When you’re managing food allergies and other dietary restrictions such as Celiac Disease, you may think that candy is off the menu. Well, the good news is that there are lots of vegan + gluten-free candies to choose from.
Today we’ll take a look at the gluten-free diet, vegan diet, and how you can still enjoy a range of candy. For those of you who need more than gluten free + vegan options, please refer to this article instead on Allergy Friendly Candy Options. It covers more food allergies and special diets than this article (nut free, soy free, peanut free, etc.).
If you’re managing a child with dietary restrictions, be sure to look into The Teal Pumpkin Project as well. Their goal is to create inclusion during Halloween.
What Vegan Means
It’s important to know that plant-based, vegetarian, and vegan aren’t the same thing. Those three terms are often grouped together in recipe searches etc., but each one carries a different meaning. There’s a good amount of overlap between them though, hence the grouping. Vegan specifically means:
- No Animal Products or Insect Products
- No Honey
- No Insect Shell-Derived Food Coloring
- Egg Free
- No Milk Ingredients
- Free From Fish & Mammal Flesh
Some vegans also choose to eliminate figs from their diet because of how some are commercially grown.
What Gluten Free Means
Celiac Disease, gluten free, and wheat free (usually from a food allergy) are not the same thing. Like the terms associated with vegan, these three terms are often lumped together. There’s a great deal of overlap, but depending on your medical condition and individual needs, it’s critical that you know the difference. Here’s what gluten free means:
- No Wheat or Wheat Derived Ingredients
- No Rye or Rye Derived Ingredients
- No Barley or Barley Derived Ingredients
- In Some Countries: No Oat or Oat Derived Ingredients
- To be certified by a Gluten-Free Certification Organization, the Product Must Contain 20ppm or Less of Gluten
Notice the use of the word derived. That’s one of the biggest challenges of living a gluten free life: all of the gluten-based ingredients in products, but from derivatives (think barley malt).
If a person has a wheat allergy, they can still consume rye, barley, and oats. For those who have a gluten sensitivity or Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS), they may be a little more relaxed about trace amounts of gluten. Someone with Celiac Disease is managing an autoimmune disorder with no cure and the only treatment is to be 100% gluten free.
Related Articles
- Barley Allergy: Foods to Avoid
- Oat Allergy: Foods to Avoid
- Are Oats Gluten Free
- How to go Gluten Free
- A Visual Representation of 20PPM
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List of Vegan, Gluten Free Candy Brands
This list is an excellent starting point if you need vegan, gluten free candy. Some brands have non-vegan products, so make sure you read thru the info before trying. Remember, if you have additional needs (nut-free, soy-free, peanut free, allergen-free, etc., please refer to this article instead).
- Amanda’s Own (top 14 free facility)
- Amore di Mona (top 8 free equipment, vegan, cane sugar free, gourmet options, my kids reviewed them here)
- Coracao Confections (contains nuts, exclusive facility, vegan, refined sugar free)
- Candy Tree (they have sour candy and licorice options)
- Cocomels (caramels)
- Dandies (marshmallows)
- Equal Exchange
- Free 2B
- Go Max Go Foods
- Hammond’s Candies (handmade candy)
- Jed’s (maple candies)
- Karma Candy
- Lake Champlain
- Mahalo (made by Go Max Go)
- No Whey Chocolate (they have kid friendly candies, copycat candies, and adult leaning truffles)
- Sacred Heart
- Sjaak’s and Eli’s Earth Bars
- Strawberry Hill
- Sunridge Farms
- Sweet Organics
- Torie & Howard (their hard candy is made in top 8 free facility)
- Unreal
- Yum Earth
If you need allergen information on candies such as Dum Dums, Sour Patch Kids, Junior Mints, etc. check the Spokin App.
Treats That Aren’t Quite Candy
For some of you, candy simply won’t be an option. It could be due to additional food allergies you’re managing, or the shared equipment. No matter the reason, here are a few treat ideas that aren’t candy, but are still sweet treats you can enjoy.
