Halloween
is a hard time to be a Celiac, especially you are allergic to peanuts or other
products. More often I see candy with
peanuts and wheat as opposed to less. When I was child I received peanut free
chocolate and candy. This Halloween when my youngest brother went out the ratio
of peanut filled candy was quite a bit higher.
It is has made me wonder- is the awareness of allergy lower
Or is it more
perverse? A problem that stalks into society and stems into social issues like
bullying- the idea that ‘my child is entitled to eat whatever they
want, including peanuts because they like them?’
Now what you do in your own home is fine- i guess you should
include the option of ‘safe’ candy- although that is a moot pot with the problem
of GMOs . I don’t know but i do know that society needs to redefine empathy and
understanding and move away from framing different perception in a negative manner-
like the breastfeeding and formula feeding debate.
In the case of food allergies and intolerances parents and
children need vigilance. It is hard because you cannot always check the label. The
new labelling laws are helpful- definitely- but you do not always get the
package the candy came in. A lot of
candy is individually wrapped. It is even more difficult when you call and the company
doesn’t know whether they are safe or not. Companies should know this
information. Thankfully some websites
exist that post information about what candy contains and if it is manufactured
on the same lines as wheat and other allergy containing ingredients. This is a
small step in the right direction to ensure the safety of our children and others.
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| M&M's |
Also, there is gluten free candy available now. Companies
such as Enjoy Life produce chocolate bars that are free of the most common
forms of allergens, a great relief to parents.
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| Enjoy Life Chocolate bar |
What do you think of Halloween? Is there a better,easier answer to address the needs of people with gluten intolerance, or allergies?
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