Halloween candy tips for trick-or-treaters with food allergies

CHICAGO (WLS) -- So many kids gleefully anticipate the Halloween candy free-for-all, but embracing the holiday can be a challenge for children with food allergies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that food allergies affect one in thirteen kids. So, you will almost certainly have a superhero or princess with food restrictions at your doorway this Halloween.

Susie Hultquist with the food allergy app Spokin has some easy tweaks for your candy collection to make the holiday more inclusive for all.

The first category is allergy-focused brands with facilities dedicated to being free of allergens, such as Enjoy Life Free2b, Yum Earth and Blake's Krispy Treats.

The second category is what she called "accidentally allergy friendly," which are mainstream brands that are easy to find and their facility happens to be free of at least one allergen. Brands include blow pops, Pez, Dots, Hi Chew, Jelly Belly, Bazooka Gum, Double Bubble, Tootsie, Junior Mints.

The third category is "Top 9-Free," candies, which are free of the top nine allergens, but their facilities are not declared free of the allergens. Brands include Skittles, Starburst, Airheads, Sour Patch Kids, Pixy Stix, Swedish Fish and Atomic Fireballs.

The Spokin app can be downloaded in the Apple App Store, or visit www.spokin.com to learn more.