We look forward to it from the moment summer turns to fall. There are weeks of anticipation. "What are you going to be this year?" you ask your child, and the possibilities get bandied about. But Halloween, or All Hollows Eve is not always so simple.

In fact, if your kid has food allergies, this beloved holiday can be a literal "Fright Night." For those with severe food allergies, trick-or-treating is like navigating a mine field, particularly if your child has anaphylaxis (a life threatening allergic reaction). For some kids, just one bite of a candy containing only trace amounts of an allergen such as peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, cashews, etc.), or dairy can cause an anaphylactic response. Other common allergenic ingredients often avoided on Halloween are eggs (think marshmallow filling), wheat (often in licorice, believe it or not), and soy (very often in chocolate). But there are ways to get through Halloween safely, healthily, and still have tons of fun.

First line of defense, always trick-or-treat with your food allergic child. Second, be prepared; bring along your epi-pens (injectors containing epinephrine)—there are too many stories of kids who sneak a bite when mom or dad aren't looking, so arm yourself against unforeseen accidents. Third, be prepared with candy and treats at home to swap out for unsafe collected candy (along same lines, read every ingredient label, and get rid of any candy without a listing of the ingredients, and never assume a mini version of a larger bar has the same ingredients—often they don't).

Teach your child to politely decline homemade goodies. Many people suggest asking your neighbors to supply special allergen-free candy for their kids. Personally, I prefer to provide my neighbors with that candy myself. Call me paranoid, but when even my own family members can't keep the allergen issue straight, why assume your neighbor can... or should. Why not supply several houses around your block with some allergen-free options for your kid? There are many great allergen-free candy options available at The Allergy Grocer. Or check out Econaturals for St. Claire's organic allergen-free hard candies. You can also shop at the Candy Warehouse in their "allergy free zone." For those whose kids are on a GFCF diet (gluten-free, casein-free) try the Chocolate Emporium. And if you're looking for safe peanut-free, tree nut-free candy, look at the amazing selection at Vermont Nut Free Chocolates. Another bonus to buying these allergen-free candies for your kids is that many of them are much healthier than traditional candy, as they are made without artificial flavor and dyes.

Another way to think outside the traditional box is providing the neighbors with non-candy treats. "What? No candy?!" you ask in horror. Yup, that's what I'm suggesting. Whether it's your own swap-out tool, or you give it to the neighbors to distribute, why not try giving your kids Halloween-themed toys? A recent study from Yale University found that children are just as likely to choose a small toy as candy when offered both. Believe it or not, in a trial conducted on Halloween, 2003, of 284 kids ages 3 to 14 who were offered toys and candy, all comparable in size, color, and cost, a whopping 50 percent chose the toys over the candy. I don't know about you, readers, but that certainly puts a smile on my face. Think of the myriad of healthy options. Think of how much corn syrup you're avoiding. Light sticks, glow in the dark insects, halloween-themed stickers and pencils, tattoos, vampire teeth, spider rings, light-up eyeballs, the list goes on and on. Some parents of food allergic kids recommend avoiding the whole trick-or-treating experience by doing something else fun on Halloween, like going to the movies. Sure, that might be great for older kids, but little ones love to dress up and be indulged. So as another option to trick or treating, why not throw your own halloween party? That way, you can control what kinds of treats the kids eat. In addition to making Halloween-themed homemade allergen-free treats, here are some great Halloween party ideas:

• Costume Parade
• Halloween Pinata (with 50% safe candy, and 50% Halloween-themed toys!)
• Bobbing for Apples
• Pumpkin Carving/decorating
• Scavenger Hunt
• Ghost Story
• Pin the Wart on the Witch
• Mad Scientist Lab -- in a covered box, place items such as peeled grapes (eye balls), spaghetti (veins or worms), potato chips (scabs), dried apricots (ears), tapioca (frog eggs), a big damp sponge (brains), etc.
• Face Painting
• Mummy Wrap (divide into teams and choose a mummy -- then compete by wrapping in toilet paper to see who creates the best mummy)
• Magic Show
  

And don't forget about that Halloween party at school. To play it safe, you may want to volunteer on that day. Provide some allergen-free options for the party, and keep an eye on your kid. Based on past experience, allergenic ingredients seem to sneak their way into goodie bags not matter how many times you remind others about your child's food allergies. So get involved and enjoy a happy, healthy, and safe Halloween!