Halloween Worries

If you are anything like me you have been worrying about Halloween for about 6 months now. This year The Jellybean is old enough to have her first trick or treating experience. Luckily she is also young enough that The Nerd and I can swoop in and decide how this experience is going to play out. For those of you with older kids who have already experienced trick or treating and the post celebration gluttony I imagine that your job is a bit tougher. How do you tell a kid that candy that they went out and got isn't really theirs?

Of course there is the stand by "well it has gluten in it honey". It works, it gets the job done, but if you have friends over or siblings who are not gluten intolerant or celiac it can really stink. Suddenly half (or more) of your child's stash is being taken away in the name of gluten while Bobby is already 2/3 of the way into a sugar coma. So here are a few simple suggestions that I have seen floating around or have heard from friends.

Introduce "The Great Pumpkin"
I'm not talking about the one from the Charlie Brown movie. (Although you could watch the movie before going out, you know, set the tone.) I have heard more than a few "normal" people say that the Great Pumpkin or Candy Crone or Harvest Helper etc. come to their house Halloween Night and take the bulk of their child's candy away in exchange for a toy. They let their kiddos pick out a predetermined number of candies and the rest get set out for the trade. This seems like a great way to dodge the gluten bullet. Your kid can pick out 15 gluten free candies and the rest of the offenders just magically disappear into the night. (In our case that would mean they go with The Nerd to work.) I know this works for a lot of families and the kids love that they get some candy and a toy.

Buy Extra GF Candy and set up a trading post
If you have older kids who are on to your gig here and just want the sugary goods, set up a trading post with your own candy. 3 Fun size offenders = 1 regular size candy bar. You can stock up at Sams Club or Costco ahead of time to save some cash.

Have a Halloween Party Instead
Just avoid the issue all together. We hosted Halloween parties the entire time I was in middle and high school. My friends loved it, we had something to do, and in hindsight my parents knew where we were. Get your kids involved in planning it and you won't be accused of being "lame".

Hopefully one of these ideas works for you, if you have another Halloween Tradition that helps with the gluten issue please leave us a comment below!

In the meantime here are some candy companies' gluten free lists:
Hershey
Spangler Candy 
Wonka - Simply States to read the back panel of the product

Happy eating!
Tori