Halloween is almost here and I'm pretty confident I can keep my picky eater from turning into a little monster as the night of receiving treats approaches. Some tricks I learned to keep up my sleeve throughout the years:

1. I like to pack a "safe" candy bag and keep it at home. He still will go trick-or-treating, but when he came home, I can reward him for taking part in the very social and stimulating (especially for those little ones with autism) practice by giving him his goodie bag of his very own. I have even added some dollar-store toys to his bag in the past to make it extra special.

2. I have in the past only passed out gf candy, such as Tootsie Rolls and M&Ms. That way I can keep the leftovers. I also keep plenty of gfcf candy on hand, such as Skittles, Mike and Ikes and Laffy Taffy.

3. We have stuck to non-candy treats. We have passed out glow-sticks, raisins and fruit snacks.

4. We have pretty much steered clear of candy corn. Gluten hides inside its "modified food starch." Some people say Brach's brand is gluten-free, but I have yet to hear from the company on a definite answer, so I'm not going to risk it. Jelly Belly brand definitely is, but I haven't seen that kind in stores. Click here to order online.

5. I keep up on doughnuts. We may not need them during trick-or-treating, but many holiday events include the glutenous treat. I like Celiac Specialties the best, but Kinnikinnick also has some tasty offerings and can be found at Hillers, Kroger and Westborn stores.

6. We have had lots of fun making some spooky treats, such as Kraft marshmallows dipped in melted gfcf chocolate chips. I've put a stick in each marshmallow and let my picky eater do the dipping. I also have made chocolate-covered gf pretzels and pumpkin-flavored pancakes -- just add a spoonful or two of pure pumpkin puree to your favorite pancake mix and shape them into little pumpkins in the pan. Add a few chocolate chips for eyes for a special touch.

7. Apples are gluten-free. They may not be as fun as brightly-colored candy, but even my gluten-eating monster was spotted chomping on a yellow delicious treat before touching his candy bag!

8. I know to do my homework. Well, I'm learning. There are lots of lists out there, but I have found out the hard way on more than a few occasions to always read labels. If in doubt AT ALL contact the company. Sometimes they reply with "we can't guarantee..." or "it is gluten-free, but is made in a facility that also produces..." A list is good as a starting point, but think about it before goblin that candy. Our picky eater munched on a candy necklace last year that made him mighty loopy. I was reminded of it this year again when I made the same mistake and didn't double check the label. Within minutes he wanted to lay down :(

Here are a few lists that may come in handy as starting points:
NFCA gluten-free candy list (updated October 2010)
Celiac.com's list (updated Oct. 11, 2010)

Hopefully, it will be more treats than tricks this year!