Our teenage daughter’s journey with celiac disease this summer has been life-changing.
She has now been off gluten for more than three months. In that time, she has seen incredibly impactful changes in her physical and mental health.
We’ve found new, gluten-free foods and snacks that she loves. Most of all, she loves feeling strong and healthy again. We never want to go back to poisoning her body with gluten!
But, once in a while, she gets accidentally glutened by a spooky unknown source. When this happens, we have to go into detective mode to figure it out so we can eradicate it from her diet again.
Most recently, the source was extremely unexpected: gummy candy. Specifically, our former favorites, Haribo gummies, contain gluten. This breaks our hearts – and it was especially insidious because I have seen Haribo included on many gluten-free candy lists. It sucks, but this served as a great reminder that we always have to read all labels, even on familiar things, and also use the GF scanner app as a second safety precaution!
Another long-time favorite of Z’s, Nerds Gummy Clusters, also may contain gluten because they recently made her very sick. It’s frustrating because I never would have guessed it from the label, but the GF scanner app confirmed that Nerds gummy clusters are not safe for celiacs.
Gluten does not seem necessary in gummy candy and I hate that even these familiar childhood treasures are not safe for our girl. Fortunately, though, there are plenty of sweet, gummy substitutes that do not contain gluten. Here are some of our GF favorites, just in time for Halloween!
- Albanese gummies are delicious, fruity and gluten-free. Plus, they’re made just one state over from us in Indiana. We should really go tour the plant!
- Black Forest gummies are gluten-free and made with fruit juice and plant-based sources.
- Sour Patch Kids are gluten-free for those who love that sour-sweet sizzle and kick – like our Z!
On the non-gummy candy side, there are also lots of good options:
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Reese’s Pieces are gluten-free. Some caution is still required, because some seasonal variations from Reese’s are not GF. Our girl has loved Reese’s PB cups and Reese’s Pieces since she was small, so I’m glad those are still on the nice list!
- Brach’s and Jelly Belly Candy Corn are both gluten-free, and both Z and I still love these sweet little suckers. Don’t assume that all candy corn is celiac safe, however; be sure to check labels and the GF scanner.
For more celiac-safe sweet treats, here’s a great list of gluten-free candy and chocolate from a reputable source. As always, be sure to check labels and use the GF scanner app to be absolutely certain.
Happy Halloween!
