Did you know 1 in 13 kids who come to your door will have at least one food allergy?
Teal Pumpkins can take the scare out of Halloween for families and kids who navigate the holidays with food allergies. It’s a signal for trick-or-treaters that you offer non-food treats which can also benefit kids with diabetes and those with gluten sensitivity or other food intolerances. While you may see more of them, as awareness of food allergies and sensitivities grows, experts say that there is still an imbalance in ratio of teal pumpkins to kids looking for safe alternatives.
If you see a teal pumpkin in your neighborhood, show your support and take a moment to learn how to share a safe, healthy Halloween for everyone!
Here are a few tips for getting started:
- Buy or paint a teal pumpkin for trick-or-treaters to see. If you don’t have time for that, just put out a sign. You can download one for free at FoodAllergy.org.
- Non-food treats are a fun, unique option to share with all kids. You could pass out glow sticks, bubbles, vampire fangs, and a slew of novelty toys.
- You can also give out candy, but be sure to place it in a separate bowl. Non-food treats are the safest, most universal choice for all trick-or-treaters. However, there are some treats that may be more allergy-friendly than others. The organization, Kids with Food Allergies, shares its top-8 candies that are free of peanut, tree nut, dairy, egg, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish ingredients. The list includes various chocolate options (you’d be surprised!), Sour Patch Kids, Skittles, Starbursts, and several treats from Surf Sweets with candies that are “produced and packaged in the USA in dedicated facilities that are free of the top 10 food allergens and are made with organic cane sugar, organic fruit juice and organic vegetable dyes. No artificial colors, sweeteners or flavors are used.”
To learn more about food sensitivities and how to make every holiday food safe for your family, visit us for a free consultation with a Functional Medicine and Clinical Nutrition expert at one of our several convenient locations.
Visit Food Allergy Research and Education to learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project.
