It's best to discuss any school Halloween activities with your child's teacher. Prepare a special snack (ie: a cupcake or decorated cookies) for your child to eat during the celebration.
I would also suggest giving the teacher a loot bag containing Gluten Free goodies. This prevents temptation and the feeling of being left out as there can be a lot of that darn gluten at school.
There are numerous Gluten Free "safe" candy lists published online. Although I had thought about researching and creating an updated list, in the end I decided not to. My reasoning for this is to encourage the constant checking of ingredients and not to create a so called safety net of sorts, that may inadvertently give a false sense of security. Sounds over the top right?
- Ingredients can and do change frequently
- There may be confusion between a full size product and it's miniature counterpart as they often have different ingredients
- American and Canadian versions of the same product tend to have different ingredients
It may be time consuming but reading the ingredients on the package is key to having a successful trick or treating experience. Keep in mind that some companies do post a Gluten Free label on their candy which can be helpful. I would still advise reading the label in it's entirety to be sure that there is no risk of cross contamination.
Check ALL treats before they are consumed but have some fun with it. It's easy to make a game by grouping the candy into piles.
- Safe Candy
- Not Safe Candy - This group of treats can be donated to a sibling, perhaps as a trade or even designated as a treat pile for mom and dad.
If there is No Ingredient List-contact manufacturer or place in the Not Safe pile
If you feel that there may not be enough "safe" treats handed out, create a Gluten Free goodie bag. Remember, not every treat needs to be candy. Think temporary tatoos, stickers, hair accessories, bracelets, glow sticks, Halloween themed story books and movie's. The possibilities are endless.
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