Teal pumpkins: Making Halloween treats safe for everyone

Halloween candy can be a frightful sight for some kids. Teal pumpkins tell kids that Halloween treats are safe for everyone.

Halloween candy and trick or treating can be scary for some kids. The scare factor doesn’t come from the ghouls and goblins. Instead, the scariest part can be the Halloween treats. But, the event doesn’t have to be fright filled. Teal pumpkins show everyone that Halloween treats are safe at that particular Halloween stop.

Food allergies are a huge concern for many families. From peanuts to gluten, food allergies are more common than ever. Having a food allergy is hard all the time, but Halloween be even more difficult. Many candies feature nuts, gluten and other ingredients that are prohibitive for allergy sufferers. But, why should food allergies prevent a child from a fun holiday activity.

Teal Pumpkins, Teal Pumpkin Project, photo provided by FARE

Many houses or establishments place a teal pumpkin by the door. The Teal Pumpkin Project was started by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE). This project was designed to make Halloween fun and exciting for kids who can’t have the candy Halloween treat.

By placing a teal pumpkin by the door, families know that non-edible Halloween treats are available at that house. These non-edible Halloween treats don’t have to be expensive. Glow sticks, stickers or other small trinkets make for fun treats. The idea is to give a Halloween treat that isn’t food related.

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Truthfully, the teal pumpkin campaign can be a great idea for even non-allergy affected families. Instead of buying copious amounts of candy, the non-edible treats are a better alternative. The family won’t be tempted to eat too much candy. Also, the family won’t have to come up creative ideas to use all that leftover candy. Lastly, any leftover non-edible treats can be donated to a local school, daycare or other organization.

The teal pumpkins are becoming more and more prevalent in neighborhoods. People are more aware of allergy issues. Allergy sufferers are finding more adaptations to be included. Just because you can’t eat a specific food doesn’t mean that you can’t have the same experiences as everyone else. Inclusion is the new normal.

On Halloween look for the teal pumpkins around your neighborhood. Even if you don’t paint one for your house, a few non-edible treats might be a good idea too. Everyone should have the chance to trick or treat. The night is about the experience, not the candy.