Halloween Should Be Fun for Everyone

Every child should be able to enjoy Halloween. Regardless of dietary or physical limitations, I want to make sure no child is left out. I also offer options, and allow kids to pick what goes in their tote bag. Children feel valued when they’re allowed to choose. 

Whether you have a child who lives with Celiac Disease, or you’re a citizen looking to offer Gluten Free Halloween candy options, I want to share some tips to help make this year a success. Click on any of the topics in the table of contents, and it will jump to that section. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to ask in the comment section, and I’ll get back to you! 

Table of Contents

• Teal Pumpkin Project
• Accommodating Additional Food Allergies
• Top 9 Allergen Free Treats
• Gluten Free & Peanut Free Treats
• Additional Gluten Free Candy
• Candies to AVOID
• Warnings about Fun Size Candies and Malt

The Teal Pumpkin Project

The Teal Pumpkin Project started in 2012. Becky Basalone, “the director of a local Tennessee food allergy support group, first had the bright idea of painting a pumpkin teal, the color of food allergy awareness, and handing out non-food items.” (From Allergic Living) Since then, it has expanded across the United States and to other countries. Want to participate? Visit the FARE Teal Pumpkin Project website to add your house to the map, and find other resources. 

The Importance of Non-Food Items

In addition to Celiac Disease and food allergies, there are other children who benefit from non-food items. Children with diabetes might prefer non-food items, that won’t impact their blood sugar. Children with Prader – Willi Syndrome (whose bodies never tell them that they are full), benefit from non-food items as well. In addition, non-food items last longer than a piece of candy, and can allow kids to be creative. 

**Note- Please know some craft items contain wheat, like PlayDoh. Read Celiac Mama’s post on Art Supplies that Contain Gluten for more information. 

Non Food Ideas Include:

• pencils
• erasers
• temporary tattoos
• bubbles
• glow bracelets
• stickers
• mini coloring books
• crayons
• books 
• more ideas from FARE

Items to Avoid

• PlayDoh (contains wheat)

Accommodating Additional Food Allergies

The Food Allergen Labeling Consumer Protection Act requires the labeling of the following 9 food allergens: Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Eggs, Dairy, Wheat, Shellfish, Fish, Soy and Sesame. (This does NOT include barley or rye, which also contain gluten.) Thankfully, there are many companies who intentionally create candy and other treats free from the top 9 food allergies. Options include:

Top 9 Allergen Free Treats

• No Whey Chocolates (order from their website)
• Amanda’s Own Chocolates (order online)
• Free 2 B Cups            (order online) 
• Surf Sweets                (order from their website)
• Yum Earth                 (available at Target)
• Made Good Foods   (available at Costco)
• The Froot Thief        (available at Costco)
• Rule Breaker Snacks (order online)
• Cybele’s Cookies      (at Walmart & Whole Foods)

Child’s Play Candy / Tootsie Roll Brand – 

The following candies are produced in a gluten free and peanut free facility. 

• Tootsie Roll
• Fruit Chews
• Pops
• Dots
• Caramel Apple Pops
• Sugar Babies
• Charms Blow Pops
• Double Bubble
• Candy Corn Pops
• Wack-O-Wax lips

Other Gluten Free Halloween Candy / Treat Options

• Applesauce Cups
• Almond Joy
• Fruit Snacks
• Butterfinger
• Heath Bars
• Hershey Gluten Free Candy List – NO seasonal shapes, NO mini Hershey bars (only 1.55 oz)
• Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
• Mounds
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• Payday Candy Bars
• Peeps
• Rolo
• Skittles
• Snickers
• Sour Patch Kids
• Starburst
• Swedish Fish
• Three Muskateers
• Unreal Snacks Candy Bars
• York Peppermint Patties

This list is not exhaustive, and ingredients can change. Make sure to read labels on all candy. When in doubt, go without. Remember that Twizzlers are NOT gluten free. 

Candies to AVOID because of Malt 

In addition to candy like Kit Kat and Twix that contain wheat, people with Celiac Disease need to avoid malt. Malt is made from barley, and is not gluten free. In addition, an important reminder that the NIMA gluten sensor cannot test for the presence of malt. Please do not solely rely on it for gluten free food safety. ALWAYS read labels.

