This Halloween, don’t get tricked into unknowingly buying or eating sweets that contribute to animal cruelty, unfair labor practices, or environmental degradation. It’s easy to find delicious goodies that are also kind, compassionate, and sustainably sourced.

While Halloween often brings to mind thoughts of ghosts, goblins, and haunted houses, the scariest part of the season might actually be lurking in an unexpected place: the candy bowl. We’re not talking about urban myths or superstitions, but rather the insidious ingredients that cause harm to animals, workers, and the environment.

All it takes is a little know-how when navigating the candy aisle to find vegan goodies you can feel good about—and we’re here to help.

Found in many chocolate bars and bites, cow’s milk is an obvious offender. Other sinister additives may be lurking in your candies—disguised by unclear names that hide what they really are. We love a little mystery, but not in ingredient lists. When cruising for confections, watch out for these non-vegan ingredients hidden in some Halloween treats:

• Gelatin: Derived from animal bones and skin, commonly used for chewiness.
• Carmine (Cochineal): A red food coloring made from crushed female cochineal insects.
• Confectioner’s Glaze (Shellac): A shiny coating made from resinous insect excretions.

Beyond opting for animal-free ingredients, we encourage looking for Fair Trade Certified sweets. This guarantees that certain standards were met to protect workers, farmers, and local ecosystems. For a comprehensive list of ethical chocolate brands, check out the free Chocolate List from Food Empowerment Project.

By choosing mindfully, you can make sure your Halloween stash is filled with candy that’s kind to animals, workers, and the planet alike.

To help you get ready for Halloween, we’ve compiled a list of some of our top picks to hand out to trick-or-treaters or to enjoy yourself. They are 100% vegan and ghoulishly delicious.

YumEarth
Known for allergy-friendly snacks, YumEarth’s entire line of sweets—including fruit snacks, lollipops, and chewy candies—is 100% vegan, organic, non-GMO, and frightfully delicious.

UNREAL
UNREAL streamlines shopping for conscious candy consumers by categorizing all their vegan products on their website—from their Dark Chocolate Peanut Gems to the Coconut Bars and Vegan Variety Pack. Some more sweet news: Every single item is Fair Trade Certified.

Endangered Species Chocolate
Most dark and oat milk chocolate bars from Endangered Species are vegan-friendly—just look for the label on the wrapper. They are also Fair Trade Certified and partner with 4ocean to produce ocean plastic–neutral chocolate bars.

Cocomels
As the name implies, Cocomels smooth caramel candies are made with coconut milk instead of dairy. The entire line of vegan caramels is organic and non-GMO, and free of gluten and corn syrup.

Airheads Bars, Belts, and Strips
Playfully stretchy and packed with flavor, it’s no wonder Airheads have remained the go-to taffy candy. Original Airheads Bars and Airheads Xtremes Belts and Strips contain zero animal products, making them kind to animals and safe for vegans.

Dum-Dums and Charms Blow Pops
A favorite of kids and adults alike, lollipops are a Halloween necessity. Original Dum-Dums and Charms Blow Pops are both animal-friendly options whose fun and flavor keep little monsters happy all through All Hallows’ Eve.

TWIZZLERS and Red Vines
While licorice lovers might debate which brand is better, both TWIZZLERS and Red Vines are both winners to us! Their candy is completely vegan, with neither brand using gelatin, opting instead for corn syrup and wheat flour to achieve their signature chewy texture.

Hu Kitchen
Hu Kitchen sets a high standard with 100% Fair Trade Certified products made entirely without palm oil or refined sugars. Their Dark Chocolate Bars and Bites are vegan, including their Salty Dark Chocolate Bar and Cashew Butter + Pure Vanilla Bean Bites.

Theo Chocolate
The vast majority of Theo dark chocolate bars are dairy-free, palm oil-free, Fair Trade Certified, and clearly labeled “suitable for vegans” (excluding their Coffee Toffee and Salted Toffee bars, which contain dairy). We recommend the Orange, Mint, Almond Brittle Crunch, and Brown Rice Quinoa Crunch bars.

Smarties
Always a hit at Halloween, all products made by Smarties are completely vegan. The brand umbrella does also contain some non-vegan candies manufactured by other companies, so be sure to double-check the packaging before purchasing. Find more info here.

Go Max Go Candy Bars
If you’re bummed not to see Snickers or Twix bars on our list of favorite candies, you’re actually in luck. Go Max Go offers delicious vegan alternatives to these classic candy bars. Their 2-fer bar mimics a Twix with its crunchy cookie and caramel filling. Their Jokerz bar delivers the peanuts, nougat, and caramel of a Snickers. They also make a delicious peanut butter cup called Cleo’s.

You don’t need tricks, dairy, or harmful additives to have an unforgettable Halloween. By filling your candy bowl with plant-based, cruelty-free, and ethically sourced goodies, you can ensure that, even if your house is haunted, your candy bowl is free from toil and trouble.