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A blog about all things allergen-free and delicious

Entries in jelly beans (2)

Tuesday
Oct182011

Tender Halloween Candy List (Allergen-free & Vegan)

 

If you are reading this post, and are a parent of food allergic kids, you don’t need me blabbering on about what a pain in the buttocks Halloween can be.  It must be tough to tell your kids that they can’t go trick or treating or that they can’t trade candy with their friends. Your kids just want to belong.  And Halloween is a huge social event.

For some children, however, even the very presence of allergens like peanuts, dairy or wheat could be deadly, so even wrapped, allergen-free candies mixed in a bowl with other candy can cause a reaction.

To help with the candy part of Halloween, we are compiling a “living list” of candy and other treats that are free of the most common allergens.  If you have a favorite that isn’t here, send me an e-jingle.  I’ll research it and add it to the list as appropriate. 

Stay tuned for more from Melanie Potock on creative (and practical) ways to deal with the social side of Halloween.  Read my Interview with Melanie on reducing school & food allergy stress...

NOTE:  Please remember to look at EVERY label to double check that each product is safe for you or your child.  Also, if you see something you like, order it soon! 


Free of the top 8 allergens

The candies in this section do not have any of the top 8 allergens (eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, dairy, fish or shellfish)

 

INDIE CANDY

Indie Candy really goes the extra mile to make not only safe, but delicious candy.   I've tried several of their sweets.   Their chocolate truffles are delicious and their gummies are fantastic. 


Indie Candy Lime Frankenstein Lollipop (big 8 allergen free)
Indie Candy Orange Jack O' Lantern Lollipop (big 8 allergen free)
Indie Candy Pineapple Ghost Lollipop (big 8 allergen free)
Indie Candy Orange Jack O' Lantern Gummies (big 8 allergen free)

 

Additional Information on Indie Candy:

  • Kitchen free of Big 8 allergens
  • Cater to a variety of special diets - GFCFSF, vegan and Feingold
  • Kosher certified.
  • Majority of our ingredients are organic.

 

 

Enjoy Life

 click image to go to coupon.Chocolate Bars

  •  Big 8 free
  • Made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery     

 

 

Yummy Earth Organic Candies 

They sell wholesale allergen-free and organic hard candies with names like "Roadside Rootbeer Barrells" and Pomegranate Pucker".  None specifically for Halloween it seems, but they are in retail stores like Whole Foods, Baby's R Us and many Marriotts around the country. Thanks to NourishMD.com for this suggestion.

  •  Big 8 Free
  •  No High Fructose Corn Syrup
  •  Free of MSG
  •  100% Natural Colors
  • No chemical dyes
  • Real Fruit Extracts   
  • 100% Natural Flavors
  • Kof-K Kosher Parve
  • Processing Plant: no tree nuts or peanuts allowed in the facility.

 

 

Gimbal's Gourmet Candies 

The gourmet jelly beans look great, and they make those and their other flavors without the Big 8 allergens.  We haven't tasted them yet, but we like their ingredients and their philosophy.  Their Honey Lover's flavors support a project that keeps the ever-important honey-bee healthy, alive and pollinating.  Gimbal’s donates 5% of Honey Lovers proceeds to the University of California Davis Honey Bee Research.

  • Big 8 free
  • Gelatin-free
  • Kosher-Pareve
  • No High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Facility is free of big 8 allergens

Sold online through Candy Direct.

 

Free of Many Common Allergens

 

These candies are free of some of the most common allergens.

 

Premium Chocolates 

Thanks to Audrey Depenbrok for this suggestion.  Audrey has good taste in vegan cupcakes, is a dairy-free Tender Foodie contributor, and a chocolaholic like myself.  So I respect her judgement here.

Located in Lakeside, NJ, or order online:  http://www.premiumchocolatiers.com/

  • Soy-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Vegan
  • Kosher-Pareve
  • Nut-free
  • Testing:  Random testing for dairy & nuts

 

Goody Good Stuff

Gummies, is what I would call these candies, and I heard of them through Saffron's Gluten-free MarketDeb, from Saffron's calls them "gummie-type thingies". 

  • Vegetarian
  • Fat-free
  • Meat-free
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free 
  • Gluten-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gelatin-free
  • Soy-free   

 

 

 

Fancypants Bakery

 

Fancypants makes the cutest nut-free cookies.  Just too cute to eat.

  • Peanut-free
  • Tree nut-free
  • Facility:  Nut-free

 

 

 

 

Divvies Bakery

Divvies (and their jelly beans) gets mentioned by fans on the Tender Palate Facebook Page every so often, and Halloween has been no expection.  Divvies is a bakery, and they make candy as well.  Including ghosts, goblins and dinosaurs.  Rahr.

