Healthier Treats

There is a wide selection of natural candies perfect for children and adults alike. Many of the treats mentioned in this article are also suitable for children following gluten-free, dairy/casein free, and/or the Feingold Program. Just follow the quick links below to order your child's favorite treats.

YummyEarth Organic Lollipops - These lollipops are made with fruit juice and are free of artificial flavors and dyes. They are also free from gluten, casein, eggs, soy, nuts, and genetically modified ingredients. They can be ordered through amazon.com and will cost around 7 cents each. They also have Yummy Earth Organic drops -same as the lollipop, but without the stick.

Spry Gum - This gum contains xylitol, which is good for teeth, safe for diabetics, and has fewer calories than sugar. Xylitol gums are recommended by dentists to help prevent bad breath, plaque buildup, and cavities. The two pack sample box can be ordered here and are perfect for stocking stuffers, attaching to Valentine's cards, and for trick or treaters. The cost is around 15 cents each. Larger tubs can also be ordered from www.homesteadmarket.com or amazon.com.

Glee Gum – This gum is made with sustainably harvested rainforest chicle.  Chicle was the original basis for all chewing gum, until synthetic gum bases were developed.  Glee gum does not use artificial food coloring or corn syrup and is gluten-free, casein-free and soy free.  The gum is available in five flavors:  tangerine, bubblegum, peppermint, cinnamon, and spearmint.  Glee can be purchased in bulk from Amazon.com with a per pack price of 72cents.  The bubblegum flavor was Luke and Mark's favorite.

St. Claire's Organic Tarts are another good option for natural candies. They have watermelon, grape, apple, lemon, peach, and other flavors available for purchase in bulk or in individual packets. If you buy the items in bulk, you can put them into little pumpkins, hearts, eggs, etc. and pass them out. You can also purchase them pre-packaged, but they do cost more.

Lesser Evil popcorn bags are a yummy treat for people looking to purchase gluten-free treats. They do not have preservatives, colors, or corn syrup. You can get a box of 24 bags for less than $20.

Sunspire Chocolate Drops - The drops are chocolates with a candy coating but done without artificial food coloring. They have plain and peanut varieties. You can order a package of 24 from amazon.com. The cost for the plain variety is 77 cents per package and peanut is 96 cents a package. The O'Coco's are baked organic chocolate crisps that taste great; and have only 90 calories per bag. These can also be ordered from amazon.com and the cost per unit is 72 cents.

Newman's Own Snacks - There are so many possibilities here. My sons love the peppermint cups and you can purchase a package of 24 from amazon.com. They also have mints, cookies, chocolate bars, pretzels, etc. that come either pre-packaged or you could make smaller batches by using festive wrap or containers. These are favorites around my house, particularly around the holidays.

Clif Kids Twisted Fruit - There are quite a few organic options in a variety of fruit flavors that do not contain artificial colors and corn syrup. You can find them at your local health food store or by clicking here.

Wellbaskets.com - Wonderful themed, and filled with healthy treats. If you are looking for a unique treat for a specific person -you have to check them out. They have gluten-free, dairy free, organic baskets along with a host of others.

Giambri's Candy Canes and Santas - Perfect for stocking stuffers. These Holiday themed treats include natural candy canes (without artificial food coloring) as well as gluten-free/casein free Santas and a variety of other festive holiday candy can be ordered directly from Giambri's.