Exciting Halloween Suggestion For Trick Or Treat

[johalex]

My ds and I had a heart-to-heart talk about his Celiacs a few weeks back. He is very concerned about Halloween and told me he feels both sad and angry when we go through his Halloween candy and take the things that he cannot eat. It isn't any better when we trade them with his sister- he still feels badly by it all.

So, I thought and thought and came up with this solution, and he is tickled pink by it! He is 8, BTW.

I am going to make a trip to the Dollar Store. I have a huge list of candy that is listed as "gluten free" that my local Celiacs society puts out each year. I am going to buy the candies he can have off that list that are his favorites- but in the bigger forms.

I am then going to set up a Candy Store. Each bigger item will have a price of, say 10 smaller pieces of candy. He can trade his candy for the ones he really wants! Then, we are taking that candy into work with Daddy, where it will be put in a bowl for the customers to eat.

I just wanted to share that idea. This is just one of a number of ideas I am coming up to make my son's life more *fun* when it comes to foods and all the limitations that they cause him. He also has a dairy intolerance, so the issues are numerous.

JAT!

[buffettbride]

I think that is a great idea. I might try something similar with my 10 year old. This is her first Halloween as a Celiac.

Do you happen to have that list you were given for this year's gluten-free halloween candy? I've been looking for a current one, but only can find one from ROCK for 2006.

[jmd3]

This is my dd first Halloween gluten free - that is a great idea! I noticed that you have a list of candies from the celiac society - could you please post the list and also please share the list of dairy free-gluten free candies....I am missing this and thought perhaps as a treat I could have a piece of gluten-free/CF candy.... Thanks!

[missy'smom]

That's a great idea.

I know it's alot of work but if someone could post a list that'd be great.

I decided to order from Oriental Trading Co. and give out glow in the dark vampire fangs and bouncy balls instead of candy this year. I spent a little more than I would have on candy but I feel better about it and we can save the leftovers for next year or donate bouncy balls to the school for prizes(they're always asking and usually give candy, arrgh! ).

[zarfkitty]

What great ideas! Here's another one:

This is my daughter's first Halloween with dietary restrictions. She's going to trick-or-treat for UNICEF instead of for candy. (I already bought a bunch of Gluten-free Casein-free candies for her to pig out on at the appropriate time!)

Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a great way for kids to help other kids and it's been going on since 1952. You can get an orange UNICEF donation box at your local Hallmark shop (it's free). It's a small cardboard box with a slot in the top for coins. At each house, the trick-or-treater asks for spare change in addition to candy (or in our case, instead of candy). Then you send the money to UNICEF to help kids around the world.

Yay!

[Ridgewalker]

What excellent ideas! This is our first gluten-free Halloween as well. I, too, would appreciate that list of safe candy.

[Darn210]

I'll throw out what I'm doing for Halloween. I thought about trading candy but quite honestly, I don't want it in the house (I eat waaaaay more than my fair share, if you know what I mean ). Plus, the kids do a camping trip one of the weekends of Oct and there is trick or treating there, also. So I made a deal with them. They get some candy to eat the night of trick or treating and then they get to pick out three pieces of candy from the camping trip and 7 pieces of candy from Halloween night and then the rest of it is traded in for (dare I say it?) a Webkinz. Then the pounds & pounds of candy will go with my husband to work!! They readily agreed!

[weathertopmama]

Great ideas! This is what we did last year:

We went trick-or-treating in a nearby neighborhood, just for the tradition and social aspect of it. When we came home, they handed me their pumpkin baskets, and went into our dining room which I had decorated for our home party They were immediately distracted by the goodies and decorations. I had a little bag of gluten-free candy for each of them, and the crockpot of chili was ready.

While DH and the boys began on the supper, I went in the other room and dumped all their T-or-T candy in a big bowl to hand out to the trick-or-treaters that came to our door. Our boys didn't eat any of it! They didn't care; they had their bags of safe candy.

I don't know if this would work for kids old enough to trick-or-treat without parents. Probably not.

[Nikki'smom]

What great ideas! This is our 1st halloween gluten-free. so far my dd (7) hasn't questioned anything so i am not setting up a back up plan but I will certainly keep these in the back of my mind just incase! Thanks!

That list would be wonderful is it could be posted.

[Lisa]

I tried to post a link and unable too.

Google "Gluten Free Candy List" and you will find the 2006 ROCK List.

It's not guarenteed current, but close.

Happy Halloween!

[Stargate-geek]

Oh man! I wish my mom had done that with me! Since 4, we knew I couldn't have red dye, so I'd always traded with my sister (who was a little less then fair, but nothing I could do about it.) Then when I was 9, we discover I couldn't have gluten OR chocolate! That meant 98% of the candy was poison to me! So I ended up going, but not enjoying myself much know it was pointless, giving all the candy to my dad to take to work with him. I always felt like the odd one out.

That's a really good idea though! If I ever have celiac kids, I'll be sure to use that idea!

[kbtoyssni]

I've heard of some parents trading for money, too. Like a quarter for each piece of non-gluten-free candy. If I were a kid, I would totally have taken the money. I guess it depends on what motivates your kid!

We weren't allowed to eat any candy while trick-or-treating. That night we'd spend hours sorting and trading, but not eating any. After dinner we were allowed a few pieces, but we always shared with our parents. We got a few pieces every night, but we never ended up eating it all. My brother and I weren't big candy people. We would have been so much more happy with money.

[AidansMom2006]

These are all great ideas! This is our first gluten-free Halloween; however it's our first time to trick-or-treat since my son is only 15 months old. Having a child who's never tasted candies with soy or dairy already--and has had very little candy as it is--makes it much easier. Kids who have already formed a taste for sweets, cheese, etc.. must have it much harder.

[crittermom]

We do the traditional trade a piece of G candy for gluten-free candy. They can have a few pieces on Halloween night. Then that night I take out a handful of candy and hide it. The next day they can have a couple of pieces, then I take out a couple of handfuls that night and hide it. I do this until there are only a few pieces left. I am not sure if this will work this year as my daughter is older and little more observant than in past years. I did this even when she wasn't gluten-free. Although she never wants candy more than 2 or 3 days past Halloween. For her it's all about the dressing up and going out T o T with my nephew. My sister and I dress up as well and take all the kids out! We have a blast and she is always more interested in that than the actual candy. Hope you all have a safe and fun Halloween!