While trick-or-treating, most kids spend the allotted two hours gathering as much candy as they can and eating as many Snickers, Butterfingers, and M&Ms as their bodies can handle.
But for the one out of every 13 kids who have food allergies and other food sensitivities, this day can be hard. It is not easy watching your friends be able to eat anything they want, knowing that you can’t eat those foods because you would have an allergic reaction. For these kids, Halloween is more about the experience than the candy.
However, the Food Allergy Awareness and Education organization has provided an easy solution: the Teal Pumpkin Project. It is an effort to raise awareness about food allergies and provide an inclusive experience for kids with food allergies on Halloween.
Anyone interested in participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project can hang this printable sign in a window or door a few days before Halloween. This way, parents of kids with food allergies will see that this house will be offering treats that are safe for them. Then, on the day of trick-or-treating, in addition to a bowl of candy, offer a bowl of non-food treats.
These can include pencils, glow sticks, bubbles, erasers, bouncy balls, spider rings, vampire fangs, mini notepads, bookmarks, or stickers. My family usually gives out fruit snacks as well as glow sticks and a bowl of assorted non-food toys and treats.
Knowing whether candy is safe for kids with food allergies can be difficult.
Sometimes Halloween-sized candy is not safe for kids with food allergies, even if the full-size version is safe, because different ingredients can be used. Plus, manufacturers can change factories or ingredients year to year, so a child’s favorite candy last year can suddenly contain an allergen the next year.
Kids with food allergies and their parents also tend to avoid candy without labels. If you are offering candy, make sure it has an individual label.
Additionally, by offering non-food treats, you are offering a longer-lasting treat for the child. A small notebook or bracelet will be put to more use than a single piece of candy.
While it may not seem like much, that plastic ring that you offer can make a child’s Halloween.
To learn more about the Teal Pumpkin project and what you can do to participate or spread awareness, please visit this link: https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/living-teal/teal-pumpkin-project