These candies contain malt:

• 100 Grand
• Nestle Crunch
• Hershey Krackel
• Whatchamacallit 
• Milky Way
• Mars Bar
• Whoppers
• Crispy M&M’s
• Lindt Chocolate
• Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Treats (Aldi store brand are gluten free)

Other Candies that are NOT Gluten Free Due to Wheat

• Twix
• Twizzlers

Rules on Allergens vs Gluten / Fun Size Ingredient Lists

Remember, barley and malt are not one of the top 9 food allegens. The Food Allergy Labeling Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) requires wheat to be labeled on all food items. This is not true of barley malt. In addition, fun size candy bars are not required to print the entire ingredient list on the individual candy bars. The ingredient list requirement only pertains to the larger package they come in. Therefore, if you’re unsure if a piece of candy contains gluten, look it up online before consuming. 

What other questions and concerns do you have about having a safe Gluten Free Halloween? Tell / ask me in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer your questions! 

Originally Published October 2016

The post Gluten Free Halloween – Tips & Treats appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Gluten Free Cookie Monster

I love cookies. I would eat them all day, every day if I could. While I will never turn down a chocolate chip cookie, I do have a fondness for a good sugar cookie. These gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies are so easy to make, they will fulfill any cookie craving.

I won a bag of GF Jules (a.k.a Jules Shepard) Gluten Free Cut-Out Cookie Mix years ago through a Twitter party. Jules and my other pals Cindy and Erica spent a weekend retreat and this delightful mix came in a box with other items from #GfBloggerRetreat sponsors.

Do You Know GF Jules?

You know what I love about GF Jules? (Besides her great mixes, like the graham cracker one I used to make these awesome Gluten-Free S’mores bars)  She’s so REAL. She’s down to earth and totally approachable. She answers her own e-mail and Facebook messages.

She’s been an encouragement to me and so many others. Did you know that she was involved in the mission of getting congress to improve gluten-free food labeling laws? All through persistence and the world’s tallest gluten-free cake. But I digress.

Best Cookie Cutters EVER

So back to these gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies. Even if you’re not a master cake decorator of baker like GF Jules, you can easily make these cookies. First, work with a good sugar cookie recipe. Next, work with good tools. I have quickly become a Wilton addict convert. I bought their 101 Cookie Cutter Set (affiliate link) over a decade ago.

The cookie cutters are made of durable plastic. More than fifteen years later, they still are cutting through dough, bread and any other soft items I want to get creative with. I LOVE that this particular set is color coded for holidays and themes. Orange for Halloween, green for Christmas, yellow for Easter and so forth.

Gluten Free Premade Frosting

Aren’t these ghost gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies just the cutest? Just a little bit of white frosting (I used Duncan Hines) and they pop. (I’d say “come alive,” but they are ghosts after all.) Should you want to make your own frosting, try this recipe for Gluten Free Royal Icing from Celiac Mama.

While one can use a sandwich bag in a pinch, I really prefer these Wilton Disposable Decorating Bags. They’re much thicker than a sandwich bag and withstand much more hand pressure. I usually use one of my Wilton decorating metal tips for this, but accidentally forgot to put the coupler in the bag. Know what? It was easier to handle without the tips!

My Best Decorating Tip

Now I know what you’re thinking. You’re a terrible decorator. Frosting these gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies really IS easy. If you can draw a straight line (or even if you can’t), you can do this. My biggest “tip” is to allow the point of the bag just barely touch the cookie. Pipe the frosting slowly until you get the hang of it.

For these gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies, I focused on outlining the cookies. Then I simply added frosting in the center of the cookie with a back and forth motion. Not sure how you want to decorate them? I’ll let you in on a blogger secret. Go look at Pinterest or do a Google image search of what you want to make. Look at images that seem doable for you and then HAVE FUN! Cookies should be fun!

Homemade Sugar Cookie Dough Option

So here are my gluten-free Halloween cut out cookies, all finished. Some of them were just how I envisioned, some are not. But that’s the beauty of making sugar cookies and frosting them. It’s the experience, the uniqueness. And no matter what they look like, they still taste delicious!

Want to make cookies now and don’t have time to order this mix? If you need an egg and dairy free version, try these Vegan Gluten Free Sugar Cookies from Delightful Adventures. Able to eat eggs and dairy? These Gluten Free Sugar Cookies from Flippin’ Delicious get rave reviews! Looking for more recipe ideas? Visit my Gluten Free Halloween Pinterest board.

