Halloween can be difficult with a chronic condition

Published 8:00 am Thursday, October 24, 2013

By Lisa Eisele
Lake Oconee Breeze

Question from our inbox: Within the past year my child has been diagnosed with Celiac disease. This is his first Halloween since he has been diagnosed and I am afraid to let him go trick or treating for the fear of him eating something he shouldn’t. Do you have a list of candy that would be safe for him to eat. I really don’t want his Halloween to be spoiled yet at the same time I don’t want him to be sick either. Thanks. — BD

BD,

With the incline of Celiac Disease diagnosis over the past several years more food manufacturers are identifying their products as gluten free and the same holds true for the candy manufactures. Having Celiac disease means total elimination of gluten from ones diet. This is a difficult and challenging process because gluten is everywhere, even in products you’d least suspect, like soy sauce for instance. BD, you should be commended for planning ahead to assure your child has a safe, happy Halloween.

As of October 2013, those who follow a gluten-free diet have numerous choices, including various long-time kid favorites such as Nestle’s Butterfinger candy bars and Jelly Belly jelly beans. The following is only part of a list of gluten free candies put together by Jan Anderson from Ask.com. This list is up to date as of March 2013. And please use these lists only as a guide. Ingredients and formulas can change at any time. In some cases, a product made at one location may be listed as gluten-free, while the same product made at a different location may not be gluten-free. Also, candy listed as gluten-free on the U.S. list may not be gluten-free in other countries.

Always check the packaging and ingredients before consuming any candy, even if it does appear on this list.

Nestle USA:

Baby Ruth, Bit-O-Honey, Butterfinger Bar (original flavor only, NOT Crisp, Giant Bar, Snakerz, Medallions, Jingles, Hearts or Pumpkins), Milk Chocolate, Goobers, Nips (including both regular and sugar-free), Oh Henry!, Raisinets (including Cranberry and Dark Chocolate flavors), Sno-Caps, Wonka Pixy Stix, Laffy Taffy (including Laffy Taffy Rope), Wonka Lik-M-Aid Fun Dip. Contact Nestle USA at 800-225-2270.

Mars Chocolate:

M&M’s (all EXCEPT for pretzel-flavored M&M’s and some special flavors with a risk of gluten cross-contamination), 3 Musketeers Bars (all flavors), Milky Way Midnight Bar, Milky Way Caramel Bar, Dove Chocolate products (all flavors EXCEPT for milk chocolate cinnamon graham/cookies and cream), Snickers Bars (all flavors). Contact Mars Chocolate at 800-627-7852.

Tootsie Roll Industries:

Tootsie Rolls, Fruit Rolls, Frooties, Dots, Tropical Dots, Crows, Cella’s Milk Chocolate Covered Cherries, Cella’s Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries, Junior Mints, Charleston Chew, Junior Caramels, Tootsie Pops, Tootsie Peppermint Pops, Caramel Apple Pops, Fruit Smoothie Pops, Tropical Stormz Pops, Child’s Play, Charms Blow Pops, Charms Super Blow Pops, Charms Pops, Zip-A-Dee-Mini Pops, Fluffy Stuff Cotton Candy, Sugar Daddy Pops, Sugar Mama Caramels, Charms Squares, Charms Sour Balls, Charms Candy Carnival, Pops Galore, Andes, Sugar Babies. Contact Tootsie Roll Industries at 773-838-3400.

Hershey’s:

Almond Joy (all), Mounds (all), Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses, Hershey’s Filled Chocolate Kisses (only Caramel and Cherry Cordial Creme, NOT Hugs, Special Dark, Milk Chocolate with Almonds, or Cookies & Cream), Hershey’s Nuggets (all varieties), Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (only in the 1.55 oz. size), Hershey’s Milk Chocolate with Almonds Bar (only in the 1.45 oz. size), Heath Bars, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (all except for seasonal shaped items), Skor, Skor Toffee Bar, York Peppermint Pattie (all). Contact Hershey’s at 800-468-1714.

Just Born:

Mike and Ike Berry Blast, Mike and Ike Italian Ice, Mike and Ike Jolly Joes, Mike and Ike Lemonade Blends, Mike and Ike Original Fruits, Mike and Ike Redrageous, Mike and Ike Tangy Twister, Mike and Ike Tropical Typhoon, Mike and Ike Zours, Mike and Ike Jelly Beans, Mike and Ike Hot Tamales, Goldenberg’s Vintage Peanut Chews. Contact Just Born at 888-645-3453.

 

If you have a nutrition question you’d like answered in this column send it to oconeenutrition@yahoo.com with “Question for the Breeze” as the subject title. Lisa Eisele, RD, CSO, LD, can be reached at 706-473-5801.