Teal Pumpkin Project: Safe trick-or-treating for kids with allergies
Oct 9, 2023, 10:18 AM
The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages non-food items for trick-or-treaters with allergies. (The Teal Pumpkin Project, Facebook)
(The Teal Pumpkin Project, Facebook)
SALT LAKE CITY — Teal pumpkins are showing up on porches again this Halloween to help raise awareness about life-threatening food allergies.
Food Allergy Research and Education aims to raise awareness through the Teal Pumpkin Project. The project encourages Americans to pick up some safe, non-food treats to give out to trick-or-treaters.
Registered Dietician Tiffany Leon said food allergies impact one in 13 children. Halloween candy often contains common allergens.
“Many traditional Halloween treats aren’t safe for these children with food allergies because all the popular candies contain milk, eggs, soy, wheat or even sesame. And those are some of the most common allergens in children,” said Leon.
Trick-or-treating can be difficult for children with food allergies and can make many children feel excluded on Halloween.
How you can help
Having non-food options to hand out can make all the difference.
“It’s a really simple gesture to be able to keep children that have food allergies, intolerances or even other medically restricted diets, other conditions safe and included in a holiday,” said Leon.
Some non-food items suggested by FARE include pencil toppers, glow sticks, bubbles, bracelets, stickers and bouncy balls.
To let neighbors and trick-or-treaters know your home offers safe non-food treats, leave a teal pumpkin on the porch.
The Teal Pumpkin project offers a map locating homes participating in the project. People can also add their residence to the map to let trick-or-treaters know that non-food items will be available.
