Have you heard about the Teal Pumpkin Project?
Halloween is right around the corner and this season can be extra spooky for those with a food allergy! Many kids with food allergies don’t get the chance to go trick or treating because a lot of candy has common allergens like milk or nuts. Food allergies can be life threatening, if proper precautions are not taken a child could end up in the hospital or worse. But we don’t have to exclude our food allergic friends this Halloween! FARE, a food allergy research and education organization, has an initiative to bring awareness to food allergy and make Halloween a more inclusive holiday.
What is the Teal Pumpkin Project?
The Teal Pumpkin Project is an initiative that encourages people to offer non-food trinkets and toys in a separate bowl to make Halloween safer and more fun for all trick-or-treaters. Houses offering this option often signal their participation by putting out teal pumpkin decorations so it is easy for food allergic kiddos to identify which houses will be safe for them to visit.
Why should you care?
In the United States there are an estimated 5.6 million children who have a food allergy. That’s one in thirteen children, so chances are if you have thirteen or more trick-or-treaters coming to your house this Halloween, at least one of them will have a food allergy. There is not currently a cure for food allergy and the most effective treatment is avoiding the allergen altogether. Not to mention kids with other conditions that mean they have to avoid certain foods such as diabetes, celiac disease, food intolerances, specialty diets, and more.
This means that some kids have to stay home on Halloween for their own safety, mostly just because the general population doesn’t know that they can help make Halloween safe and inclusive for everyone! It’s as easy as offering non-food treats in a separate bowl from the candy!
How can you get involved?
Anyone can participate! Don’t worry you can still pass out candy as regular as well. All you have to do is offer your non-food trinkets and toys in a separate bowl from your regular Halloween candy. Don’t forget to signal that your house will have these additional options by putting out teal pumpkin decorations. Don’t have any? You could paint a pumpkin yourself or you can head on over to the FARE website where they have printable signs you can download to display letting kids and parents know that your house is safe for food allergic kiddos this Halloween!
Need some non-food treat ideas?
There are lots of great trinket and toy options that are cost effective and fun for all!
Here are just a few:!
- Glow sticks, glow jewelry, glow in the dark toys, light up jewelry or toys
- Bubbles
- Mini slinkies
- Vampire fangs
- Stickers, temporary tattoos, stamps
- Bookmarks
- Fidget toys
- Whistles, kazoos, other noise makers
- Finger skateboards
- Pencils, pens, erasers, markers, crayons, pencil toppers
- Beaded necklaces, friendship bracelets, slap bracelets
- Mystery squishies
- Finger puppets
- Bouncy balls
- Googly eyes
- Creepy Crawlies (think plastic spiders, lizards, bugs, etc.)
- Rubber ducks
- Slime
- Sticky hands
So get out there, have a happy Halloween, and stay safe!
Head on over to the FARE website to learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project. They have an interactive map to help families identify homes and events offering non-food treats, as well as other information about how to stay safe this Halloween.
Don’t forget to check out FAAC’s Boo to Food Allergies!: A Food-Safe Fall Fun Festival! On October 22 from 6-8pm, FAAC will have candy and prizes free from the top 9 food allergies, along with games, face painting, and a photo booth! Find us on the FARE Teal Pumpkin map and come celebrate Halloween with us without the tricks