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Allergy Friendly Candy List!

June 27, 2016 by Megan Lavin 46 Comments

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I’ve gone to the most basic, regular, grocery store and easily pulled off eight candies that are all top eight free! If you’ve ever wondered what type of candy to get a kid with food allergies, here is an easy-to-find list. All candies are free of the most common allergens: gluten, dairy, egg, soy, fish, shellfish, peanut and tree nuts! This list is great for class parties, class rewards and especially HALLOWEEN!

Eight Top-8 Free Candies, Safe Candy for Food Allergies for AllergyAwareness.com

Why I Made a List of Allergy Friendly Candy

 I literally get asked “What in the world do you feed your children” question constantly when people hear that my oldest has so many food allergies. But, you’d be so surprised! It can be done!

My entire blog and social media is to help break down this ginormous question. My goal is to help you find items that are easily attainable.

I’ve been asked the “What in the World Do You Feed Your Kids” question by fellow church members, teachers, friends, neighbors and I’m sure the list will go on as my kids get older. So, not only do I hope that this series will be helpful for others, but I’ll probably start giving this link out as well! It’s so nice to have a handy-dandy list somewhere that is easily sharable.

We avoid: wheat, gluten, dairy, egg, peanut, tree nuts, beef and goats milk. And yes, those are all anaphylactic allergies. My son has had anaphylaxis four times, and we go and get re-tested every year by the allergist to confirm. Those are not just intolerances and reading labels can be the difference between life and death for my family.

Eight Top-8 Free Candies, Safe Candy for Food Allergies for AllergyAwareness.com

Please note I am not sponsored by any of these companies, although–I’d totally be open to it (wink, wink, cough, cough). These are just candies we’ve found that work for us, and I want it to be a helpful resource. That said–I did receive the chocolate bars for free in light of full transparency. Speaking of the chocolate…

One thing you’ll notice right off the bat is that there is only one kind of chocolate! Chocolate is a land mine for allergies, so I wasn’t even going to include any. We almost always have to stick to something fruity and gummy. However, I did want people to be aware that they do exist, but you’ll typically only find them at specialty stores or online.

You can also find a fun #FacebookLive video I did at my grocery store around this same subject. Some are the same, and some are not. I just dared myself to spend only a minute and go up and down the candy aisle and see what I could find. Click on the image below (sorry, because it’s live the still shot isn’t great!) to see it.

Allergy Awesomeness Facebook Live

I hope that this helps you find a safe treat for a loved one and to help you realize that yes, food allergic kids can eat some “normal” things. I always find it best to feed everyone to the lowest common denominator, so that everyone can eat the same thing. Not only does that help with inclusion, but it also helps the caretaker or server not worry about little hands or fingers getting a hold of the wrong thing.

Lastly, I know that candy may seem unhealthy–but I do have little kids, who happened to get the sugar addicted gene from me! And, I find we tend to eat more candy during the summer. There’s lots of get togethers, movies, road trips–you name it and candy is typically involved. So, I’ll try to post a salad next, ha!

Important note about allergy friendly candy

Now, as with all things food allergy: PLEASE consultant the parent of the food-allergic child before buying or feeding them anything. Unfortunately, there aren’t many hard and fast rules when it comes to food allergies, and each parent may feel comfortable with different things. For example, some allergies are so severe that they have to call each manufacturer to find out what is processed on the same lines, as it’s not a federal requirement to list if there is a “may contain” warning. I have not made any calls on behalf of these candies. I went strictly off labels, and the fact that my kids have eaten these many times without any issues–*for our particular and individual circumstances*. Only YOU can protect you, right? MMM-K thanks.

Happy and SAFE snacking!