- Free Yumm Foods Bars & Cookies
- Blake’s Seed Based Top 9 Allergy Free Crispy Rice Treats (comes in a variety of flavors)
- Make a Caramel Apple or Chocolate Apple (you can even jazz it up by rolling it thru crushed nuts)
- Partake Foods Cookies
- Homemade Gummies
- Rule Breaker Cookies (comes individually packaged which is great for parties and handing out at Halloween)
- Made Good Foods Bars
How to Shop for Gluten Free + Vegan Candy
When you’re looking for delicious treats that are gluten free + vegan, you’re going to want to start with the ingredient list. You can technically start with the front of the package and look for buzz words such as “plant-based”, “vegan”, “top 9 allergy free”, and “gluten free”. However, it’s the ingredient list that’s going to be the real starting point as buzz words are only a guide, plus, not every brand will use the words you’re looking for.
First, look at the allergen statement. If you see Contains: Wheat, Milk, Egg, in any combination, the product isn’t for you. Those are the major allergens that will be relevant to your search.
From there, read the ingredient list carefully (usually near the nutrition facts). You’re looking for animal ingredients, insect ingredients, and anything that could be gluten derived (barley and rye based ingredients).
Next, if you have any doubts about the product’s ingredients, visit the manufacturer’s website. If there aren’t any buzz words on the package, there’s a good chance their website will use a few. If nothing else, their FAQ may also give you insight as to the safety of the product for your needs.
If you still have any questions or concerns, email the company. You’ll want to make sure you have a green light before spending your cash on candy because more often than not, free-from candy costs a lot more than the conventional alternatives.
Another option when looking for great candy is to use the Fig App, or the website Natural Candy Store. They’re both amazing at getting the allergen information to consumers, so long as they have updated information from the manufacturer.
Vegan Sugar
Most people don’t realize that white cane sugar can contain animal-derived ingredients. The top issue is the use animal bones (bone-char) when processing the sugar. To avoid animal ingredients in your sugar, make sure the package clearly states “vegan sugar”.
If a product’s ingredients doesn’t day “vegan sugar” but the label says the product is “vegan”, it’s usually safe to assume that they’ve used a vegan sugar in their production.
What Are the Major Allergens
Here in the United States, we previously had the top 8 allergies, and now we have the top 9 allergies. The major food allergens here in the United States are:
Wheat, Milk, Egg, Soy, Peanut, Tree Nut, Fish, Shellfish, and Sesame.
As of January 2025, coconut will no longer be classified as a tree nut as per the FDA for the sake of labeling laws. Until now, coconut had to be labeled as a tree nut.
There are mixed reactions to this because whilst coconuts are not botanical tree nuts (like almonds or pistachios), those with a coconut allergy found shopping a little easier since it had to be called out on the label.
Canada has the Top 11 Allergens, and those are: Eggs, Milk, Mustard, Peanuts, Crustaceans & Mollusks, Fish, Sesame Seeds, Soy, Sulfites, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Triticale & Gluten Containing Cereals (rye, barley, oats).
In Europe, and other select countries, they have the top 14 allergens. Whilst I can’t suggest candy brands outside of the US, the top 14 allergens are: Cereals Containing Gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats), Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Peanuts, Soybean, Milk, Nuts, Celery, Mustard, Sesame, and Added Sulfite above 10mg/KG.
For EU & UK readers, check out The Raw Chocolate Company. They may be a promising lead for you.
Just Because It’s Certified Gluten-Free Doesn’t Mean Wheat & Gluten Free Equipment
A lot of people don’t know this, but, more than 70% of foods certified gluten free (and not just USDA, but all certifiers) are made on shared equipment with wheat. To make matters worse, it’s not required that they disclose this information the label. Really stop and think about that.
I’ve called over 400 companies that claim to be gluten free and that’s how I learned about this. One manufacturer actually told me that the product is made on shared equipment with wheat, and they test for cross-contact ONCE PER YEAR. Not every batch, not every month, but once a year.
Not only is that wildly irresponsible, consumers may not connect the dots if they are having reactions to products that *seem* safe based on the packaging and product labels.
So, if you have questions or concerns because you can’t tolerate trace amounts of allergens, please make sure you reach out to the manufacturer to better understand their process.