**GF Jules provided me a free bag of cookie mix as part of a giveaway. I was not otherwise paid or compensated for my time. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published October 2017

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Dinnertime Gluten Free Fall Recipes

No dessert until you eat your dinner, right? Here are 5 gluten recipes that automatically make me think of fall!

Cozy Comfort Chili

In my opinion, fall stands as the PERFECT time for chili. Between football and falling leaves, there’s nothing better than a bowl of chili. This Cozy Comfort Chili contains only 400 calories per serving!

Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage

What makes me add this dish to my list of favorite gluten free fall recipes? Apple cider. The addition of this sweet yet flavorful liquid makes this Chicken Apple Sausage with Cabbage a dish to “fall” in love with!

Gluten Free Butternut Squash Lasagna for Two

 Squash. While I hated it as a kid, when fall comes I can’t get enough of it. This Gluten Free Butternut Squash Lasagna may become on of your new favorite gluten free fall recipes. It surely is mine!

Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Boats

Speaking of squash, if you haven’t eaten spaghetti squash, you’re missing out. Now, it doesn’t taste exactly like spaghetti, but it does taste delicious! Try these Gluten Free Chicken Alfredo Spaghetti Boats, and you’ll like, you’ll see!

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi

True, you can eat this Gluten Free Sweet Potato Gnocchi anytime of the year. While technically a side and not a dinner unto itself, this dish will compliment any turkey, game hen or roast chicken. To really give it an autumnal flare, replace the sweet potato with pumpkin!

Apple Based Gluten Free Fall Recipes

When it comes to gluten free fall recipes, two ingredients shine. Apples and Pumpkins. If you find yourself more on the “Team Apple” side, these 5 recipes are right up your alley!

Grain Free Apple Pie

After my Celiac Disease diagnosis, gluten free pie crust truly stood as my nemesis. That all stands behind me now! With Chebe by my side, I can now enjoy Grain Free Apple Pie among all my other favorite gluten free fall recipes! Looking for something smaller? Check out my Gluten Free Apple Dumplings.

Gluten Free Apple Crisp for Two

The crisp fall air makes a Gluten Free Apple Crisp a necessity! This oat free dessert is big enough for two, but I won’t say anything if you keep this deliciousness to yoursefl.

Gluten Free Applesauce Bundt Cake

 Prefer your cake with a drizzle of glaze or frosting? This Mini Gluten Free Applesauce Bundt Cake contains chunks of apples, applesauce, and a glaze made with apple cider. If your favorite gluten free fall recipes involve apples, you’ll love this one! Also check out my Gluten Free French Apple Cake.

Gluten Free Mini Apple Cheesecakes

I love “mini” recipes. They help with portion control and are useful for parties. These Gluten Free Mini Apple Cheesecakes use the Chebe cinnamon roll mix in a brand new creative way. Leftover cheesecakes freeze well too! (If they last that long!)

Gluten Free Apple Pie Spice Pancakes

Life’s short, eat desert first. Therefore, these Gluten Free Apple Pie *Buttermilk* pancakes should be on your next brunch menu. They don’t contain regular buttermilk, because who always has that on hand? Not me! Read the recipe and find my trick for an alternative to buttermilk in your gluten free fall recipes!

Pumpkin Based Gluten Free Fall Recipes

Fall is synonymous with all things pumpkin. These five recipes will have you eager to meet The Great Pumpkin!

Grain Free Pumpkin Slab Pie

It’s hip to be square. Or rectangular as the case may be. This grain free Pumpkin Slab Pie, made with Chebe Bread’s Cinnamon Roll Mix, is a dessert that everyone will be thankful for!

Small Batch Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll

 I love small batch recipes. All the flavors I crave with fewer leftovers. This Small Batch Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll was a hit with my family for the holidays. I hope your family enjoys it, too!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Pudding

 Ever have a recipe flop? Turn that flop into something creative and memorable! Use your favorite pumpkin bread recipe (like the one above) to make this delicious Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread Pudding. Don’t forget the chocolate chips!

Gluten Free Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles

Out of all my gluten free fall recipes, I feel that this is my favorite. One, because these Gluten Free Pumpkin Chai Snickerdoodles tastes amazing. Second, because I share a personal story that explains why we live in Flint, and the love we have for our city, even in dark times.

Two Ingredient Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts

 These are the easiest donuts you will ever make. If we’re honest, the best gluten free fall recipes are always the ones that are the  easiest. Why? Because our time should be spent making memories, not forever in the kitchen. Make these Gluten Free Pumpkin Donuts part of your family fall tradition!