  • Peanut-free
  • Tree Nut-free
  • Egg-free
  • Dairy-free
  • dedicated facility where no peanuts, tree nuts, milk or eggs "enter the doors". And Divvies uses ingredients that are certified allergen-free.
  • Divvies conducts routine testing to minimize the risk of any cross-contamination in their certified allergen-free ingredients.

 

 

 

Potential Mainstream Candies

I say “potential” for these, since there is no testing or processing information on the web site.


Dove Chocolate

Rockford Allergy Food Network, a support group for food allergies in Michigan, gave me the heads up that many Dove Chocolate products are now produced in a tree-nut- and peanut-free facility.  Bravo, Dove!  Since they went nut-free in 2009 or 2010, there may still be products on the shelves that were produced with nuts.  So read the label carefully for the "May contain" labeling.

  • Peanut-free
  • Treenut-free
  • Allergen-free facility since 2010 (so read your labels carefully)
  • Testing information not available.

 

 

Tootsie Products

It would be great if Tootsie offered facility, allergen testing, and processing information - but they don't.  They have so many options that are gluten- and nut-free.  I have two emails into the company to request further information, but have not heard back.  (They are Kosher-certified, which, in my opinion, is a good sign that they are testing oriented.)

  • Gluten-Free (All Tootsie products are gluten free except Andes cookies.)
  • Peanut-Free
  • Nut Product-Free
  • “Tootsie does not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt, or any of their components, either as ingredients or as part of the manufacturing process.
  • Corn and soy products are used
  • No testing or facility information provided. 
  • Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Fruit Rolls, Frooties and DOTS have become kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union (OU).

 

 

Monday
Apr112011

Food Allergies? Easter Bunnies That Kick the "Big 8" in the Tail.

Easter is April 24. 

 

In my search for candy makers with allergen-free Easter bunnies, gummies and jelly beans, I haven't found any that do it better than Indie Candy.  I gave their chocolate and yummy gummies a try before Valentine's Day, and I "heart" them (read the review).  Indie Candy balances their customers' food allergy needs with great candy making and taste.  And after speaking to the owner, I have a feeling that their passion and knowledge for allergen-free sweets will bring them to new taste heights as their company grows.

The chocolate is high qualit and free of all 8 big allergens (peanuts, treenuts, dairy, wheat/gluten, soy, seafood, shellfish, and eggs).  They even have treats that adhere to the Feingold diet - developed for those with ADHD.

Find them at www.indiecandy.com.

 

Our Tender Readers Recommend

We've started a list from our readers.  Keep them coming!!


Premium Chocolates

To get guaranteed delivery by Easter, orders needed to be in by April 7.  But the chocolate looks great!  Thanks to Audrey for this suggestion.

Located in Lakeside, NJ, Online ordering available.

 

Yummy Earth Organic Candies

They sell wholesale allergen-free and organic hard candies with names like "Roadside Rootbeer Barrells" and Pomegranate Pucker".  None specifically for Easter it seems, but they are in retail stores like Whole Foods, Baby's R Us and many Marriotts around the country. Thanks to NourishMD.com for this suggestion.

In Grand Rapids, MI:  Harvest Health

 

Gimbal's Gourmet Candies

The gourmet jelly beans look great, and they make those and their other flavors without the Big 8 allergens.  We haven't tasted them yet, but we like their ingredients and their philosophy.  Their Honey Lover's flavors support a project that keeps the ever important honey-bee healthy, alive and pollinating.  Gimbal’s donates 5% of Honey Lovers proceeds to the University of California Davis Honey Bee Research.

Sold online through Candy Direct.


Fancy Pants Bakery (Nut-free only)

Though the cookies are NOT gluten or dairy free, they ARE nut free.  They also have adorable easter bunny shapes for a great alternative to candy. 

Sold online directly through www.fancypantsbakery.com.

 

Jules Gluten-Free Easter Basket Cupcakes

Found this recipe through flour guru and gluten-free labeling activist, Jules Shepherd.  It contains several fun gluten-free candies as well.  The recipe looks fun and definitely worth a try!

Find the recipe here.

 

Who's Your Favorite Allergen-Free Candy Maker?

If you have a favorite candy maker with Easter treats - Give an E-jingle and let me know who they are!  I'm always looking for the folks who do it well.  The only rule:  they must produce their products in an allergen-free facility and test for at least one allergen (and must test for all allergens they are claiming to be free of).   Remember, "Vegan" does not mean "Dairy-free".  "Non-Dairy" also does not mean "Dairy-free".  And "traces of..." can be quite harmful for those who have food allergies.

 

This post does not constitute medical advice of any kind.  Please speak to your doctor and understand your own body and its food allergies.  Please read each product label carefully to be sure that it is safe for your or your child's unique situation.