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Looking for gluten-free Easter recipes and candy? Easter is a big holiday in the United States, one that involves a lot of food that often isn’t gluten-free. This can make celebrating easter difficult.
Just like any other holiday, navigating Easter while gluten-free can be hard. That’s why in this complete guide to a no-gluten Easter, I’m going to share with you some GF Easter recipes and candies to enjoy!
When celebrating a gluten-free easter, it’s important to remember what we’re celebrating with Easter. Easter is a major Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. It is on a Sunday every year, and many people celebrate it.
It is common for people to attend church for Easter service and this is where the first risk of gluten exposure happens: communion wafers. If allowed, you may use gluten-free communion wafers but know that this is not condoned by the Vatican. Instead, some suggest only drinking the wine for communion.
Following church service there is often an Easter brunch or dinner. These central celebratory meals often feature gluten. On top of that, egg hunts are also a common activity that is done on Easter.
Eggs filled with candy are hidden around a yard or house and children look for them, hoping to get as many treats as they can. Easter baskets are typically given on easter too. They are baskets filled with Easter goodies from candy to toys to sometimes gift cards. Both Easter egg hunts and Easter baskets can be sources of gluten exposure too due to candy sometimes containing gluten.
If you are attending an event for Easter where food will be served, consider bringing your own, so you can still eat with everyone else while staying safe. You can also host your own Easter meal and make some delicious gluten-free recipes that everyone will enjoy! Later on, in this blog post, we’ll talk more about some gluten-free Easter recipes you can make!
When it comes to a gluten-free Easter, it’s important to know where the risks lie when it comes to food.
On Easter, candy is a big part of the food that is enjoyed. A lot of candies contain barley malt and other gluten ingredients. There are also many pastries and bread that are served that also have gluten like Hot Cross Buns.
Additionally, mashed potatoes are often served as sides at dinner, they may seem gluten-free but can be thickened with wheat flour, so always double-check with the host.
Other foods that might hide gluten include deviled eggs. Some mustards (especially the artisanal ones) can contain gluten, so it’s important to double-check on ingredients to ensure they are safe.
I know it can feel overwhelming to keep a pulse on everything that could gluten you. Being a gluten-free guest during the holiday seasons can feel like a lot, and it’s possible. Whether that means you’re bringing your own food, co-hosting, hosting, or communicating closely with the host, don’t let celiac rob you of enjoying the holidays.
For more on strategies that simplify celiac-safety during the holidays, check out my Celiac Crash Course!
Now that we’ve got the basics of Easter down, let’s talk about gluten-free Easter candy. When looking for gluten-free candy it’s important to know how to check food labels for gluten.
First, you want to check for a gluten-free claim or certification on the label. If you see “gluten-free”, “no gluten” etc. written anywhere, that means this candy per FDA law must have <20ppm of gluten and thus, be celiac-safe.
If you don’t see a gluten-free claim, you will want to look for gluten-containing ingredients. Gluten commonly shows up in the ingredients list of candy as:
You will also want to check for ingredients that may contain gluten, like natural flavors. If you see natural flavors on a candy that’s not labeled gluten-free, contact the manufacturer to check on its gluten-free status. To make your life easier I’ve listed some gluten-free Easter candies below:
As always, double-check the ingredients to verify these products are suitable for your needs. If you need help identifying safe gluten-free food and medications, I show you how in the Celiac Crash Course. Complete with workbooks and simulations to help you become a confident label-reader!
Now that we know what Easter candy is gluten-free, we can talk about what easter treats you can put in Easter eggs. Some of my gluten-free favorites include:
Remember, the candy you celebrate Easter with doesn’t have to be specifically Easter themed. You can rely on regular gluten-free candies to fill gluten-free Easter eggs and baskets with.
You also don’t have to put candy in Easter baskets! You can fill Easter baskets up with other fun things like colored pencils, coloring books, kid’s books, gluten-free play dough, legos, and more.
When it comes to celebrating a gluten-free Easter, you’ll need some delicious and safe Easter recipes to lean on. My advice is to make a list of all your Easter favorites and try to explore some gluten-free recipes online. Pinterest is a lot of fun for this. And if you’re looking for a more done-for-you approach, below are some recipes that you can prepare for the whole family!
First up on the gluten-free Easter recipe list are Gluten-free Brunch recipes! Easter brunch is a common meal featured during this holiday so here are some recipes to serve up:
Second up on the gluten-free Easter recipe list are gluten-free appetizers. These are lighter foods to help keep people from getting hangry before the main event!
Next up on the gluten-free Easter recipe list are dinner recipes! Easter dinner is typically a big deal and involves a lot of delicious foods. Below are some favorites you can make!
Last but not least on the gluten-free Easter recipe list are desserts! Rule number one of living with celiac disease: always bring your own delicious dessert!
Celebrating a gluten-free Easter can feel overwhelming but hopefully, this blog post gave you some ideas of foods you can still enjoy. Easter is a holiday where there are a lot of options for you to stay safe. There are a lot of gluten-free candies and recipes that can be easily modified. You don’t have to sacrifice enjoying yummy foods this Easter!
And if the Holidays are hard and you feel like you need more strategies and support to simplify your celiac safety strategies, check out the Celiac Crash Course! This self-paced course gives you strategies and skills to stay celiac-safe at events like this AND you’ll get access to 2 months of live virtual support group meetings to ask questions and trouble shoot problems with celiac specialists and peers. Check it out here.