It may be tough to peel your child away from their favorite gluten-free candy, but by offering some creative and healthy Halloween treats, you can help your child maintain a balanced and nutritious diet. Here are some ideas:

Set a good example

It’s hard to tell your child to take it easy on the candy when you’re handing out the sweet stuff. Opt for mini bags of gluten-free snacks like Froose Gummies, which offer a good source of fiber, or Kay’s Naturals, which are packed with protein. Bags of microwave popcorn are another healthy and gluten-free option (just don’t buy the ones loaded with butter!)

You can also go the non-food route and hand out things like glow sticks or festive erasers, as one parent noted.

Play with your food

You eat with your eyes first, so make it a festive scene. Try making a Taco Dip Dragon or Haunted Forest Platter  to entice your child with some real food. Remember to make the necessary swaps to ensure it’s gluten-free. (Peel a zucchini into strips to replace the spaghetti!).

Pump up dessert

Give brownies a healthy boost by making them with pumpkin puree. Best of all, you can still use a gluten-free box mix! Get the recipe for Gluten-Free Pumpkin Brownies. If you’re not a fan of pumpkin, try mixing in applesauce or black beans instead.

Repurpose your sweets

Candy doesn’t have to be enjoyed straight out of the wrapper. Crumble a peanut butter cup over low fat yogurt, or melt a chocolate bar and drizzle it over some sliced apples. The kids will still be eating sweets, but they’ll be part of a “better for you” treat. Plus, it’s a chance for your gluten-free child to help in the kitchen.

For a list of Gluten-Free Candy, visit CeliacCentral.org.

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While I was developing Kids Central, I had a few meetings with our friends at Froose, who are just as excited about this new section as we are. At each meeting, there were Froose Gummy Snacks available, and no one could resist snagging a bag.

The Gummy Snacks are fruity, soft and chewy, just like the fruit snacks I enjoyed as a kid. But what sets them apart is they’re all-natural, low in sugar, and made with organic gluten-free whole grains and fruit. It’s nutrition cleverly disguised in a moose-shaped gummy. Plus, they come in individual packs, so they’re perfect for lunchboxes or on-the-go.

Froose also makes a line of Beverages. Like the Gummy Snacks, Froose Beverages contains gluten-free whole grains. That addition may sound unusual, but it makes the beverage a lot more nutritious than a sugary juice drink. Texture-wise, it’s akin to a smoothie, but the convenient single serving size makes it just as portable as any juice box. My favorite flavor is Perfect Pear, but they also come in Playful Peach and Cheerful Cherry.

Froose Gummy Snacks and Beverages are popping up at stores across the country. To find them, use the company’s product locator or shop online at Froose.com.

Win a Froose Prize Pack!

In support of NFCA’s Awareness All-Stars fundraiser, Froose donated Gummy Snacks and Beverages as prizes for top fundraisers. Kids who earn more than 1,000 points will have the chance to win 1 of 10 Froose Prize Packs containing an assortment of Gummy Snacks and Beverage boxes. The top 3 fundraisers will each win a Froose Prize Pack containing several boxes of Gummy Snacks, Beverages boxes and family-size Beverages. For more information, see our Awareness All-Star Prize Details.

The fundraiser runs through Dec. 31, 2011, so your kids will have plenty of time to rack up points if you start now.

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Start by reading “Trick or Treat the Gluten Free Way” an article on the NFCA’s official webpage by Heather Stern. Heather highlights six great ways to have a happy and safe gluten-free Halloween. At the end of this great article there is a link to the ABC News article “Trick or Treat but Hold the Wheat” that covers important facts about food allergies and how to avoid them this Halloween.

Next, return to the NFCA’s webpage for “Gluten-Free Halloween Candy List”. This page has links to three amazing lists compiled by Alison St.Sure of Surefoodsliving.com. You may also want to check out the October 2009 edition of the NFCA Newsletter for the “Gluten-Free Goblins and Ghost” article which is filled with fun GF Halloween ideas. Finally, and most importantly, use all this information to insure you have a less stressful and very Happy Halloween.

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