Your Candy Shouldn’t Be the Scariest Thing About Halloween

In just a few days, kids and adults alike will slip into fantastical costumes, adorn their homes with fake spider webs and plump pumpkins and gobble down sugary candy from dawn to dusk. This Halloween, you can avoid stomach-churning tricks in your treats by opting for organic and non-GMO candy.

What’s in my candy?

By choosing organic and non-GMO candy, you can prevent exposure to genetically engineered crops and their associated pesticides, for which children are particularly at risk. Here are the ingredients to look out for:

• Sugar (GE sugar beets)
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (GE corn)
• Fructose, Dextrose, Glucose (GE corn)
• Canola oil (GE rapeseed)
• Soybean oil (GE soy)
• Cottonseed oil (GE cotton)
• Vegetable oil (GE rapeseed, GE soy, GE cotton)
• Soy Lecithin (GE soy)
• Corn starch (GE corn)

When you see “sugar” on the ingredients list, unless specified, it is usually genetically engineered sugar beets … and may contain residues of the toxic weed killer glyphosate. Glyphosate-sprayed GE beet sugar can be avoided by opting for products made with 100 percent cane sugar, evaporated cane juice or organic sugar. Choose ethically sourced and organic sugar options whenever possible.

What are some alternatives?

When you make your Halloween grocery run, outsmart brands producing GMO-ridden treats by looking for products with certified organic and non-GMO labels. Watch out for Halloween candy and chocolates produced by Hershey’s, Mars and Nestle, which are likely to contain GMO ingredients. Instead try treats from Newman’s Own, Jelly Belly, Chocolove, YummyEarth Organic Lollipops, Endangered Species Chocolate Bug Bites or Amy’s Organic Candy Bites, which all avoid GMOs in their products. Making your own candy, chocolates or snacks for your Halloween party is another fun, easy way to avoid frightening hidden ingredients. Check out our Halloween Organic and non-GMO candy guide for more tips on what to get for your neighborhood trick-or-treaters.

What else can you do?

Sign our petition to make sure all GMOs are labeled on the package, and be sure to have a spooktacular Halloween!