Halloween and Thanksgiving Gluten Free Fall Recipes

Gluten Free Halloween Cut Out Cookies

Don’t let making cut out cookies “spook” you. These Gluten Free Halloween Cut Out Cookies roll out and cut easily, using GF Jules cookie mix! Let the little ghosts and goblins in your family help you!

Gluten Free White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies

Question. Do you love candy corn? If you do, these Gluten Free White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies need to be on your “to bake” list. Everyone at the next Halloween party will say they’re “bootiful”!

Grain Free Thanksgiving Pasties

Not familiar with pasties? (Pronounced “Past-Ease”) Imagine calzones, but filled with meat and potatoes instead. In Michigan, they a tradition. I created these Gluten Free Thanksgiving Pasties with a “stuffing” flavored crust.

Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing

 While the picture may need some work, gluten free fall recipes stand incomplete without stuffing. This Gluten Free Cornbread Stuffing shines with homemade cornbread and sweet cranberries. Have lots of leftovers? Turn that stuffing into waffled deliciousness, and make a sandwich with it!

Gluten Free Thanksgiving from A to Z

Speaking of Thanksgiving, while gluten free fall recipes are important, proper preparation is paramount. Check out my Thanksgiving post with tips on what to make, how to make it, and tips to give to family members on preventing cross contact.

More Gluten Free Fall Recipes

This season provides so many wonderful tastes and aromas. Looking for more gluten free fall recipes? Still looking for more recipes to cure your pumpkin craving?

Check out this round up from Food Faith Fitness of over 90 Healthy Gluten Free Pumpkin Recipes!. You’ll love these Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins from Life After Wheat. And don’t forget about these Flaky Gluten Free Apple Turnovers from Fearless Dining. These Gluten Free Apple Rings from The Gluten Free Austrian look amazing!

Originally Published October 2018

The post 20 Gluten Free Fall Recipes For Every Occasion appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

Candy Corn: A Love/ Hate Relationship

What’s your favorite fall or Halloween candy? While I thoroughly enjoy peanut butter cups, I can get those any time of the year. Once September rolls around, I’m ready to indulge in candy corn. That’s right, I’m one of those odd people who really like the taste of candy corn. However, a website made me feel not so odd when it stated (based on sales) that Michiganders have some mad love for candy corn.

Is Candy Corn Gluten Free? 

Of course, you need to verify the gluten-free status of the candy corn you use in these gluten-free white chocolate candy corn cookies. I prefer the Jelly Belly candy corn, as it is made in a gluten-free, peanut-free facility. Use their website to find it in a store near you. You can also order directly from Jelly Belly, or on Amazon. 

What about Brach’s candy corn? Their original candy corn doesn’t contain gluten as an ingredient. However, it is my understanding that there is the potential for cross-contact. In 2017, Brach’s launched a “Natural Sources Candy Corn” which was specifically labeled gluten-free. Unfortunately, it appears to be discontinued. For more on Gluten Free Candy Corn, see this post from Fearless Dining.

Gluten Free White Chocolate Chips

When it comes to white chocolate chips, Nestle and Guittard both mark their bags as being gluten free. The added benefit of Guittard Choc Au Lait chips is their preparation in a dedicated gluten free and peanut free facility. Also, they take as stand against child labor, which is so common in the cocoa industry. Should you need dairy free cookies, Pascha Chocolate and Enjoy Life Foods both make dairy free white chocolate chips.

Peanuts + Candy Corn = Delicious

I don’t know about you, but I love eating candy corn and peanuts together. The combo of sweet and savory lends balance to each other. I personally use Kirkland (Costco) peanuts, which are certified gluten free thru the Gluten Intolerance Group. 

When I tested the peanuts in these gluten free white chocolate chip candy corn cookies, I only used a small portion of dough. My “guess” is that one half cup of chopped peanuts might be enough for the whole batch of cookie dough. 

BUT I HATE CANDY CORN

I get it. Some people will never like Candy Corn. If you’d still like to make cookies with that orange and yellow mix-ins, I suggest adding Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s. How mu ch?  At least 1/2 cup? Maybe a whole cup? As many as your heart desires, I guess. 

