SWEET!

A sweet treat!

With the official start of Fall looming, it seems only natural to start thinking about which candies I should fill my apothecary jars with this season.  I have an undeniable sweet tooth combined with a need to decorate! It is my favorite time of the year. I love ALL of the colors of Autumn, the sounds and smells of the outdoors and, yes, all of the many food events surrounding us.  With that said, now is the time to start thinking ahead and making Halloween a sweet treat for all of our families and friends to enjoy.

I have been searching for candy corns, for a couple of years, that are not cross contaminated with tree nuts or peanuts. To my surprise, my parents found a bag at their local dollar store that stated just that. It is by a company called Coastal Bay. I have never heard of them but I am happy to say that these candy corns are just as tasty as leading major brands. Nonetheless, they will be the perfect addition to my repertoire of candies needed to fill my jars and add to my Fall decor.  

After doing a bit of sleuthing, I have learned that Coastal Bay is a private label manufactured at Sunrise Confections. I spoke with a Sunrise representative and she confirmed that the Sunrise Confections facility does NOT process anything containing tree nuts or peanuts, therefore there is no risk of cross contamination. Mount Franklin Foods, LLC is the parent company of Sunrise Confections. Please visit www.sunrise.com to read more about their manufacturing processes.  

I realize that we all have different allergens in mind when searching for the perfect Halloween candies. For us, that means no Reese's Peanut Butter cups for mom and dad, among many others.  It works out well since there will be no temptations to buy such delicious little treats.  Like you, I will scour my kids jack-o-lanterns to remove such 'offensive' candies. In all seriousness, SAFETY is ALWAYS paramount, but especially this time of year.  Being proactive, all the while educating our little ghouls and goblins, educators, caretakers, families and friends about the hidden dangers in those little sweet treats are first and foremost.

Please share your sweet treat story with us!