Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up 2013, Part 1 (Online Sources)

Find tons of allergy-free
Halloween candy at online stores
like the Natural Candy Store

by Kelley Lindberg


Pumpkins are peeking out from every porch, store display, and window, so that must mean Halloween is coming… And that means it’s time for my annual Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up!

Nothing stresses parents of food-allergic kids like holidays. And Halloween, with its focus on candy, is one of the scariest! But believe it or not, there are plenty of ways to satisfy almost every sweet tooth, no matter what allergies your little ones have.

I’ve been shopping locally for candy to see what types of allergen-free candy we can find in stores and online. But since most candies I’ve been finding locally contain corn syrup and food colorings, if those are your issues, your best bet may be to order your candy online. If that’s the case, you’ll want to order candy this week so that it arrives in plenty of time for Halloween parties and trick-or-treating. Online sources are also great for finding allergy-free chocolate, as well as unusual treats, like allergy-free brain-shaped lollipops! That’s why this week I’ll write about some online sources that offer great allergy-free Halloween candy.

• Indie Candy: http://www.indiecandy.com/ This site is the place to go for all-natural candy with no dyes or any of the Big 8 allergens at all! Most of their candy also appears to be corn-free, too. They have a large selection of confections including gorgeous crystal lollipops, chocolate, and gummis, all in fun Halloween shapes, and you can search by your specific allergy needs.
• YumEarth. http://www.yummyearth.com/ Formerly called Yummy Earth, but now called YumEarth, this company makes candies (lollipops, drops, gummy bears, and gummy worms) that are free from the big 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. Some of their candies are also corn-free, kosher parve, and vegan (but not all, so check the list carefully). You can buy them online at www.YummyEarth.com {http://www.yummyearth.com/} and on Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=yummyearth. They may also be available at a store near you—check the list of YumEarth retailers http://www.yummyearth.com/stores.html to see.
• Peanut Free Planet: http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/ This allergy-friendly grocery site sells a ton of different candy from lots of different manufacturers, including Vermont Nut Free, Enjoy Life Foods, and Amanda’s Own. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of allergen-friendly groceries. They also sell KitKats, Mars bars, and Nestle Aero Milk chocolate bars that are made in a Canadian factory, and therefore nut-free (unlike their American versions). They also carry nut-free candy corn from A and J Bakery (but it contains egg whites and soy), as well as Surf Sweets http://www.surfsweets.com/ jelly beans and spooky spider gummies, which are organic, natural, gluten-free, and free from the Top 8 allergens.
• Amanda’s Own Confections: http://www.amandasown.com/ They offer chocolate in some fun Halloween shapes, as well as jelly beans and other candies, all dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and gluten-free! (They also have turkey and scarecrow chocolate lollipops, if you’re thinking ahead to Thanksgiving.)
• Divvies: http://www.divvies.com/ Nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate ghosts, chocolate bats, jelly beans, gummy stars, and chocolate chips! (Chocolate contains soya lecithin.) Check out their chocolate dinosaur, too. It might not be Halloweenish, but it would be great for a birthday party or stocking stuffer.
• Natural Candy Store: http://www.naturalcandystore.com/. Looking for lollipops shaped like brains, bats, or jack-o-lanterns? Found them! This site focuses on natural ingredients, but they also let you search for candy that’s free from all Top 8 allergens. Even better, you can search for candy free from single allergens, like milk or soy. They carry hard candy, Glee gum, Enjoy Life chocolate, organic chocolate syrup, breath mints, and licorice, among others! You can also search by Feingold-safe candy and other special diets. Click here for their Allergen-Free Candy page. http://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/allergen-free-candy
• Vermont Nut Free: http://www.vermontnutfree.com/ Their chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings on them. Their huge selection of nut-free chocolates includes caramel- and marshmallow-filled pumpkins, chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick, pretzel caramel bark, and foil-wrapped chocolate shapes (like bats, witches, and ghosts). They also sell skippers, which are similar to M&Ms, but nut-free, of course.
• Chocolate Emporium: http://www.choclat.com/ Read the ingredients carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of allergen-friendly goodies. All Halloween items are dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and certified parve by the Star-K. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need.
• Gimbal’s Fine Candies: I’ve just discovered this company. They offer jelly beans in 41 flavors, as well as fiery LavaBalls and licorice Scottie Dogs, all free from the Top 8 allergens. http://www.gimbalscandy.com/ 
• Oriental Trading Co.: http://www.orientaltrading.com/ Remember, trick-or-treats bags don’t have to be filled with candy. Oriental Trading Company offers a bazillion (I counted them) super-cheap novelty toys, many that you can buy in quantities of 50, 144, or more.

If you know of a great online source for allergy-free candies, post it in the Comments. And remember, next week I’ll post a list of what I found in local stores and where I found it, so check back next Monday.