Halloween food safety
Trick or treat?
All kids should be careful before eating trick-or-treat goodies at Halloween -- especially those with allergies and sensitivities. Here are some key safety tips:
Before
- Tell your children not to accept -- and especially not to eat -- anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
- Have dinner with your kids before they go out so they aren't tempted to munch -- too much! -- while trick-or-treating.
After
- Don't let kids eat any candy or other treats until you or another adult has checked it.
- Throw away anything homemade.
- Check all commercially wrapped treats for small holes in the wrappers. Throw out anything that's torn, unwrapped or in loose packaging.
- Be cautious before giving treats that could be potential choking hazards (e.g., chewy candies, gum, hard candies, lollipops, peanuts).
- When in doubt, throw it out!
Children with allergies and sensitivities
Some Halloween treats may contain allergens. Common food allergens found in candy are peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, milk and eggs. Please see the Common Food Allergens web page for detailed information on the list of substances most frequently associated with food allergies and allergic-type reactions in Canada.
Here's a good approach:
- Read all labels carefully.
- Only give your child treats that list the ingredients.
- Don't give your child products with warning labels such as "may contain" statements, if they have an allergy to something listed in the statement.
- Don't give your child products of which you are unsure.