13 Tips for a Safe Halloween

With the ongoing pandemic, trick-or-treating needs to be handled differently to ensure health and safety. Use these tips to help prevent exposure to the coronavirus as well as avoid allergy, asthma and food allergy issues, before, during and after trick-or-treating.

Treat Givers — Treat Givers

Wear a mask to answer the door and gloves to distribute candy. For a less-contact and self-serve option, move the treat bowl or box outside of your home and sit inside the doorway to offer greeting to trick-or-treaters.

Facemask — Facemask

Remember that a large proportion of our trick or treaters are not yet eligible to be vaccinated. In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.

Hand Sanitizer — Hand Sanitizer

Carry hand sanitizer with you to use frequently, especially before touching your face and after touching shared surfaces such as doorbells or handles. Hands should always be washed with soap, before and after eating, especially if someone has a food allergy, and any time hands are visibly soiled.

Eczema and Face Paint — Eczema and Face Paint

Use hypoallergenic face paint for costumes. Avoid face and grease paints if your child has chronic red, itchy skin.

Colored Hair Spray — Colored Hair Spray

If using colored hair spray, don't spray toward the face, and use it in a well-ventilated area to avoid irritating eyes and lungs.

Asthma and Trick-or-Treating — Asthma and Trick-or-Treating

Consider pretreating for asthma. Emotions, such as excitement, cool air and dust can trigger asthma attacks in some children.

Safe Treats for the Road — Safe Treats for the Road

Avoid the unknown, take a safe candy alternative with you as you are trick-or-treating.

Be Prepared for Emergencies — Be Prepared for Emergencies

Always carry liquid or chew tab antihistamine and epinephrine with you if it was prescribed for your child’s food allergies and a rescue inhaler if prescribed for asthma.

Wait to Eat Treats — Wait to Eat Treats

Have your child wait to eat candy until you get home and can inspect it.

No Label, No Eat — No Label, No Eat

Don’t eat candy that doesn’t have a label.

When in Doubt, Toss it Out — When in Doubt, Toss it Out

Don’t eat candy that shows any signs of tampering.

Missing Allergen Information — Missing Allergen Information

If candy labels don’t show allergen information, look up the candy’s ingredients online or throw it away.

Non-Food Treat Ideas — Non-Food Treat Ideas

Offer age-appropriate non-food items for kids with food allergies. Ideas include pencils, crayons, rings, glow-in-the-dark necklaces & rings, spinning tops, sunglasses, small toys, hair bands, barrettes, puzzle booklets, handheld puzzles and yo-yos.

Teal Pumpkin — Teal Pumpkin

Consider putting a teal pumpkin on the doorstep or sign on the door to let trick-or-treaters know that you have allergy-safe treat options. More about the Teal Pumpkin Project.

Halloween Treat Shopping Guide — Halloween Treat Shopping Guide

Offer nut-free candy. See a list of suggestions.

How to Manage Candy Intake — How to Manage Candy Intake

Try to balance candy consumption by allowing a piece or two a day instead of all-you-can-eat.

This information has been approved by Shannon Kasperbauer, MD and Anna Meyer, MD (September 2021).