk Duds
- Milky Ways
- Raisinets
- Twix Bars
- Whoppers
- York Peppermint Patties
- Fun Dip
- Gummi bears, worms, rings, and other shapes**
- Jellybeans**
- Laffy Taffy
- Lollipops**
- Nerds
- Skittles
- Smarties
- Sour Patch Kids
- Sour Punch Straws
- Starbursts
- Swedish Fish
- Sweetarts
- Twizzlers
There are more nut-free options available, so check the labels and enjoy!
*Keep in mind that some of these products may be made in facilities that produce other food products with dairy, gluten, or nut-based ingredients. Check labels for signs of cross-contamination.
**Most major name-brand companies make these candies dairy-, gluten- or nut-free—when in doubt, always check the label.
***Many products from these brands are dairy, gluten-, or nut-free; however, not all are. Check labels.