Other Gluten Free Candy Corn Themed Desserts 

These other fun desserts have the same yellow, orange and white themed layers. What the Fork’s Gluten Free Candy Corn Pinwheel cookies would be a hit at any Halloween shindig. These Sparkling Candy Corn Cookies have just a hint of orange in them. Tired of cookies? Try these Candy Corn Pudding Parfaits from Butter and Bliss. 

Why We Add The Candy Corn On Top

In the past, I used to chop up the candy corn and add them to the batter. However, the picture above shows why I decided to change my baking methods. You’ll bake the cookie dough for about 8 minutes, and remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Then you’ll press 3-4 pieces of candy corn on top and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. Just long enough to get them melty, but not a hot mess! 

Other Uses for Candy Corn

If you have extra candy corn, you can use it in this Halloween Chex Mix. Just make sure to use gluten free pretzels. (Such as Glutino or Savor by Suzie). These Candy Corn Peanut Bars from Julie’s Eats & Treats contain no gluten ingredients! (Reese’s PB Chips are gluten free.) I also use candy corn in my Thanksgiving Turkey Treats. Your family is sure to *gobble* them up. 

Print

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 303kcal

Author Margaret Clegg

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ c. King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c butter softened
• 1/4 c shortening
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp extract
• 1 egg room temperature
• 3/4 c. Guittard White Chocolate Baking Chips
• 1/2 c. gluten free candy corn
• 1/2 c. chopped peanuts optional

Instructions

• 30 minutes prior to making dough, remove egg and butter from the refrigerator, to bring to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl, whip together softened butter and shortening. Next, add the white and brown sugars and cream with butter mixture. Finally, add vanilla paste (or extract) and egg and mix until creamy.
• Add dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) to the wet ingredients, until thoroughly mixed. Use a rubber scraper to scrape sides of the bowl, to make sure all flour gets mixed in. 
• Lastly, add white chocolate chips (and chopped peanuts if using), and mix until thoroughly incorporated. 
• Use a cookie scoop to portion dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I would make them no more than 1.5 tbsp.
• Chill dough balls for 2-3 hours. This helps deepen the flavor, and prevents excess spreading while baking. 
• After the dough has chilled, remove from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart to prevent cookies from baking into each other.
• Bake for 8-9 minutes. REMOVE from oven and press 3-4 pieces of candy corn on top of each cookie.
• RETURN cookie sheet into the oven, and bake for 2-3 more minutes. NO more than 3, or you'll have a melty candy corn mess.
• Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 169mg | Sugar: 30g

** This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published Oct 2017

The post Gluten-Free White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.

A Very Scary Halloween

Halloween. When you live with a food allergy or food sensitivity, what frightens you more than costumes is candy. Does the candy in question contain your allergen? Did manufacturers produce this sweet on a shared line with an allergen? Does this candy contain undeclared gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, malt, and rye? What recently scares me most is faulty info based on the NIMA gluten sensor.

Halloween was unique for me in 2017. My husband and I drove a 20 foot Uhaul from Michigan to South Dakota, with our car in tow. (Confession – He drove. I “navigated.”) We chose to spend our vacation helping our friends move all their belongings 800+ miles away, due to a new job. No costumes for us. No decorated van passing out safe treats from our Teal Pumpkin Project – inspired stash of goodies. Therefore, I vicariously enjoyed Halloween through social media. From the comfort of the Uhaul (oxymoron?), I perused Instagram.

What is a NIMA Partners Gluten Sensor?

We were somewhere in the plains of Minnesota, between Rochester and Sioux Falls, when I noticed an Instagram post of a 100 Grand candy bar. What’s a 100 Grand Bar? Imagine a Nestle Crunch with a caramel layer inside. The post showed a 100 Grand being tested with a NIMA.

What’s NIMA?  It’s a portable electronic device that tests for gluten in food. How does it do this? In simple terms, you put in a pea-sized amount of the food you want to test in a capsule. The capsule contains a solution and you place the capsule in the triangular device, and it uses testing methods to detect the presence of gluten.

Not Everything You See Online is Accurate

So, what caught my eye was that results on the NIMA. The Instagram post showed a NIMA with a smiley face. This in theory means that the product is safe to eat. The person posting only had the small miniature 100 Grand Bar, but not the larger bag from which it came. While we plodded along I-90, I did a Google search for a 100 Grand Bar.

I was concerned because all the sites I saw (including Amazon)  stated that the bar contained crisped rice, which are made with “rice flour, sugar, BARLEY MALT, and salt.” For those that may not know, barley malt contains gluten. Therefore, the device should NOT have resulted in a “smiley face.”

