As more families are gearing up to get back to trick-or-treating, teal pumpkins are once again expected to make appearances on stoops in neighborhoods across the nation this Halloween. Unlike their orange-hued counterparts, these special gourds — which can be painted by hand or simply purchased from an arts and crafts section of a local retailer — are much more than just decor, as they play an important role for families dealing with a slew of food allergies during celebrations where sharing sweets is customary.
Food allergies, which range in severity but may present life-threatening challenges for young children (and can’t be cured yet!), are more commonplace now for American families than in years past. Experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that an estimated 8% of all children across the United States — about one in 13 total, in rough calculations — face food allergies that trigger a specific immune response to a particular ingredient. Eight different allergens are responsible for the most serious (potentially deadly) reactions on average: milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts. Allergic reactions don’t always look the same, but as CDC officials note, 40% of children who have food allergies end up in the emergency room at some point due to their reactions.
At least five of those ingredients are found in plenty of Halloween candy, and since many don’t want their trick-or-treating experience ending at the emergency room, it makes sense that a solution was born from families at risk.
This is where teal pumpkins come in, which have been tied to what’s now known as the Teal Pumpkin Project, first launched in 2014 in Tennessee, according to this USA Today report.
The Teal Pumpkin Project Could Be Saving Lives this Halloween
The Teal Pumpkins are an initiative through the organization Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) that encourages those celebrating Halloween to raise awareness of food allergies. The meaning behind the teal pumpkins is to include children who want to Trick-or-Treat but cannot always eat candy because they contain allergens.
According to FARE, teal is the color that symbolizes food allergy awareness. https://www.foodallergy.org/
Putting a teal pumpkin on your doorstep means you have non-food treats available, such as glow sticks or small toys. This simple act promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions.
I’m doing the Teal Pumpkin Project this year! What does this mean?
How can you Join in on the Fun?
- Provide non-food treats for trick-or-treaters
- Place a teal pumpkin in front of your home to indicate to passersby that you have non-food treats available
- Spread the word! Share the Teal Pumpkin Project with your friends and family
Can I still pass out candy?
Sure – just do it safely! The point of the Teal Pumpkin Project is to make trick-or-treating as inclusive as possible. You can keep the experience safe by keeping your food treats and non-food treats in separate bowls.
Allergy-Friendly Halloween Candy:
- Dum Dum Suckers
- Smarties (please note in Canada they’re called Rockets, smarties in Canada have chocolate & are not allergy friendly)
- Skittles
- Mike and Ikes
- Starbursts
- Life Saver Gummies
- Dots
- Enjoy Life Chocolate
- Sweedish Fish
- Air Heads (Note: They have soybean oil. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat the oil. Source.)
- Pixy Stix
- Laffy Taffy (Note: They have soy lecithin. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat soy lecithin. Source.)
- Ring Pops
- Jolly Ranchers (Note: They have soy lecithin. Check with your allergist, but many who have a soybean allergy can eat soy lecithin. Source.)
- Dubble Bubble Gum (does have a warning “soy may be present” so call & check if you have soy allergies)
- Fun Dip
- Smarties: All Smarties products including Candy necklaces
- Sour Patch Kids
- Dum Dums lollipops
- Dum Dums gummies (exclusively at Dollar General)
- Saf-T-Pops
- HARIBO Gummy Bears
- Tootsie rolls aren’t free of all food allergens, but they are free of peanuts, tree nuts, and gluten. These sweet little nuggets are a great option for kids of all ages who love chocolate. One of the fun things about Tootsie products is they come in a wide range of sizes and flavors, including Tootsie Pops.
How do I get my neighbors involved?
Getting your community involved is easy!
Ask your friends and neighbors to learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project and participate. Print out FARE’s flyers and hand them out.
Host an event like a teal pumpkin painting party and ask your friends and neighbors to participate.
If you have a neighborhood email list service, send out an email about the initiative, including a link to FARE’s website ( www.foodallergy.org ).
Reach out to your local library, dentist/doctor offices, schools, or community buildings to see if they would be willing to help you post signs or get the word out.
Share information on social media and post a picture of your teal pumpkins when you have them near your door! Don’t forget to use #tealpumpkinproject when you post!
For this free Printable sign click the link below the picture.
To sign up for the Teal Pumpkin and be on the Map for safe Treats click the link below
https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/teal-pumpkin-project/map
Ideas for Non-Food Treats
Suggestions for non-food treats to pass out on Halloween. It’s a simple act that means so much
Available at dollar stores, party supply stores, or online shops, these low-cost items can be purchased and handed out to all trick-or-treaters or made available in a separate bowl from candy if you choose to hand out both options. Nearly all these items can be found in a Halloween theme or festive colors.
- Glow sticks, bracelets, or necklaces
- Pencils, pens, crayons, or markers
- Bubbles
- Halloween erasers or pencil toppers
- Mini Slinkies
- Whistles, kazoos, or noisemakers
- Bouncy balls
- Finger puppets or novelty toys
- Coins
- Spider rings
- Vampire fangs
- Mini notepads
- Playing cards
- Bookmarks
- Stickers
- Stencils
- Stamps
- Stickers
- Bubbles
- Erasers
- Play-Doh
- Masks
- Bouncing Balls
- Rubber Duckies
- Slinkies
- Squishies
- Temporary Tattoos
- Sunglasses
- Foam Putty
- Rings
- Glow Sticks
- Bookmarks
- Vampire Fangs
- Neon Slime
- Stickers
- plastic figures
- Key Chain
- Slap Bracelets/Bracelets
- LED Glow Rings
- Finger Puppets
- Noise makers (Party horns, whistles)
- Light-Up necklace
- Erasers
- Mini cars (Hot wheels)
- Pencils
- Plastic bugs
- mini frisbi
- paddle and ball
- puzzles
- Surprise Mini Balls
- Coloring Books
- Stationary
- Halloween Bingo Cards
- Scratch Paper Art Kits
- Notepads
- stuffed animal
- Slingshots
- Kaleidoscope Prism Toy
- Stress Balls
- Halloween Activity Books
- Scratch Art Monsters
- YoYo
- Magnet Kits
- Halloween Window Clingers
- Mega Punch Balloons
- Wind-Up Toys
It’s not just about the Teal Pumpkins
Please be nice to the Older kids they deserve Candy too
I am a firm believer that there should not be an age limit on Trick-or-Treating. These young adults deserve to be treated just as much as the young ones. I tend to give more candy to the teens. They have to take their siblings all over town and rarely get the praise they deserve for it. If they don’t have Siblings, I still treat them. The way I see it is, they have decided to get Candy as opposed to destroying property, getting drunk, or pulling harmful Pranks and for that, they deserve our Praise and Candy.
I hope this post has enlightened you a bit. I encourage you to share this information so that we can make Halloween inclusive for those individuals that find it an extremely scary affair. I am honored to do this post and hope that it makes a family with Food Allergies feel comforted in knowing that people do care about their struggle. If you liked this content Please feel free to share, Like, Comment, and Subscribe to my Page. I hope to see you back real soon.
Angelika's World 