With the possible exception of Thanksgiving, no holiday is as food-centered as Halloween. And aside from (arguably) Christmas, few holidays are likely to expose kids to such a wide range of allergens. Candy often contains soy, wheat, corn, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, artificial coloring, or eggs, so a wide range of kids with food allergies are affected. Read on for some strategies and tips to help you decide whether or not trick-or-treating is right for your allergic child.
Pros and Cons of Trick-or-Treating
The major pro of trick-or-treating is that it allows your child to feel like part of the group. If most of her friends are trick-or-treating, or if your neighborhood is one where a lot of kids will be ringing the door on Halloween, then she could feel left out.
The cons to trick-or-treating are obvious: your child will receive a large amount of candy, much of which could be allergenic. On the plus side, candy for trick-or-treating is generally of the prewrapped variety due to safety concerns; if you do decide to let your child go trick-or-treating, you're not likely to get homemade treats that (naturally) come without labels.
Trick-or-Treating Alternatives
One alternative to trick-or-treating that may appeal to your child is to host a costume party on the night of Halloween. (This may be especially tempting in areas where, for whatever reason, kids your child's age can't go trick-or-treating unsupervised.) Bobbing for apples, decorating pumpkins (full-sized or miniature), scary stories, and costume contents are all great party games for preschoolers and beyond. Hosting allows you to decide which treats are safe in advance.
Another alternative is to attend a local Halloween concert or parade. Your town may host a "safe Halloween" event, and while these do often include candy, some may have other events -- raffles, dancing, hayrides, or the like -- as well.
Before You Trick-or-Treat
If you decide to trick-or-treat, you need to make two major decisions before you go:
- How will you handle unsafe candy and treats?
- Will your child be allowed to handle a bag with potentially allergenic foods?
The answers to these questions depends on the age and maturity of your child, as well as the severity of his allergies. An older child who fully understands self-care for allergies and is not likely to eat candy before you've vetted it is at far lower risk during trick-or-treating than a toddler or young preschooler. Do be sure that whichever option you choose, you carry your epinephrine at all times while trick-or-treating.
What to Do About Unsafe Candy
Of course, your child can't be allowed to keep or eat unsafe candy, but there are several options for handling this problem. Some families who know their neighbors well check to see what other families are giving ahead of time and provide safe treats as an alternative. Another alternative is for you to trade unsafe candy for prepurchased safe candy, for money (perhaps a penny or two per treat), or for a toy or gift. Do be aware that some snack-sized candies have different ingredients than their full-sized counterparts.
Trick-or-Treating for Charity
One way to sidestep the entire trick-or-treating issue is for your child to trick-or-treat for charity. Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a venerable and well-known program. One that is likely to be of particular interest to your family is the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network's (FAAN) Trick-or-Treat for Food Allergy. To participate in either program, simply request a box from the appropriate organization and trick-or-treat on Halloween night for coins. These programs may be especially appealing to young toddlers and preschoolers, to older kids who may feel like they're starting to outgrow trick-or-treating, or to kids with allergies that prevent them from eating a wide variety of candies.
