Halloween is a time for dressing up, getting together with friends, watching spooky films and, of course, enjoying plenty of treats!
For many children, it's one of the most exciting nights of the year. Planning costumes, carving pumpkins and heading out trick-or-treating are all part of the fun. But for children living with food allergies, intolerances or coeliac disease, Halloween can come with a few extra worries.
At Lazy Day, we believe every child deserves to join in the joy, without feeling left out because of their dietary requirements.
Halloween Treats Have Changed
Remember the days when Halloween meant someone handing out a handful of monkey nuts, loose sweets or homemade treats?
While those might bring back memories for some, they can also present challenges for children with food allergies.
According to the Food Standards Agency, an estimated 5–8% of children in the UK have a food allergy. That's a significant number of children who may need to think twice before enjoying the sweets collected on Halloween night.
Thankfully, there's much more awareness of food allergies today, and small changes can make a big difference.
Individually wrapped treats with clear allergen information can be particularly helpful, allowing parents and carers to check ingredients before deciding whether something is suitable. They also help protect food from accidental contact with other treats.
Of course, being individually wrapped doesn't automatically make a product safe for someone with allergies, and checking the packaging is always essential.
Making Trick-or-Treating More Inclusive
If you're planning to welcome trick-or-treaters this Halloween, there are a few simple things you can do to help more children feel included.
Choose clearly labelled treats. Keep sweets in their original packaging so parents can check ingredients and allergen information.
Consider free-from options. Having a selection of treats that cater for different dietary requirements could make someone's Halloween that little bit more special.
Offer non-food treats too. Stickers or small Halloween toys are great alternatives for children who can't safely enjoy the sweets available.
Keep treats separate. Store different options separately to help reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
At Lazy Day, our cakes, biscuits and traybakes are gluten-free, milk-free, egg-free, suitable for vegans and all made in our dedicated free-from bakery in Scotland.
Our individually wrapped products can be a handy option for Halloween, with each treat protected in its own packaging. Just remember to make the full product and allergen information available, and let parents decide what's suitable for their child.
Spooky Treats You Can Make at Home
If you're planning a Halloween party or a cosy spooky night in, we've got some simple ideas to make your favourite Lazy Day treats a little more frightening!
1. Mummy Cake Bars 👻
Give our Belgian Chocolate Cake Bars a spooky makeover by transforming them into little Halloween mummies!
Simply drizzle melted white chocolate over the Cake Bars to create a mummy bandage effect. Add edible googly eyes, or create eyes with the melted chocolate and leave the chocolate to set.
They're quick, easy and a great activity for the family to try together.
2. Orange Tiffin Cobwebs 🕸️
Our Orange Tiffin is delicious enough on its own, but a little white chocolate decoration makes it perfect for Halloween.
Melt some white chocolate and carefully pipe thin cobweb patterns onto the top of each slice. Don't worry about making them perfect, slightly uneven webs make them look even more homemade!
Arrange your decorated slices on a serving plate with a few Halloween decorations for a spooky centrepiece.
3. Creepy Cornflake Cluster Spiders 🕷️
For something a little different, turn our Chocolate Cornflake Clusters into spooky little spiders!
Use melted chocolate to add eyes and small fang-shapes to each cluster. Leave everything to set before serving.
These creepy little creations are perfect for a Halloween party platter and are so simple to make.
An important reminder: When decorating treats for anyone with food allergies or coeliac disease, always check that your additional ingredients and decorations are suitable for their dietary needs. Be mindful of cross-contamination when preparing food, too.
Let's Make Halloween Fun for Everyone!
Halloween should be about making memories, having fun and enjoying the excitement of the occasion.
Whether you're heading out trick-or-treating, hosting a Halloween party or enjoying a spooky film night at home, taking a little extra care when choosing treats can help make the celebrations more inclusive.
If you're looking for more guidance on managing food allergies this Halloween, take a look at Allergy UK's Halloween advice, which includes helpful tips for parents and anyone welcoming trick-or-treaters.
And if you recreate any of our spooky Lazy Day treats, we'd love to see them! Tag us on Instagram so we can see your Halloween creations.