Halloween handled.

Free Halloween Toolkit

One night of candy won’t make or break your child’s health — your daily habits do. Here’s what’s actually worth thinking about tonight.

Carb counts Nut allergies Choking hazards Be seen, be safe

01 · If your child has diabetes

Candy Carb Cheat Sheet

Carbohydrates per piece or pack for common trick-or-treat favorites.

Halloween candyCarbs

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, regular, 1 cup (21g)12g

Kit Kat, snack size (14g)9.5g

Twix, fun size (16g)11g

Skittles, fun size (15g)14g

Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, snack size (13g)8g

M&M’s Milk Chocolate, fun size (13.5g)9.5g

Milky Way, fun size (17g)12g

Sour Patch Kids, fun size (12.5g)11.5g

Values vary by size and recipe — always check the package label.

02 · Allergy alert

Peanut & Tree Nut Avoid List

These popular treats contain peanuts or tree nuts as an ingredient.

AVOID

Contains peanuts

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Reese’s Pieces

Snickers

Peanut & Peanut Butter M&M’s

Butterfinger

Baby Ruth

PayDay

Mr. Goodbar

Take 5

Reese’s Nutrageous

AVOID

Contains tree nuts

Almond Joy (almond)

Hershey’s with Almonds

Ferrero Rocher (hazelnut)

Kinder Bueno (hazelnut)

Toblerone (almond)

Snickers Almond

Read every label, every time

Candy without nuts in the recipe can still be made on shared equipment — look for “may contain” statements. Fun-size and seasonal shapes can differ from full-size bars. This isn’t a complete list: when in doubt, leave it out. If your child has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, bring it along.

03 · Little ones

Candy Choking Hazards

The American Academy of Pediatrics advises keeping these from children until age 4.

UNDER 4

Strictly avoid

Hard candy & jawbreakersJolly Ranchers, mints, butterscotch discs

Lollipops & suckersPieces can break off, or the whole pop can lodge

Gooey, sticky & chewy candyCaramels, taffy, Tootsie Rolls, large gummies, marshmallows

Gum & gumballsIncluding bubble gum centers in pops

Nuts & candy with whole nutsPeanut M&M’s, Snickers, Almond Joy

Popcorn & small, round, firm candyPopcorn balls, jelly beans, malted milk balls

4 and up: still supervise

Sit down to eat — no candy while walking, running, or riding in the car. Every child is different: go by chewing skills, not just birthdays. Wrappers, stickers and small toys can be choking hazards too.

04 · Out on the street

Be Seen, Be Safe

Children are more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other night of the year.

01

Light them up

Bright costumes, with reflective tape on the costume and the treat bag

Glow sticks or bracelets, and a flashlight for every child

Face paint instead of masks; hats that can’t slide over eyes

Costumes short enough not to trip on, labeled flame-resistant

02

Walk smart

Sidewalks and well-lit streets. No sidewalk? Walk at the far edge of the road, facing traffic.

Cross together at corners and crosswalks — never between parked cars or out of driveways

Don’t assume drivers see you or will stop

03

Stay together

Young children always trick-or-treat with an adult

Older kids: go in a group, agree on the route, and set a return time

Only visit homes with a porch light on; never go inside a home or car for a treat

Driving tonight?

Slow down in neighborhoods and watch driveways, alleys and parked cars — kids in costume can dart out without warning.

pediatrician+

From Padget Skogman, MD. Choking and safety guidance is based on the American Academy of Pediatrics. This page is for general education and isn’t a substitute for advice from your child’s own doctor.