Candy and chocolate based holidays can be tricky to navigate. Here are a few things that help me and my five year old enjoy the holiday.

• Know your brands. I find it extremely helpful to know which brands carry vegan (or mostly vegan) products. YumEarth is my go-to candy brand and they even have chocoyums now as a chocolate candy option similar to m&ms. I also love Partake, Made Good, Enjoy Life, Emmy’s, and Dandies. I check all labels always in case anything changes but with these brands, I know I can pretty much grab and go without the worry.

• Know the big brands and what to avoid. I avoid almost all big brands because I find that even if the ingredients look to be plant-based, they almost all use artificial dyes which freak me out and/or “natural flavors” which can be anything. Plus, while we do eat some “accidentally vegan” candy, I really love to support the ones who are doing it with purpose.

• Find non-consumable ways to enjoy the holiday. My son is a big fan of painting projects so I often gift him a simple wooden holiday-themed piece or a canvas with some holiday paint colors and that’s a really fun activity that has nothing to do with what we’re eating.

• Stock up on the goods and let your kid swap out gifts that aren’t vegan. If your classroom allows for candy and chocolate, you are probably going to receive non-vegan valentine’s. I just buy one extra bag of the candy or chocolate that my son loves most and then let him swap it out. I carry some in my bag and leave some at home. I always have extras to share with friends. The more they try the non-vegan items and become aware of the brands, the more I see them making those purchases in the future.

• Advocate with your dollars. I know that the non-vegan items can sometimes be less expensive and so I know that this won’t work for everyone but if you have the disposable income to do so, I would love to recommend making purchases that align with your values. Even if you aren’t the ones consuming the item, (say giving as a gift or in a classroom) you are still speaking with your dollars. The companies that we all back are the ones that will grow.

I hope these tips are helpful. Please feel free to add more in the comments below.