OFFICIAL LIST OF OUR FAVORITE TOP-8 FREE CANDIES FOR FOOD ALLERGIES:

  • Dum Dum Suckers
  • Smarties (please note in Canada they’re called Rockets, smarties in Canada have chocolate & are not allergy friendly)
  • Skittles
  • Mike and Ikes
  • Starbursts
  • Lifesavers
  • Life Saver Gummies
  • Dots
  • Enjoy Life Chocolate
  • Sweedish Fish
  • Air Heads (Note: They have soybean oil. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat the oil. Source.)
  • Pixy Stix
  • Laffy Taffy (Note: They have soy lecithin. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat soy lecithin. Source.)
  • Ring Pops
  • Jolly Ranchers (Note: They have soy lecithin. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat soy lecithin. Source.)
  • Dubble Bubble Gum (does have a warning “soy may be present” so call & check if you have soy allergies)
  • Fun Dip
  • Starburst Pops
  • Surf Sweets–has many types of candies
  • Sour Patch Kids
  • Fruit snacks (Annie’s–vegan too!, Welch’s, Mott’s, Black Forest)
  • Fruit Roll Ups
  • Fruit By The Foot
  • Krabby Patties (Does have a manufactured with other allergens warning, so don’t use if not comfortable with that)
  • Gushers
  • Fluffy Stuff (cotton candy)
  • Jolly Rancher Gummies

PLEASE NOTE that variations of candy, or seasonal candy sometimes have different ingredients than it’s classic counterpart, so always double check your labels and never assume!

Eight Top-8 Free Candies, Safe Candy for Food Allergies for AllergyAwareness.com

*Please note I am an Amazon affiliate, so if you purchase them through the links I provided, I will receive a small wage, at no cost to you. This helps run my blog, thanks in advance!



Looking for more safe candy ideas for food allergies, check out these posts:

Allergy-friendly Easter Candy (Store-bought, top-8-free)

Allergy friendly Easter candy list by AllergyAwesomeness.com

Ten Top-8-free Valentine Candies

food allergy friendly candies for Valentines Day by Allergy Awesomeness

How we trick-or-treat with Food Allergies

Trick-or-Treating-with-food-allergies-by-AllergyAwesomeness.com


Do you want to make a homemade allergy-friendly treat? Here are some super simple ones:

Allergy-friendly Rice Krispie Treats (Top-8-free & Vegan Option)

Allergy-Friendly Rice Krispies Treats (Top 8 Free) --Allergy Awesomeness

How to Make Jello Dairy-Free (Top-8-Free Too!)

 

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Halloween, Soy Free, Top 8 Free Tagged With: What in the World Do You Feed Your Kids

About Megan Lavin

Hi! I'm Megan, a mom to four kids, two with multiple food allergies & one with EOE. I'm a published cookbook author that constantly tweaks recipes to make them allergy friendly--it's an addiction. I share every recipe & tip with you, to help you eat like you did before food allergies & dietary restrictions. You can still be awesome, even with food allergies!

Previous Post: « SunButter, Honey & Banana Muffins (Gluten Free, Top 8 Free, Refined Sugar Free, Vegan Option)
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John

    November 18, 2022 at 7:53 AM

    Smarties are a chocolate candy like M&Ms in Canada

    Reply
    • Megan Lavin

      November 18, 2022 at 9:47 AM

      Right. That’s why I have the info in parenthesis next to it. “Smarties (please note in Canada they’re called Rockets, smarties in Canada have chocolate & are not allergy friendly)”

      Reply
  2. Father, co-host, producer, editor of The Middle School Mind

    October 29, 2022 at 6:21 PM

    Thank you so much for this list! My daughter (peanuts, shellfish) and son (tree nuts, sesame) have had to manage their severe food allergies for some time. Halloween is right around the corner and my kids need to be super wary of what’s in their bag. My son and I have a podcast, The Middle School Mind, and we just released two episodes where we review the allergy-friendly Halloween candy that we are giving out this year. Please take a listen!

    https://themiddleschoolmind.com/2-7-allergy-safe-halloween-candy-part-1/
    In this episode: Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers Mini, Laffy Taffy, Jolly Rancher Stix, Nerds, Milk Duds and Rolo

    https://themiddleschoolmind.com/2-8-allergy-safe-halloween-candy-part-2/
    In this episode: Jolly Rancher Gummies, Goetze’s Bullseye Caramel Creams, Jolly Rancher Lollipops, Whoppers, Sweet Tarts and Oreos

    Reply
  3. Jo Whitaker

    October 20, 2022 at 6:36 PM

    Thanks. I’m doing a Teal Pumpkin for Halloween and I’ll use your list to select the candy.
    No kid should have to skip Halloween just because they can’t eat a Snickers.

