27 Allergen-Friendly Treats To Stock Up On For Halloween

Halloween can be one of the most fun times of the year for kids. Youth get to dress up in elaborate costumes, go door-to-door in the neighborhood asking for treats, and come back home to pick and choose their favorite candies and treats from the night. But for parents of kids with allergies, Halloween can be nothing but scary.

According to the Food Allergy and Research Education organization, one in every 13 children has at least one type of food allergy. Eight major foods have been identified as the leading allergens in the population: dairy, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, crustaceans and fish, eggs, and tree nuts. And the unfortunate thing is that many popular Halloween treats are made with one, if not more, of these major allergens. For a child with a minor allergy, ingesting an allergen can cause some discomfort. But for children with severe contact allergies, even touching an allergen can mean a visit to the emergency room.

Offering some allergen-friendly treats for trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood does not have to be more expensive or arduous. And with our picks for allergen-free treats this Halloween, you'll just have to keep your eye out for these brands during your next Halloween treat shopping excursion.

Fruit snacks are a popular addition to any lunchbox, and these little fruit-flavored treats are a hit on Halloween, too! Popular brands of fruit snacks include Welch's and Black Forest. Both of these brands do not contain any of the eight major allergens, but they do contain gelatin. Gelatin would not be a suitable ingredient for individuals on a vegan diet, but the snacks are otherwise friendly for those with other allergy-related dietary restrictions.

Swedish Fish are a popular candy made with carnauba wax. This wax is derived from a palm tree and provides each fish with a glassy coating, thus making them gelatin-free.

Although the candy may resemble a fish, you can rest assured that the Swedish Fish is allergen-friendly. The Swedish Fish comes in several other flavors than the original (which is thought by some to be a mix of cherry, strawberry, raspberry, fruit punch, or possibly lingonberry) including assorted and mini. All of these products are free of the major allergens as well, per the brand's website.

Life Saver gummies are the perfect candy for folks who don't like the minty taste of traditional Life Savers but still want in on the fun-shaped candy. The Life Saver brand was established in 1912. Now, both mint candies and gummy candy are adored by children across the world.

All of the flavors in the five-flavor mix, including watermelon, cherry, green apple, strawberry, and orange, are free of the eight major allergens. Like other gummy candies on our list, the Life Saver gummies contain gelatin and may not be suitable for vegans.

Can you taste the rainbow? The popular Skittles candy is indeed free of the eight major allergens. Although Skittles were introduced to the United States in the 1970s, the candy has climbed the ranks as one of the most popular Halloween candies among trick-or-treaters. The original Skittles candy does not contain any of the eight major allergens or gelatin. However, the manufacturers of Skittles were sued in 2022 because the candy is still made with titanium dioxide, a genotoxin identified by the European Food Safety Administration as no longer safe for consumption.

First, they're sour, then they're sweet. The Sour Patch Kid is a great candy for kids who love the contrast between sour and sweet in a candy. It's no surprise the Sour Patch Kids candy is one of the 25 most popular snacks in America, even though some candy goers don't like the "plastic" consistency of the candy. Plus, you may notice a bit of a burning sensation if you eat too many of these candies at once.

Both the original Sour Patch Kids candy and the watermelon version are free of the eight major allergens.

You might not want to be the person on the street to hand out granola bars on Halloween. But, the Made Good mini granola bars are the diversity of treats that Halloween so desperately needs. The mini granola bars come in four flavors, including cookies-and-creme, strawberry, chocolate banana, and chocolate chip. All of these treats are free of the eight major allergens and made with organic ingredients — and not to mention are delicious.

Starbursts are one of the chewiest candies you can dive into on Halloween. Each fun-sized package of Starburst contains two pieces from its flavor line of orange, strawberry, cherry, and (the most superior) lemon flavor. And if you have a food allergy to one of the major eight, you can enjoy these candies without fear. The only fear you may have is when a piece of Starburst gets trapped in your molar and you can't get it out.

Dum Dums were purchased by Spangler candy in 1953 and went from only offering seven flavors to offering upwards of 30, notes the website. Our favorite flavors of these tiny lollipops include blu raspberry, cotton candy, and peach mango, but we also can't forget the brand's collaborations with Hawaiian Punch and Sour Patch Kids. All of the flavors of Dum Dums are made with a few simple ingredients including sugar, corn syrup, and food coloring. The lollipops are manufactured on dedicated equipment away from potential allergen contamination.