I wondered “Did Nestle change their recipe?” My husband, who is completely a saint, agreed to pull off the freeway in Fairmont, Minnesota and let me stop at a grocery store to check. So I wandered into the store, and asked one of the incredibly helpful staff to help me locate one of these 100 Grand bars. Here’s what I found.

Nestle 100 Grand Bars Contain Barley Malt

Yep, barley malt. So I private messaged the owner of the Instagram account that posted the NIMA result. I shared this information. They updated their comments on their account, their blog post, and ultimately removed the image. (Why remove it? People were solely looking at the image of the “smiley faced NIMA” with the candy in question, and not the warning.)

But the question remained. How did this happen? Like any other technology, there can be limitations of use. Below is how NIMA responded (in 2017) as to how this could happen. (Names of other Twitter users blocked out to protect privacy.)

NIMA Sensors Cannot Test for the Presence of Barley Malt

So, there’s our answer. NIMA does not detect barley malt. So in theory, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies will come back with a smiley face.  This also means something with hydrolyzed wheat, such as soy sauce, could come back as being “safe.” This is something that definitely doesn’t bring a smile to MY face. 

What Other Limitations Do NIMA Testing Devices Have?

After a quick visit to the NIMA Partners website, their “gluten manual” states the following limitations

“NIMA Partners has not been validated on medication, cosmetics or non food items.” Therefore, be wary if you see an Instagram influencer use their NIMA to test medications, whether prescription or over the counter. Other NIMA limitations include:

Other Red Flags

In addition, their manual gives additional advice on how to test foods that are thick/ dense, dry/ powdery, and brightly colored. Foods in these categories may return inaccurate results. “Bright foods can interfere with the sensor’s ability to read the result. These foods should also be mixed with water to dilute the coloring.” This includes red foods, such as pizza sauce or marinara. 

Three Things to Remember

1. Ingredient Lists Aren’t Required on Mini Candy Bars

Here’s where the Instagram account that posted the original picture faltered. That person ONLY had one of the 100 Grand miniature candy bars. He / she did not have the larger bag from whence it came, nor did the mini candy bar have a complete ingredient list.

Mini bars, especially those passed out on holidays such has Halloween, do not always have a complete list of ingredients on the wrapper. If you question a food item, and the ingredients are not on the packaging, try to look it up online. ALSO – make sure to read comments on posts as well. Pictures and ratings can be deceptive.

2. Barley & Rye are Not Allergens Under FALCPA

The person who originally posted the image went by the “allergen warning” on the wrapper. The wrapper did not list barley as a potential allergen. Here’s the thing though. It doesn’t have to. Barley, as well as rye, are not one of the Top 9 allergens that must be declared under the FALCPA guidelines. (FALCPA = Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act) The Top 9 include wheat, fish, shellfish, eggs, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and sesame. The person that originally posted the 100 Grand bar on Instagram relied on the fact that the allergen warning did NOT list wheat. They falsely concluded it therefore must be free of gluten. 

3. You are Smarter Than Technology

NIMA is a tool one can use to help make decisions about what we eat. However, it is nothing more than that. NIMA is not without its limitations. Results can have errors because a sample is too small, too large, or even because it is red. From above we can see that it can declare a food as “safe” when it is not. Cases have also shown that products can result in an “frown” even when a product is actually gluten-free. Read my thoughts on a restaurant study performed via NIMA testing, for more info. 

My Final Thoughts About the NIMA Partners Gluten Sensor

So here is where I voice my opinion. NIMA has become a controversial issue in the Celiac Disease community.  I try not to share my own opinion about the NIMA too often. Instead I attempt to share facts of how how it performs, and allow you to make your own educated decision. However, based on that evidence, I am not a fan of the device. I fear it leads to more anxiety about eating gluten free, not less. 

Safe Gluten Free Halloween Candy

Many sites exist that offer gluten free Halloween Candy lists. A few examples include- 

• Celiac Mama’s Gluten Free Halloween Candy List (updated Sept 2022)
• GF Jules Gluten Free Halloween Candy List
• Beyond Celiac Gluten Free Halloween Candy List

Do you own a NIMA? What do test with it? What holiday candies do you trust to be gluten-free?

The post NIMA Gluten Sensor and a Grand Halloween Mistake appeared first on MI Gluten Free Gal.