When I was growing up, Halloween was one of my FAVORITE times of year. Come on! You get to dress up in a cool costume and get candy from your neighbors? That’s a pretty sweet deal! After my cousins and I would finish going door to door, we would dump all of our candy out into piles and start trading for our favorites. For a kid, that was amazing!
It’s been a LONG time since I’ve gone trick or treating and I don’t have any kids of my own, but my heart breaks for kids with food allergies. I know how scary it must be for their moms and dads as well. I try to give the best advice I can to my own patients- let kids be kids. Do NOT prevent them from trick or treating. Do NOT take all of their candy away (unless of course they come home with an obscene amount- then donate it to a shelter or food pantry). My recommendation for dealing with food allergies actually falls back on my childhood memories- candy trading. Okay stop laughing, I’m serious. Pick up a bag or two of gluten free snacks your kids love and start trading with them. Offer a pack of m&m’s for their kitkat bars, etc.
There are studies that show children with food allergies can sometimes be alienated from their peers. So check out this list provided by the Celiac Disease Foundation and get your kids out there!
http://www.celiac.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=198&Itemid=38
Happy Halloween!
xoxo
Fit Fabulous and Gluten Free 