DOTS are a nostalgic candy that hasn't always received love from the candy community. In fact, the candy has received the title of one of the worst candies ever made. However, some Redditors have claimed that the DOTS candy is perfectly soft and not too sweet. And maybe one of the reasons why DOTS have remained at the top of the gumdrop charts, per MentalFloss, is because some folks have made a pretty penny off of selling DOTS shaped like religious figures on eBay for hundreds of dollars. These may not be little kids' favorite Halloween candy, but they are allergen-free, and that's a win in our book.

The Airheads original bars, Airheads bites, and Airheads extreme do not contain any of the eight major allergens. The X-treme belts and soft-filled sourful pegs, however, contain gluten. The original Airheads come in eight flavors, including orange, cherry, grape, White Mystery, watermelon, green apple, pink lemonade, and strawberry. Besides being kid-friendly, the original Airheads are the perfect candy to hand out on Halloween because you can buy a box of pre-packaged bars. We won't blame you if you save all the White Mystery bars for yourself, though.

Ring Pops are the perfect Halloween treat: You get the sweet, allergen-friendly candy and a plastic ring to savor for long after your Ring pop is finished. In fact, the first Ring Pop was invented by Frank Richards as a method to try and stop his daughter from sucking her thumb. Vegans and those who adhere to a kosher diet are safe to enjoy this retro candy, as well as those with food allergies, notes the site.

Pixy Stix are not always the most practical of Halloween candies. The package grows limp with even the slightest bit of precipitation, and the powder can result in a serious coughing fit if it goes down the wrong pipe. But, we have to give this unique candy its merit because it is free from major allergens and can be bought relatively cheaply in bulk. Plus, the Pixy Stix can be a welcomed Halloween sour if your pillowcase or trick-or-treat bag is filled with way too many sweets.

Mike and Ikes have long been celebrated by the gluten-free community, but these candies should also be noted for their applicability to those with other allergies. The candy capsules pair well with movie theater-style popcorn and are overall more flavorful than other Halloween gummy candy options. If you're the parent with Mike and Ikes left over at the end of Halloween, we recommend sprinkling some over the popcorn to allow the candy coating to soften up a little bit.

For those unfamiliar with this DIY candy, the Fun Dip is essentially a sugar stick that an individual licks, sticks into a compartment of sugary powder, and then licks again (via Snack History). The original Fun Dip, called the Lik-M-Aid, did not contain a stick. Instead, the individual would flip the package and pour the candy into his or her mouth. All of the powder flavors, as well as the chalky sugar stick, are free of the major allergens and non-vegan ingredients. Lick away!

Betty Crocker's Fruit Roll-Ups were all the rage in the 90s, and you can still buy these fun treats to give out to trick-or-treaters today. Nowadays, fruit roll-ups come in tie-dye, Jolly Rancher flavors, and sour varieties. Both the original variety pack and tropical tie-dye varieties do not contain any of the major allergens, plus each of the individually-wrapped treats comes with tongue tattoos to keep the fun going even after trick-or-treating ends.

Better known as just "gushers," this nostalgic 90s classic deserved to be shared with audiences of all ages. We, like others on Reddit, debate classifying these sugary treats as a candy or a fruit snack. Whatever you classify this food as we can all agree that there's no better feeling than sinking your teeth into the gem-shaped candy and letting the inside sugary filling ooze out.

Fruit Gushers are vegan and free of the eight major allergens. The food dyes used to make the candy are derived from plants and the gummy texture comes from agar-agar — a gelatin alternative.

The original Jolly Ranchers didn't make the cut for our allergen-friendly candies because the translucent candies contain soy lecithin. However, according to the University of Nebraska Lincoln, soy lecithin does not contain enough of the soy proteins to stimulate an allergic response in the majority of consumers with a known soy-allergy. Before consuming soy lecithin, contact an allergist or licensed medical professional.

Until then, folks with allergies can safely enjoy Jolly Ranchers gummies. Like Swedish Fish, the gummy qualities of this candy come from carnauba wax, thus making the candy safe for those avoiding gelatin.

No Whey chocolate pretzels are made with a gluten-free pretzel, chocolate coating, and festive orange sprinkles. You won't find any of the major allergens on the ingredient list for this Halloween candy, nor will you find sesame. No Whey manufactures its food products in a dedicated allergen-friendly facility, so you can rest assured that these chocolate-covered pretzels are the safest on the street this Halloween. We also recommend adding a pouch of these pretzels to a lunchbox for a spooky, allergen-friendly treat.