    Reply
    • Megan Lavin

      October 20, 2022 at 9:07 PM

      Yes, all kids should be included. Glad the list was helpful.

      Reply
  4. Rachel

    May 22, 2020 at 9:48 PM

    It looks like there’s a small culture clash in the comments. American Smarties (hard, light pastel color, circular pill looking) are indeed top 8 free. For Europe/Canada Smarties are chocolate, similar to M&Ms, with a vibrant shell. Probably best to clarify whenever making a statement about either.

    That being said, I love this series! Sometimes it’s difficult to find out what “normal” things you can eat. I stumbled across this blog a couple days ago and it’s amazing!

    Reply
  5. Heather M

    March 23, 2020 at 12:15 AM

    Smarties??? The main ingredient is MILK chocolate. They are absolutely NOT top 8 allergy free. My son is allergic to milk and egg and I was excited to read this post as it is difficult to find him treats for the holidays and Easter is around the corner. I truly hope your readers didn’t trust your list and give Smarties to any children with milk allergies. You should be 100% sure of what your posting when it comes to such important matters.

    Reply
    • Megan Lavin

      March 23, 2020 at 11:30 AM

      Heather, I appreciate you making sure that people are being careful when talking about food allergies. When posting things like “such and such has XX allergen” please list a source.
      For example, if you go to the smarties homepage, they list this:
      “YES! All Smarties® products are free from peanuts, treenuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, pecans), shellfish, fish, milk, eggs, soybean and wheat. If the UPC number on the packaging begins with “0 11206”, you can be assured that it is manufactured in a peanut-free facility as well.” SOURCE: https://www.smarties.com/faqs/
      So, I’m not sure where you’ve read that Smarties have milk, as I have never and the direct maker of them claims they are milk free as well.

      Reply
  6. Elle @ Only Taste Matters

    July 5, 2016 at 7:04 PM

    What a fantastic series! This is a great post and I can’t wait to read the future ones.

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      July 5, 2016 at 9:00 PM

      Thanks Elle! I’m excited for the next installation of this series!

      Reply
  7. Keeley McGuire

    July 5, 2016 at 2:42 PM

    Great post! It’s a question I get asked often. Many don’t realize these yummy candies are allergy-friendly. 🙂

    Reply
  8. Sandi (@fearless_dining)

    July 5, 2016 at 1:24 PM

    I love this idea….our kids love the candies you found.

    Reply
  9. Amanda

    July 3, 2016 at 6:49 PM

    This is awesome! It is so great to have treats that are top 8 free!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      July 4, 2016 at 5:05 PM

      Amanda–thanks! Yes, top 8 free treats are the best! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Alisa Fleming

    July 2, 2016 at 12:22 PM

    I think this is such a great series idea! I admit, too, that I’ve never outgrown my love for candy. My favorite is Runts, but I’m not sure if they are fully allergy-safe for the top 8.

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      July 4, 2016 at 5:05 PM

      Thanks! I know, I eat way more candy than I should. I havent’ seen a box of Runts in forever–so I’m not sure if it’s allergy friendly or not. I’ll be on the look out now 🙂

      Reply
  11. Ricki

    June 30, 2016 at 7:49 PM

    Will be sharing this with my friends whose kids have allergies–thank you for this post!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 30, 2016 at 10:04 PM

      You’re so very welcome!