Understand the Lingo
It’s so important that you know which buzz words mean what, so let’s break it down.
- Wheat Free is not Gluten Free
- Gluten Free is Wheat Free
- Vegan is Milk Free, Egg Free, Honey Free, and Insect Free
- Vegan Can Contain: Wheat, Gluten, Tree Nuts, Soy, Peanut, Sesame
- Lactose Free is Not Milk Free
- Organic Doesn’t Indicate Allergy Status
- Non-GMO Doesn’t Indicate Allergy Status
Now, there’s one huge caveat to this in today’s modern world: lab engineered proteins. Vegan no longer always means milk free. The world is seeing a rollout (that’s still small) of vegan products that contain lab grown milk proteins. If you are allergic to milk, you can have an allergic reaction to lab grown proteins. Please read this article in full for more information.
Cross-Contact Concerns
When you’re shopping for candy due to food allergies, there’s more information that you need to know. First, conveyor belts are difficult to clean, so if the product is made on shared equipment with milk ingredients (especially), you’ll want to choose a different brand, especially if you have a milk allergy. I spoke with someone in the industry once who told me that dairy allergy folks and peanut allergy folks should NEVER EVER EVERRRRRRR eat chocolate made on shared equipment. That’s from the inside, so take the warning seriously.
Information about a shared facility is the next thing to look at. For those with a wheat allergy, if wheat is in the facility in its flour form, it’s in the air. This info won’t be on the product label, and not always on the product page if you’re shopping online. Be sure to reach out to companies before purchasing anything new to you. The Natural Candy Store website has excellent allergen statement info on their website, and they include facility info on as many of the candies as possible.
Keep this in mind as well, just because a brand makes a product with gluten/allergen-containing ingredients doesn’t mean their entire line of products are at risk of being contaminated by those allergen or gluten ingredients. Many companies have several lines to prevent cross-contact, and some companies will use multiple facilities for the production of their sweet treats (which is why I try to not judge these books by their covers).
The only way to get all of these details is to contact the company. I’ve done this for years, and whilst it may seem overwhelming at first, it gets easier over time. Additionally, you get really good at using the lingo and getting the details you need so you can make a wise decision.
Fun Size Candy Warning
Different companies offer a fun size brand of their larger candies during select holidays (usually Easter, Halloween, and Christmas). Not all fun size candy options have the same allergy status as the full sized candy.
For example, one conventional brand sells a full sized gluten-free candy, but the fun size of that product is not gluten-free. Additionally, the fun-size candy usually doesn’t have an ingredient list because it’s so small and the ingredients are on a larger package you may never see.
You must visit the company’s website to get this information so you know what’s safe and what’s not. If you’re managing children, this is extra important because most kids rely on brand recognition to know if something is safe (not the actual ingredients). They may be handed a fun size candy and not know it’s not the exact same version. So, make sure you do your research, and also educate your kiddos on their candy options.
Answering Your Vegan + Gluten Free Candy Questions
Is all dairy-free candy vegan?
No, not all dairy-free candy is vegan. Egg is dairy free, and is a common ingredient in some candy glazes (confectioner’s glaze commonly contains egg whites), therefore making them not-vegan. Additionally, you’ll see dairy-free candy that uses honey, insect shell derived coloring, and/or gelatin; none of which are vegan.
What’s the best vegan chocolate?
That’s going to come down to personal preference, but my top pick is always going to be No Whey Chocolate. They offer a wide range of chocolate options including chocolate truffles, faux Twix bars, faux Snickers Bars, and a lot more. They’re top 9 allergy free, gluten free, vegan, and use dedicated equipment in their facility. It’s a free-from person’s dreams come true.
Now, my second pick is going to be Amore di Mona because I love that they’re cane sugar free, vegan, and top 9 allergy free. On top of that, they create options that speak to the heart of a foodie. They’re not the best pick for kids, but for adults with a love for chocolate, Amore di Mona is my top pick.
If you’re wanting novelty, then Sjaak’s is actually my top pick. They use really fun molds and always have something for pretty much every holiday.
