Costumes, fall colors, and teal pumpkins make October a month rich in cooler temps and bursting with excitement. Sixteen years ago when my college sophomore trick-or-treated, managing Halloween was a bit dicey. Food allergies were unheard of, labeling laws were non-existent and Halloween was truly a nightmare. Fast forward to the magic of 2017, where treats (both the edible and non-edible kind) and teal colored pumpkins can be easily purchased nationwide. It is safe to say that times have changed for the better!
To kick off the spooky festivities in my household, we sampled a ridiculously darling Halloween gift basket from Vermont Nut Free. Years ago, before my son outgrew his dairy allergy, we would wistfully look online at all the beautiful nut free chocolates and treats. Cyrus’ dairy allergy kept us from ordering until that splendid summer day when he passed his dairy food challenge!
Nut-free Love
In the spirit of sharing, I unwrapped our Halloween Ghoulish Gift Pack to take a quick snapshot for this post. Then, it seemed only natural to spread a few of the Skippers candies (similar to an M&M, but nut allergy safe) about. Well, for the sake of confirming those Skippers were still melt-n-your-mouth smooth, I sampled a few. Of course, how could I not test the wrapped mini-pumpkins to confirm their chocolatey goodness? I did decided that the chocolate lollipops were probably of the same great quality, so I left those to be savored by my girl. If you give a girl a Halloween gift basket…. (Okay fans of, “If you give a mouse a muffin…”, you know how this story ended).
Halloween Tool Kit from Allergic Living Magazine
If you think the Vermont Nut Free gift packs and were fabulously fun, then check out the Allergy-Friendly Halloween Tool Kit created by Allergic Living Magazine. Links to important and lively ideas to create a safe and fun time for all abound! If you’re feeling a bit nervous about managing trick-or-treating and the Halloween in general, check-out links to stories from moms in the trenches and how they tackle this fun, yet scary holiday.
You’ll find resources for non-food treats, allergen friendly candy, learn about the woman who started the Teal Pumpkin movement, discover craft ideas, link to the official Teal Pumpkin Project headquarters where you’ll find free downloads and tons of information and ideas.
Harry Potter Fans: Take note!
My pal Lianne Mandelbaum hosts a crazy wonderful Halloween party each year with life-time collection of decorations and allergen safe candies. Her inspiring story, tips and Halloween spirit will make Harry Potter fans everyone want to get in on the fun! Check out her article, “A Mom’s Guide to the Ulitmate Food Allergy-Friendly Halloween and Harry Potter Party.”
Have a safe and wonderful time plotting and planning Halloween! The ideas range from simple to grand and they all share the same thread: food allergy inclusion.
disclaimer: Vermont Nut Free shared the Ghoulish Gift Basket and did not request or advise me to write anything or even nice stuff. They knew I’d become slave to their chocolates I’m sure. I do work for Allergic Living Magazine and declare my undying admiration for their professional work. I also claim my undying friendship to my pal Lianne, who works so hard behind the scenes to make the world a better place and not just surrounding food allergies.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..