Boo (hoo!)
Photo credit: Original source unknown. Reposted from Instagram @thehappyherd
I felt tricked when I learned what was in my Halloween treats. Some of my favorites contain ingredients made up of dead animal remnants like skin, bone, cartilage and bugs. And if that’s not spooky enough, animal bone char is used to process white sugar that’s in candy and so many other foods.
Pretty gross, don’t you think? Even if this doesn’t bother you, I hope you agree that manufacturers should clearly indicate the ingredients they put in their food.
When I learned about how gelatin and sugar were made, I immediately said buh-bye to my gummies, Altoids, and Starburst. I gradually eliminated or replaced other products in my pantry with sustainable or plant-based alternatives. Not only did I want nothing to do with all those former “treats,” but the idea of unknowingly allowing my kids to eat them made my stomach turn – again.
When you buy cruelty-free candy and snacks, you’re not only eradicating the blick factor, you’re spending your dollars on more compassionate and eco-friendly goods. Better still is to avoid anything that contains palm oil, which seems to be in everything. According to World Wildlife Fund (WWF), “Palm oil and its derivatives can appear under many names, including: … Vegetable Oil, Vegetable Fat, Palm Kernel, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Fruit Oil, Palmate, Palmitate, Palmolein, Glyceryl, Stearate, Stearic Acid, Elaeis Guineensis, Palmitic Acid, Palm Stearine, Palmitoyl Oxostearamide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-3, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Kernelate, Sodium Palm Kernelate, Sodium Lauryl Lactylate/Sulphate, Hyrated Palm Glycerides, Etyl Palmitate, Octyl Palmitate, Palmityl Alcohol…” Surprisingly, even some vegan products (like Oreos) contribute to habitat destruction of endangered orangutans, who risk extinction of their species.
A few candies that are both vegan and palm oil-free include Atomic Fireballs, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Lollipops Spooky Sweets and Dum Dums Original Pops.
Below are a handful of resources I compiled to help guide you in purchasing cruelty-free candy and foods this year.
Halloween Candy Without Palm Oil | Palm Oil Free Candy
14 Surprising Foods That Contain Animal Products
Orangutan Friendly Sustainable Palm Oil Halloween Candy List
Are animal ingredients included in white sugar?
