Halloween

                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.

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. 

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?