While Halloween can be a treat for some people, for those with food allergies and other dietary restrictions, the holiday can feel more like a trick.
FoodAllergy.org defines a food allergy as a medical condition in which exposure to a certain food triggers a harmful immune response. According to statistics from the site, approximately 15 million people in the U.S. are allergic to some foods. Many others choose to abstain from eating certain foods based on their dietary restrictions.
Those with food allergies are in luck in during fall in Central Florida -- Events such as Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Seaworld Spooktacular can offer allergy-friendly treats to any trick-or-treaters who come along. Allergy-friendly candy brands, such as Enjoy Life, Free2b, No Whey and Surf Sweets can be found at most specialty and mainstream grocery stores. Some houses, often denoted by the presence of a teal pumpkin, will even offer small toys in place of candy.
But, for those who still want to take their costumed counterparts trick-or-treating in the traditional sense, plenty of candy options are available, if you know where to look.
Below is a list of mainstream Halloween candies that are considered allergy and specialty diet friendly. NOTE: With all food items, double check the ingredients list before consuming.
Vegan - All vegan candies contain no animal products, including dairy or eggs.
Airheads
Cracker Jacks
Lemonheads
Twizzlers
Dots
Smarties
Swedish Fish
Skittles
Sour Patch
Annie's fruit snacks
Brach's cinnamon hard candies, orange slices, star brites, lemon drops and root beer barrels
Charm's Blow Pops
Dum Dums
Jolly Ranchers
Now and Laters
Pez
Red Vines
Cry Babies
Hubba Bubba gum
Jujyfruits
Gluten free - All gluten-free products contain no wheat or other-wheat based ingredients.
Note that all Mars brands, denoted with an asterisk (*) are processed in a facility that also processes gluten products, and therefore have the potential for cross contamination. Depending on the severity of your allergy, please use caution when consuming.
M&M's except pretzel and crispy*
Milky Way Midnight and caramel flavors only*
Snickers*
Almond Joys, except Almond Joy pieces
Mounds
Heath Bars
Most Hershey's chocolate bars, nuggets, kisses and milk duds
All Reece's except season shaped chocolates
York peppermint patties
Paydays
All Rolos, except minis
SKOR bars
Tootsie Rolls
Smarties
Jelly Bellies
Baby Ruths
Sno Caps
Pixie sticks
Butterfingers, only original flavor, including fun size
Raisinets
Laffy Taffy
Sweetarts
NECCO wafers
Welch's fruit snacks
Brach's candy corn
Mike and Ikes
Peeps
Nut-free - These candies do not contain any peanuts or tree nuts. Some are specially marked by their manufacturers as being processed in nut-free facilities, some are not.
Processed in allergen-free facility
Dots
Dum Dums
Sugar Daddys
Sugar Babies
Tootsie Pops
Tootsie Rolls
Charleston Chews
Charms Blow Pops
Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates
Junior Mints
Junior Caramels
Smarties
Tear Jerkers Sour Bubble Gum
Jelly Belly Candy Canes
Nut-free but not listed as processed in allergen-free facility
Milk Duds
Lifesavers Gummies
Lifesavers Hard Candies
Kraft Caramels
Starburst Fruit Chews
Jolly Rancher Hard Candies
Pez
Skittles
Razzles
Red Vines
Rolos
Push Pops
Twizzlers
Good & Plenty
Smarties
Whoppers
Sour Punch Straws (Apple, Strawberry)
Zours
Hershey's Mini Chocolate Bars
Hershey's Chocolate Kisses (Plain, Special Dark)
Sour Patch Kids
Airheads
Swedish Fish
Wonka's Nerds
Runts
Sweet Tarts
Laffy Taffy
Peeps
Mike and Ikes
Mentos
Ring Pops
Sweetarts
Fun Dip
York Peppermint Patties
Pop Rocks
Kosher - All kosher candies follow the guidelines of either pareve foods or dairy-containing foods.
Pareve
Airheads
Astro Pops
Dum Dums
Saf-T-Pops (also known as Safety Lollipops)
Candy Canes
Atomic Fireball Lollipops
Lemonhead Lollipops
Jelly Belly Candy Canes
Twizzlers Cherry & Black Licorice Bites "Nibs"
Twizzler's Pull & Peel Candy Bar
Twizzler's Chocolate Licorice Twists
Appleheads
Atomic Fireballs
Boston Baked Beans
Cherry Slices
Cherry Sours
Cherryheads
Grapeheads
Gum Drops
Jawbreakers
Jelly Beans
Lemonheads
Orange Slices
Orangeheads
Red Hots
Sour Jacks
Spearmint Leaves
Spice Gum Drops
Dairy
Cadbury Caramello Candy Bar
Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Candy Bar
Cadbury Mini Eggs Sugar Coated Milk Chocolate Candy
Cadbury Roasted Almond Milk Chocolate Candy Bar
Heath Toffee Candy Bar
Almond Joy Milk Chocolate Coconut and Almond Bites
Almond Joy Milk Chocolate Coconut Almond Candy Bar
Almond Joy Milk Chocolate Coconut Almond Candy Eggs
Chocolate Covered York Peppermint Patties
Fifth Avenue Milk Chocolate & Crunchy Peanut Butter Candy Bar
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses with Almonds
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Mini Kisses
Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds Candy Bar
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Pastel Foil Wrapped Giant Kiss
Milk Duds
Hershey "Special" Dark Chocolate Candy Bar
KitKat Candy Bar
Mounds Chocolate & Coconut Bar
Mr.Goodbar Candy Bar
O'Henry Candy Bar
Payday Candy Bar
Reese Peanut Butter Cups
Reese Nutrageous Candy Bar
Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Candy
Rolo Caramels in Milk Chocolate
Skor Milk Chocolate Covered Crisp Butter Toffee Candy Bar
Sunkist Fruit Gems
Whoppers Mini Eggs Malted Milk candy
Whopper's Robin's Eggs Malted Milk Candy
York Chocolate Covered Peppermint Patties
Zagnut Peanut Butter Logs
Zero Candy Bar
Dove Dark Chocolate Candy Bar
Dove Milk Chocolate Candy Bar
M&M's Almond Chocolate Candies
M&M's Crispy Chocolate Candies
M&M's Eggs Pastel Plain
M&M's Milk Chocolate Candies
M&M's Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies
M&M's Peanut Chocolate Candies
3 Musketeers Candy Bar
Milky Way "Original" Candy Bar
Milky Way Dark Chocolate Candy Bar
Milky Way Midnight Candy Bar
Snickers Candy Bar
Twix Candy Bar
Gumballs
Sixlets
Foil Wrapped Chocolate Coins