For some, October means chilly weather, different television series, and of course, pumpkin spice latte. For others, October means only one thing - Halloween. The spooky holiday is right around the corner — a month filled with scary movies, various costumes and lots of Candy.

While there are many candies to choose from, most of them are not vegan. Vegan, like vegetarians, stay away from meat. Vegans also stay away from products created from animals – like eggs, milk, and cheese among others.

Some animal products used in making candies and chocolates include gelatin (which is derived from animal bones, ligaments, and tendons), Carmine (red pigment made from insects), milk fat or lard.

But worry not, because there are still great candies out there for vegan trick or treaters.

Sour Patch Kids

They’re sweet, then sour and also vegan. This sour favorite does not contain gelatin but makes use of cornstarch that results to the candy’s chewy gooey goodness.

Jolly Rancher

One of the most popular hard candies in the world are vegan, and so are the Jolly Rancher Pops. This hard candy also uses natural flavorings. It also doesn’t hurt that two pieces of Jolly Rancher only contains 47 calories and 8 grams of sugar.

Airheads

A classic favorite since it was first introduced in 1986. According to the candy manufacturer's website, the ingredients include citric acid, artificial flavorings, water, and different types of sugar.

One of the sugars used in the candy is maltodextrin, which is used as a thickening agent that gives the candy its iconic elasticity.

Skittles

Iconic for their tangy flavors and bright rainbow colors, Skittles is another classic candy. In 2010, vegans celebrated when Skittles changed its formula by removing gelatin in their mix.

Now vegans can taste the rainbow too.

Smarties

These little powdery discs, that are irresistible to pop into the mouth, is another Halloween staple. According to their website, all Smarties products are free of milk, egg, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soy – making them safe for vegans and people with peanut allergies.

Twizzlers

One of America’s popular licorice candies, Twizzlers is another classic. It is not too sweet that some consume it in large amounts. The candy does not contain gelatin despite its chewiness and its iconic red color comes from ‘red dye #40’ and not carmine.

These are only some of the candies that are vegan. There are much more out there, just do research, and check the ingredients and then go trick or treating!
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