      Reply
  12. amanda -runtothefinish

    June 30, 2016 at 9:21 AM

    Mike and Ikes have been a long time favorite around here, good to know they don’t have anything that’s going to make me feel bad either!!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 30, 2016 at 10:03 PM

      Yes, I’ve been known to eat an entire box myself. Mike n Ike lovers unite!

      Reply
  13. Gluten Free With Emily

    June 29, 2016 at 7:12 PM

    I get asked “what do you eat?” All the time too!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 30, 2016 at 10:03 PM

      Seriously. It’s the question you can count on being asked when you eat differently!

      Reply
  14. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

    June 29, 2016 at 11:05 AM

    Love your article, there is so much goodness and knowledge here. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 29, 2016 at 1:26 PM

      Ahh, thanks so much Megan! That’s one of the goals of my blog is to spread awareness and knowledge of food allergies, so that makes me so happy you feel it does that.

      Reply
  15. Kelly @ TastingPage

    June 29, 2016 at 8:13 AM

    Good information to share to those parents who have kids with allergies. Knowledge is king!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 29, 2016 at 1:14 PM

      Thanks Kelly! Yes, knowledge definitely is power, and in food allergy cases, saves lives!

      Reply
  16. Heather

    June 28, 2016 at 4:51 PM

    My heart goes out to all parents whose children have allergies. This is a very helpful post!! My hope is that these companies offer organic options in the future.

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 8:58 PM

      Thank you! Yes, if they could make them organic and dye free, that’d be even better. Baby steps! 🙂

      Reply
  17. Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons

    June 28, 2016 at 1:26 PM

    Great list! I’m always happy when schools send home recommendations for treats/snacks when their are allergic kiddos in the class-happy to keep them safe, but nice when it’s easy!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 1:39 PM

      So glad you found it helpful. Yes, it’s nice to arm everyoen with info. I know most are willing, but just don’t know what. Thanks!!

      Reply
  18. Cricket Plunkett

    June 28, 2016 at 1:13 PM

    Swedish fist are my favorite too, glad to see they made the list!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 1:40 PM

      They’re my favs too!

      Reply
  19. Nutrimom

    June 28, 2016 at 1:11 PM

    I see a lot of familiars that we use but one of our favorites is Enjoy Life Foods 😉

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 1:40 PM

      Yes, thank goodness for them, otherwise my son would never know what a chocolate bar tasted like!

      Reply
  20. Julie

    June 28, 2016 at 12:23 PM

    This is a great post. There are so many people that don’t even give it a thought when offering children candy that it may be a bad idea.

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 1:41 PM

      Thanks so much Julie! I hope by bringing this to people’s attention it will help them think. I appreciate it.

      Reply
  21. Celeste

    June 28, 2016 at 8:25 AM

    I always stock up on Dum Dums for Halloween, but I had no idea these other candies were top 8 free too! Thanks for this great list, I’ll be sharing it for sure!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 10:26 AM

      Thanks Celeste! Yes, I’ll def have to re-share this around Halloween!

      Reply
  22. Katie Clark

    June 27, 2016 at 10:27 PM

    This was such a great post! I think it’s so important for everyone to know about different products that are (often) good for allergen-free children. I will definitely be keeping this one handy for reference later on. And I loved your FB live video – you are so good on camera!

    Reply
    • allergyawesomeness@gmail.com

      June 28, 2016 at 10:26 AM

      Thanks so much for the kind words, Katie! Yes, I’m hoping to re-share this at the beginning of the school year, as I think people would be willing to be more accomodating, if they realized that there’s many things that are easy, that their kids already like too! Hugs!

      Reply

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Megan

Hi! I'm Megan, a mom to four kids, two with multiple food allergies & one with EOE. I'm a published cookbook author that constantly tweaks recipes to make them allergy friendly--it's an addiction. I share every recipe & tip with you, to help you eat like you did before food allergies & dietary restrictions. You can still be awesome, even with food allergies!

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