Allergy Nurse Shares Easter Food Allergy Advice and Risks

Hidden Easter Allergy Risks: What You Need to Know

As the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches, a clinical nurse specialist is urging people to take extra care when it comes to food allergies, warning that some of the season’s most popular treats could pose unexpected risks.

In 2026, Good Friday falls on Friday 3rd April, Easter Sunday on 5th April, and Easter Monday on 6th April, giving many across the UK a four-day weekend often filled with chocolate and traditional foods.

Common Easter treats may contain allergens

Hannah Kramer, Clinical Nurse Specialist at The Allergy Centre of Excellence (ACE), highlighted that a wide range of Easter favourites may include allergens such as milk, nuts, wheat, egg and soya.

These include:

• Chocolate Easter eggs
• Mini eggs
• Creme eggs
• Hot cross buns
• Simnel cake
• Carrot cake
• Cornflake cakes
• Rocky road
• Chocolate bark
• Nutella

Speaking about chocolate Easter eggs, Hannah said: “As with any chocolate consumption, Easter eggs usually contain milk and/or nuts. Then you have the added risk of any fillings or toppings potentially containing nuts, wheat or egg.

“Also, when Easter eggs are gifted (for example, given individually wrapped at school), you may not have access to ingredients list to check if it is safe. Some Easter eggs that come with confectionary as part of the package, the ingredients in the egg or the confectionary on the side may not be the same as the versions of the confectionary you buy from the local shop.

“It is also worth noting that if Easter eggs are imported from abroad, allergen labelling laws may be different, and not all allergens may be reported as they would be on UK labels.”

Extra caution for mini eggs and creme eggs

Hannah explained that mini eggs and creme eggs can also present risks.

“Milk is present in the chocolate, and for some brands of eggs like mini eggs they also ‘may contain’ nuts or wheat, as they are made in factories which also handle these ingredients. Where cross-contamination cannot 100% be ruled out in such factories, there will be this ‘may contain’ warning. Plus, chocolates of this size and shape are not recommended for children under 5, as they can be a choking hazard.

“When it comes to creme eggs, these have dairy in the chocolate and the filling, and interestingly the fondant filling does contain real egg so these treats are not suitable for someone with an egg allergy. They also carry a ‘may contain’ warning for nuts (tree nuts and peanuts).”

Traditional bakes and sweet treats also carry risks

Hannah outlined that many traditional Easter foods can include multiple allergens.

“Hot cross buns are most commonly not safe for those with wheat, milk or egg allergies. Plus, sometimes there can be nuts incorporated in the dough, and soya can also occasionally be found in some recipes.

“Simnel cake usually contains milk, eggs, and wheat, and sometimes soya. There are often nuts such as walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts in the dough, and almonds or other nuts in the marzipan layer surrounding the cake.

“A traditional carrot cake usually contains wheat and eggs in the batter, milk in the frosting. Nuts such as walnuts and pecans are very common both in the cake and for decoration.

“Cornflake cakes usually contain milk in the chocolate. Most cornflakes are made from malted barley or corn, so they usually contain gluten.

“Rocky road often contains several allergens but can vary greatly between recipes. Usually there is milk in the chocolate and butter, wheat in any biscuit pieces, egg in any marshmallows, and sometimes nuts.

“Chocolate bark contains milk in the chocolate, sometimes soya, with toppings that can include nuts, dried fruits or confectionary.

“Now onto Nutella this primarily contains milk, hazelnuts, and soya lecithin. It also is made in a factory which handles peanuts and treenuts.”

8 key dos and don’ts for a safer Easter

Hannah shared practical advice for those managing food allergies:

Do:

• Always check the ingredients and allergen label on every treat
• Ask about ingredients if labels are not available
• Keep safe alternatives on hand
• Read ‘may contain’ warnings carefully

Don’t:

• Assume seasonal treats are the same as standard versions
• Give unlabelled multipack items
• Rely on memory for ingredients
• Let children share treats without checking

Why checking labels matters

Hannah highlighted several reasons why Easter products can be riskier than expected.

“Easter-themed versions of chocolate bars are often made with different ingredients, even if the brand is the same. An Easter egg version may contain different fillings, glazes, or added ingredients not present in the standard bar.

“Chocolate items sold in multipacks that have been separated from the main packaging may not display ingredients or allergen warnings.

“Factory warnings like ‘may contain nuts’ can vary between products. Seasonal treats may come from different production lines.

“Easter chocolates often contain fillings such as fondant, marzipan or caramel, which may include allergens like egg, milk, or nuts.”

What to do in an emergency

The advice also stresses the importance of recognising and responding to allergic reactions.

Mild symptoms can include itching around the mouth, swelling, sneezing, rashes, nausea or hives, and are typically treated with antihistamines.

However, these can quickly develop into severe symptoms such as tongue or throat swelling, breathing difficulties, dizziness or loss of consciousness.

In cases of suspected anaphylaxis, immediate treatment with adrenaline is required. Adrenaline should never be given while someone is standing.

If someone is experiencing a severe allergic reaction, call 999 immediately and seek professional medical help. Always follow medical advice and use prescribed medication where available.

About the Allergy Centre of Excellence

The Allergy Centre of Excellence is a specialist allergy hospital based in the Harley Street Health District at 10 Duchess Street. It was founded by Professors Adam Fox, George Du Toit and Gideon Lack.

The centre provides personalised care for children with food allergies and offers treatments including Oral Immunotherapy, designed to reduce sensitivity and the risk of severe reactions.

With on-site paediatric intensive care specialists and a high dependency unit, safety remains a central focus of the centre’s work.