From Salem to Springfield, the candy is already piling up in Massachusetts stores, and by Oct. 31 it will be coming home in pillowcases, classroom goody bags and trunk-or-treat buckets. Muslim families make different choices about Halloween itself. Some skip it, some hand out treats to neighbors, and some just want to know what to do with the candy a child brings home from school. Whatever your family decides, one question comes up every year: which of these sweets has gelatin in it?
Gelatin is made from animal skin, bones and connective tissue. In the United States, labels almost never say which animal it came from or how the animal was slaughtered, so many Muslims treat any unlabeled gelatin as not halal. We checked the ingredient lists that the candy makers themselves publish on their websites, as of Oct. 13, 2026. Recipes change, so the bag in your hand always wins over any list, including this one.
The big lesson: the same name can mean different candy
The most common mistake is trusting a brand name. Several popular candies come in a classic version without gelatin and a gummy or chewy version with it.
Skittles is the clearest example. The ingredient list on Skittles' website for Original Skittles has no gelatin. Skittles Original Gummies, sold in a similar-looking bag, list gelatin as a main ingredient.
Sour Patch Kids works the same way. Classic Sour Patch Kids list sugar, invert sugar, corn syrup and modified corn starch, with no gelatin, according to the Snackworks site run by maker Mondelez. Sour Patch Kids Chews, a newer square chew, list gelatin.
Life Savers hard candies don't use gelatin, but Life Savers Gummies list it, according to the brand's site.
Candies that list gelatin
These are the Halloween regulars whose makers list gelatin in the ingredients:
Starburst Original Fruit Chews. The individually wrapped squares that fill so many fun-size bags list gelatin on starburst.com, in every size we checked, from the single pack to the 27.5-ounce family bag.
Haribo Goldbears. Haribo's U.S. product page lists gelatin without saying which animal it comes from. Unless the bag carries a printed halal mark, treat it as not halal.
Brach's Classic Candy Corn. The ingredient list on brachs.com includes gelatin, and also confectioner's glaze, which is shellac, a resin made by the lac insect. Some scholars accept shellac and others don't, so candy corn raises two questions, not one.
Skittles Gummies, Sour Patch Kids Chews and Life Savers Gummies, as noted above.
Candies with no gelatin on the label
These popular picks don't list gelatin on their makers' websites:
Original Skittles. Swedish Fish, which use modified corn starch instead. Classic Sour Patch Kids. Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, which do contain wheat, for anyone with an allergy. Jolly Rancher Gummies Original Flavors, which surprised us: Hershey's current ingredient list for them has modified cornstarch and no gelatin. Older bags on store shelves may differ, so check the label.
No gelatin doesn't automatically mean certified halal. These candies simply don't list gelatin or another obvious animal ingredient, which isn't the same as carrying a halal certification. Families who also avoid shellac, carmine or uncertain flavorings will want to read further down each label.
How to read a candy label in 30 seconds
Look for the word gelatin first. On U.S. labels it is often hiding in the small print after "Less than 2% of," which is exactly where Starburst lists it.
Look for confectioner's glaze or shellac, the insect resin used to make candy shiny.
Look for carmine or cochineal extract, a red color made from insects. Don't confuse it with Red 40, which is a synthetic dye and not an animal product.
Look for a halal mark. A printed symbol from a recognized certifier is the only label that actually tells you a product is halal, rather than just free of certain ingredients.
And check the exact variant. "Original," "Gummies," "Chews" and "Minis" can be completely different recipes under the same brand.
Where to find halal-certified sweets in Massachusetts
If your kids want real gummy bears, look for packages with a printed halal certification. Some imported sweets, especially from Turkey, carry a halal mark on the package, and Turkish, Middle Eastern and South Asian grocers are the natural place to look for them. Our markets directory at masshalal.com/markets lists halal markets across the state, from Medford and Revere to Shrewsbury and West Springfield. Stock changes week to week, so call ahead if you are shopping for a party.
Not sure about a package in the store? The halal scanner in the Mass Halal app for iPhone lets you scan a product and check its ingredients before it goes in the cart.
A few practical ideas for families
Do a candy swap. When the kids come home, trade the gelatin candy for a halal treat you bought ahead of time, so nobody feels left out.
Give teachers a heads-up. A short note before a class party, saying your child doesn't eat gelatin, saves an awkward moment.
Hand out treats you trust. If you open your door to neighbors' kids, chocolate bars and gelatin-free candy mean you never have to wonder what you are passing out.
When in doubt, ask. For questions of fiqh, such as whether gelatin made from a non-zabiha animal is acceptable after processing, scholars genuinely differ. Your local imam is the right person to ask, and you can find a masjid near you at masshalal.com/mosques.
Know of a Massachusetts shop with a great selection of halal-certified sweets, or a masjid hosting a fall family night? Tell us at masshalal.com/contact, and we may feature it in the Journal.