Kids food gifts and intolerance

[Valaris]

Hi, I have learning disabilities so my brain isnt working and I don't understand.

I want to put a chocolate coin in each of my son's Christmas cards to his friends but I know some children have nut allergies and some are halal.

I asked my friend what her dd's allergies were and she said:

'she can’t have milk but she is ok if the packet says may contain. That’s the main one. So she can have soya lecithins and soya flour but she can’t tolerate like soya milk or yogurts etc.'

I don't actually understand. I'm too embarrassed to ask her if she can have a chocolate coin because I don't want her to know I'm secretly thick.

Do I need to get dairy free coins? Also nut free? Is chocolate halal for the Muslim children?

It has to be like a small, thin treat like a mini candy Cain or somethingthat will fit into one of those small packs of children's Xmas cards for their class

You would need dairy free then if they cant have milk
Maybe do a candy cane and then it shouldn't contain a milk product

You can get dairy free chocolate coins, I used to buy them in Sainsburys for my friend's kids but I can't see them on the website now. I would avoid chocolate if she can't have milk but can have "may contain" as milk chocolate will be primarily milk. I'm not sure about the soya thing, I'd probably play it safe and give her one of those mini bags of haribo or similar.
For halal you should be ok with chocolate coins, you just need to avoid gelatin (which probably rules out haribo for them).

It's a lovely idea but may be a little difficult to get right. Would you consider something like a sticker instead?

These should be ok for everyone: no dairy, no soya, suitable for vegans so no animal products for the Halal kids. They're basically sugar and flavouring! www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/304375995

The problem with giving a coin is that there won’t be any ingredients on one single coin. My son has allergies and I wouldn’t let him eat a coin with no allergy information.

Maybe just don't put anything in. It's a bit of a minefield with allergies/beliefs

Mini maom sweets - they are individually wrapped and mainly sugar?
Mini bag of skittles

Maybe not moaom as they have gelatine

As a parent of a child with allergies (one of them being life threatening) I wouldn't let them eat anything that didn't have an ingredients label on. What if the chocolate/sweet gets opened by the child before the parent has had a chance to check it is safe.

It's a lovely gesture but I would steer clear of anything consumable, it's just not worth the risk.

Chocolate will usually contain milk and soya lecithins, unless you buy a "free from" product. It's best to assume that a normal chocolate coin will not be suitable because of the milk. The soya content is too low and processed to be a trigger.

Chocolate is usually Halal friendly. Chewy sweets with gelatine in are usually not Halal because they have animal product in them.
There are some vegetarian sweets with vegetarian gelatine that will be Halal.

Dairy free coins. Tesco have in the free from bit.

Or what about the temporary tattoos. Ebay do elf and Xmas ones. One of them in each?

Valaris you aren’t stupid, it can be a minefield. I have kids with life threatening food allergies so I appreciate you are taking it seriously. I think a non food thing is a great idea, stickers etc.

Didn't even think of a sticker of a tattoo. What a great idea. I shall do that. Perfect. Thank you!