Are there dairy free + soy free white chocolate bars?
There sure are! You can get dairy free + soy free white chocolate bars from both Pascha Chocolate and No Whey Chocolate. The Pascha brand is organic, and I’m told leans towards a more refined palate. If this is for a child, get the No Whey Chocolate brand.
Where can I find good tree nut free chocolate that’s also vegan?
No Whey Chocolate is my personal top pick, and they’re also top 9 allergy free. Pascha Chocolate, Enjoy Life Foods, Sjaak’s, Amanda’s Own, and Free 2B are also excellent options to look into.
Is it possible to purchase gluten free + vegan jelly beans?
Why yes, yes it is. For jelly beans you’re going to want to look at Yum Earth. There were other options before, but at the time of this publishing, that’s going to be the top option.
Who sells a good chewy candy?
Torie and Howard are my top pick for a chewy candy. My kids love their faux Starbursts and they come in several flavours.
What brands sell vegan + gluten free gummy bears?
For gummy bears, look into Surf Sweets, Smart Sweets, and Sunridge Farms. Interesting that they all start with an S. I digress. My kids really like the Surf Sweets, and my child who can’t have cane sugar says the Smart Sweets is a suitable replacement.
Is all gluten-free candy free from artificial colors?
No, not all gluten-free candy is free from artificial colors. There are a lot of conventional brands that are hopping on the gluten-free bandwagon because they see the profit potential. I’m sure some are in it to actually help, but at the end of the day, they’re running a business.
If you need products free from artificial colors, start with companies that serving the food allergy community first and foremost. Most of those brands eliminate artificial colors from day one because they recognize the need of the community and build the product really well from the ground up.
No Whey Chocolate and Yum Earth are a great example of this, and there are a lot of different companies in the free-from space to choose from. This candy article focuses more on very allergy friendly brands, and I’d start with those companies first. If you find something you like, especially if the brand doesn’t offer free shipping on their website (or they do but you have to buy a lot), check Amazon.
Sometimes brands are there and if you have a Prime account, you’ll usually be able to get free shipping on a small amount of candy. Once you know you like a brand, then buy from their website in a large amount (and snag free shipping).
Could I use a product’s UPC number to find out if it’s gluten free?
You won’t necessarily use the UPC number, but, the barcode scanning app FIG is pretty close to that. You hold your phone camera next to the barcode and the app reads it, then you’ll see if it contains allergens you’re avoiding.
You might be able to call a grocery store with a UPC number and get information, but you may need to talk with a buyer/section manager for lots of details.
Do a lot of small convenience stores carry vegan + gluten-free candy?
In my personal experience, not really, but, it’s getting better. Many small convenience stores will have fruit snacks that may work for your needs, and possibly gummy candies. Depending on where you live, you may get lucky and find a chocolate that could work.
I was once at a gas station store in California where the owner is on a mission to radically change how people see gas station food. It. Was. A. Haven. I’m not exaggerating… He had vegan ice cream, gluten free treats, at least 40% of the store was organic, probiotic drinks…. it was AMAZING!! He wants to show other gas station owners that it can be done, and he’s making a profit.
So, maybe one day we’ll see more of that. Until then, I’d look for grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Co-Ops where they’re much more likely to carry vegan + gluten free options.
Where can I purchase gluten free + vegan hard candy
For those with a sweet tooth that loves a good hard candy that you can enjoy for a little while, my top pick is Torie and Howard. My next pick is Koochikoo, followed by Zolli. The Natural Candy Store website also has more options under their vegan category product finder.
Does anyone sell a good gluten free, vegan candy cane?
Check out the brands Karma Candy, Atkinson Candy Company, and Sweet Organics. They have candy cane options, plus some have crushed candy cane you can purchase (great for decorating cookies, cakes, and making peppermint bark). Also, No Whey Chocolate sells a candy cane during the Christmas season.
Are there any brands that sell artisanal chocolates that are GF/V?
The top three brands I can suggest are Coracao Confections, Lake Champlain, and Amore di Mona. Those two brands are both GF/V, but also focus on high quality ingredients, texture, and artisanal indulgence.
