Q: Pam – My child is going trick-or-treating for the first time this year and she has a milk allergy. I know I will have to remove some of the candy from her bag, but are there any non-dairy candies she can eat?

A: Alisa – When it comes to miniature chocolates and candy bars, most have not yet reached the realm of dairy-free. Unless one of your neighbors was kind enough to stock one of the items from my recommended list, or is giving out full-size dark chocolate bars that are made without milk ingredients (still check to make sure they are appropriate for  the severity of the allergy at hand since chocolate is typically at high risk for cross-contamination with milk ingredients in processing), I would consider all of the chocolate items in your child’s Halloween loot off limits.

Beyond chocolates, some surprise candies do contain milk ingredients. Put up the warning flag when you spot those popular tootsie rolls, caramels, and “cream” hard candies. Also, some seemingly safe hard candies like butterscotch discs are sometimes dairy-free, made with mostly corn syrup and artificial ingredients. Yet, the rogue brand includes a touch of real butter, so use caution ...

Fortunately, this still leaves your child with many sweets to enjoy, and some other tasty options too. Here are some great lists of Halloween candy options:

• GFCF List (dairy-free / gluten-free) from: The GFCF Experience 
• Vegan Lists (dairy-free / egg-free / gelatin-free) from: VegNews and PETA Kids
• Food Allergy List (dairy-free / gluten-free / egg-free / nut-free / soy-free) from: Sure Foods Living
• Pareve Candies (dairy-free) from: Oh Nuts - Reader Dayna suggested her favorite, Nutty Chews from Paskesz. Oh Nuts carries the Paskesz line and also identifies many other pareve sweets.

Also, here are some more tips and ideas to help your child safely enjoy some Halloween treats:

1) Many food allergy moms stock “safe” candies and chocolates at home (see my recommended list for some potential chocolates for your little one) and they swap out the “bad” candies for an assortment of safe ones when their child returns home.

2) Those miniature versions of full-sized candy packages and candy bars may actually possess different ingredients or be made in a different facility than their larger cousins. So don’t assume they are safe even if you are used to sharing the regular-sized candies with your little one.

3) Another food allergy mom trick is to deliver “safe” candies to a few friendly neighbors, so that they can give those treats to your child.

4) Make some homemade candies; your child may even enjoy the process of helping out. Some great recipe options are:

• Wicked Treats – Recipes for dairy-free, egg-free, and gelatin-free Ghostly Vanilla Fudge, Jelly Bites, Licorice, Peanut Butter Fingers, Rice Crackle Bars, and Tootsie Chews (pictured above).
• Vegan Candy Corn
• Gummy Bears
• Peanut Butter "Truffles"
• Coconut Joy Candy Bars

For more dairy-free Q&A topics, see our Ask Alisa Page.

Alisa Fleming is the founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. In addition to her own dairy-free lifestyle, Alisa has experience in catering to the needs of various special diets, including gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, vegan, and multiple food allergies.

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