We Found and Tested the Best Allergy-Friendly Goodies and Gifts to Give This Holiday Season

Chocolate and peppermint tend to take center stage this time of year, and I think it’s high time jelly beans got in the mix.

Jelly Belly has answered the call with this festive Christmas Mix gift bag. It’s gluten-free, peanut-free, dairy-free, and, of course, extremely fun to eat.

It’s not just Halloween; peanut butter cups seem to pop up at every single holiday, and for people with peanut allergies, that can be a big downer.

I was especially excited to try Free2b, a brand that’s Top 9–free and makes its products in a Top 9–free facility. And I can tell you firsthand: The sunflower butter mini cups — which come in dark chocolate, chocolate, dark chocolate sea salt caramel, and dark chocolate mint — are legitimately delicious, fabulously festive, and oh-so-giftable.

Pro tip: Grab some extras for yourself.

Started by the mother of a son with a severe peanut allergy, all Vermont Nut Free Chocolates are made in a 100 percent peanut-, tree nut-, coconut-, sesame-, and egg-free facility.

There are tons of great gifting options, but we’re partial to peppermint crunch bark, fudge, or a tin of hot cocoa for the holidays.

Make a chocolate lover with food allergies very happy this season with this festive box. Everything from No Whey is Top 9–free, vegan, and kosher. This decorative offering contains nine chocolate truffles in flavors like coffee, salted caramel, and Grand Marnier.

Looking for more chocolate? In addition to boxes of truffles, the brand offers milkless chocolate kisses that are *chef’s kiss,* Christmas lollipops, and hot cocoa bombs. Very merry, very safe.

Vegan, dairy-free, and minimally pressed, these chocolates were designed to be (gasp) good for you. The company even lightly roasts its cocoa beans to keep more antioxidants in the chocolate.

Sydney Greene, RDN, tried this box for us ahead of the holidays. She says the wrapping is beautiful, too, making it a tasteful gift for anyone who loves chocolate and has a dairy allergy. “The box is also small enough to fit in a stocking but nice enough to be a small gift on its own,” she says.

Food allergy–having fans of this cult-favorite brand will be delighted to learn that it’s made a vegan version of its famous mini cupcakes and packed them for the holidays in a premium gift box.

Just keep in mind these cupcakes contain coconut and are made on shared equipment.

If you’re only avoiding nuts and don’t need to worry about eggs and dairy, the brand has you covered there, too. Just look through the ”no nut flavor” section, where you can find curated boxes of its regular cupcakes to exclude any of the varieties that contain nuts.

You may have had Partake’s cookies on a recent flight; the company has a partnership with JetBlue, which is a big win for people with food allergies. But they’re just as good after you’ve landed, too.

Each cookie is free from the most common allergens, including gluten, and is vegan and non-GMO. This four-box variety pack includes lemon, chocolate chip, and snickerdoodle flavors.

A biscotti is such a sophisticated cookie, and these peanut-, dairy-, and soy-free delights capture the same charm in miniature form.

I tested these and found myself frequently enjoying one with my morning cup of tea, but they’d be just as good with something more seasonal, like a hot toddy or a cup of hot cider.

Put them in a stocking, or keep them on hand to serve after a holiday dinner.

No special brand, no twist, just regular old Oreos — which happen to be dairy- and egg-free. Leave them out for Santa with some allergen-appropriate alternative milk for dunking.

Just be aware that Oreos contain wheat and soy and are produced on shared equipment.

Freeze-drying is such a strange and wonderful science; why does it make plain fruit taste like candy?

Rather than question it, you can just enjoy these Top 9–free snacks. With a huge variety of fruits available — including standards like strawberry and apple as well as more exciting options like sour apricot, dragon fruit, and cantaloupe — you’ll be sure to find one your giftee will love. These are perfect for popping in a stocking, too.

I love sunbutter as much as the next allergy mom, but it’s nice to mix it up once in a while.

Oat Haus Granola Butter is a fun alternative that’s Top 9–free and vegan. It’s also really, really tasty, and comes in a bunch of flavors, like cookie dough and birthday cake, that make it feel extra special (there’s even a seasonal apple cider doughnut release I’ve been eyeing).

A jar of your favorite flavor would make a lovely gift — or, for a real enthusiast, consider wrapping up some “Big Oat Energy” merch.

A good-tasting gluten-free snack is hard to find, but these little cookie sandwiches beat the odds. They come in a peanut butter flavor as well as a sunflower butter one, and are individually wrapped.

“I like that they’re made in small batches and free of artificial ingredients and preservatives,” says Simone Scully, editorial director at Everyday Health. “They’re a lovely stocking stuffer for anyone who’s gluten-free or who has a peanut allergy.”