Smarties: They're the chalk-like pebbles that seem to have the candy community split. According to CNBC, the Smarties Candy Company is one of the longest-running candy company brands in the United States and is proud to be run by three women co-presidents. As of 2019, CNBC notes that the Smarties Candy Company was producing over two billion rolls of Smarties candy every year — which amounts to almost 30 billion individual Smarties tablets.

Smarties are one of the most allergen-friendly candies on the market. Each tablet contains five ingredients: dextrose, citric acid, calcium stearate, and coloring dyes. No major allergens here!

Free 2b Foods is on a mission to provide vegan and allergen-friendly treats for the masses. You can purchase a Bag o' Treats filled with 18 dark-chocolate sunflower butter cups for your trick-or-treaters (or yourself, we won't judge). You'll find an absolutely soft, decadent center with a flavorful layer of chocolate on the outside. If you're feeling less in the candy mood, you can enjoy mung bean Crunchsters in flavors including sweet barbecue, tangy balsamic, and beyond bacon.

Blow Pops are ideal for folks who can't pick between bubble gum and candy. The Blow Pop is a member of the Charms Candy Company, which has since been purchased by the Tootsie Roll company. All 16 of the Blow Pop flavors, including the most popular Blue Razz, Blackberry, and Kiwi Berry Blast are allergen-free. Since the candy was introduced by Charms in the 1970s, it has remained its most popular offering (via the Candy Store).

SkinnyPop popcorn is the perfect snack to hand out on Halloween because it's really hard not to like the leftover bags for lunch or an office snack. The original flavor is vegan and free of the top major allergens; it only contains popcorn, sunflower oil, and salt. You can purchase cases of the popcorn via online retailers or at your grocery store — we would even argue that purchasing individual portions rather than one big bag for your home keeps the popcorn from going stale more quickly.

Nerds are a relatively cheap Halloween candy free from most of the top eight major allergens. The grape and strawberry combination are some of the most popular, but Nerds also come in other flavor combinations like watermelon and cherry. Although the ingredients on the package contain dextrose, sugar, malic acid, corn syrup, natural flavors, carnauba wax, carmine color, and food colorings, other products produced by the company share manufacturing equipment with eggs, so if that's something that could trigger an allergic reaction for you or your kid, stay away from these. But for all other allergen-conscious folks, enjoy these Nerds and appreciate the crunchy texture and sheer confectionary genius of the tiny sugar pebbles.

Jelly Belly Jellybeans may be more associated with the Easter bunny, but this confection may find its way to your porch on Halloween. The Jelly Belly plant has been peanut free for nearly two years and notes that all of its products are gluten-free, dairy-free, fat-free, gelatin-free, and vegetarian (via JellyBelly). There is a cross-contamination risk of almonds and coconut in its factory, so this brand of jellybean may not be suitable for those with certain tree nut allergies.

You can purchase several snack-size flavor assortments of Jelly Belly jellybeans from online retailers like Amazon.

The Surf Sweets Sour Worms should be a staple in everyone's home — regardless of food allergies. These candies are made free of the eight major allergens and are certified vegan. Our favorite part about these sour candies (besides the fact that these candies do not include any artificial colors or dyes) is that Surf Sweets is a member of the 1% for the Planet organization. 1% of the sales from Surf Sweets are donated to environmental causes like ocean cleanup.

Yum Earth's products are yet another great candy option for all times of the year. The brand offers several different candies, including chews, gummy candies, and lollipops produced without artificial colors and dyes. Their lineups are also certified vegan and free from the top major allergens. Yum Earth's Halloween Variety Pack includes 10 bags of gummy fruits, 10 bags of chewy "giggles," and 30 lollipops. You're guaranteed to love Yum Earth products whether you have an allergy or not.

It can be difficult to find an allergy-friendly chocolate brand, but EnjoyLife is one of the most reputable brands out there for allergen-friendly foods. You'll find delicious Halloween-inspired mini candies like rice milk crunch chocolates and dark chocolates. The chocolatey flavor of these treats won't make you miss the flavor of dairy-based chocolate Halloween treats. These products are free from the eight major allergens as well as mustard, sulfites, and lupin. You can purchase EnjoyLife's products from the website or from select grocers across the country.