This banana bread mix (just add a ripe banana) is gluten-, egg-, and nut-free as well as vegan. It’s also freaking good (my five-year-old son is obsessed) and would make for a lovely special holiday breakfast.

Just note that while GoNanas does not produce in allergen-free facilities, the brand informed us it is SQF certified and adheres to the highest level of safety to ensure no cross-contamination occurs.

It’s surprisingly hard to find resources that talk to kids about food allergies in simple, age-appropriate terms — which makes this book, geared toward ages five and up, all the more valuable.

The author, Ina K. Chung, clearly explains food allergies, anaphylaxis, and key concepts like cross-contamination in a kind and loving tone. The book ends with reminders that kids with food allergies deserve to be safe, included, and loved.

This would make an excellent gift for any kid who has food allergies or is close to someone who does. Chung is also an informative, comforting, and fun Instagram follow.

Think your loved one would want to learn more about how to make their own allergy-free treats this season? Enter: The Elements of Baking by Katarina Cermelj.

Food allergy baking can feel like an art, not a science — one that often involves a lot of trial and error — but this cookbook makes it manageable and fun.

Drawing on a PhD in inorganic chemistry, Cermelj breaks down exactly how to swap ingredients to make gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free versions of favorites like garlic bread, cinnamon rolls, and cupcakes.

For your foodie friend with food allergies, look no further. This hefty, beautifully put-together cookbook features over 150 recipes, and they’re all free of gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, and shellfish.

The introduction speaks smartly about living with food allergies and food intolerances, and suggests ways to adjust your life to accommodate them. The recipes themselves range from soups and chilis to main dishes, desserts, and breakfast items. 

One note: This book won’t be right for every person with food allergies. Some of its recipes use sesame, and it often employs coconut oil. Buy it with your giftee’s specific needs in mind.

This vacuum is cordless, has strong suction, and works like a charm. “It did a phenomenal job vacuuming up dust, pet hair, crumbs, dirt, and more around my house,” says Scully. “It’s smart enough to distinguish between carpet and wood floors and transitions nicely between the two.”

Best of all, though, she loved that it has a completely sealed HEPA filtration system, which captures 99.97% of dust and pet dander — a feature that can make a huge difference for someone with allergies.

Air purifiers are another way to keep allergies to dust, mold, and dander at bay, and this one is a great bet.

Lili Ladaga, who tested this air purifier for us, says that she has terrible allergies to dust, pet dander, grass, and mold, but lives in an old building. She loved that it monitors your air in real time. Its sensor changes colors depending on the level of pollutants in the air, so you can turn the fan up higher when it’s at its worst.

“It’s compact and fun-looking, doesn’t stick out in a room, and has HEPA filters that last for a year,” she says, adding that it is a solid investment for anyone with environmental allergies.

For sensitive little ones and their parents, some 100 percent organic cotton crib sheets would make a thoughtful (and quite useful) gift.

These come in pretty, gender-neutral colors and feel elevated. “They’re beautiful, soft, organic, and have a soft color palette,” says Julia Childs Heyl, a recent mom, who tested these sheets for us. “I’d absolutely recommend them to any new parent.”

Honey is a great, allergen-free way to add fun, unique flavors to foods. This gift set — which features salted honey, spicy honey, and Meyer lemon honey — can help your giftee get started.

When Scully tested these, she used them in a variety of recipes, including pizzas, lemonade, tea, and waffles, and on goat cheese toast. She recommends this gift to anyone who loves honey and enjoys cooking.

“I found myself getting way more creative because I had these honeys in my kitchen,” she notes.

For a lover of a more traditional honey experience, this gift box should do the trick. It’s got local honeys from three parts of the country — New England, Colorado, and Utah — and lets you try raw, unfiltered honeys that you might otherwise never taste.

Scully also tested these and enjoyed them in her morning tea. As a bonus, they come in a sweet, ready-to-gift box that anyone would love unwrapping this holiday season.

There are exceptions, of course, but for most people, meat is not an allergen. So if you’ve got a friend with food allergies who loves to cook — and, of course, isn’t vegan or vegetarian — consider gifting a big box of high-quality, humanely raised, antibiotic- and added-hormone-free meat.

Writer Raki Swanson, who tested this box for us, was effusive about her love for this gift.

“This is one heck of a value for organic food — worth every penny,” she crowed, adding that she plans to send it to a few of her family members this year.

She says the box offers a tremendous amount of variety, with everything from crate-free boneless pork chops to chicken wings and St. Louis ribs, and that it’s all delicious. Here’s to many good meals.