With Halloween just around the corner, many stores are stocking up on sweet treats and candy. For many children, Halloween is a fun day filled with trick-or-treating and getting as much candy as possible. However, 1 in 13 children and their families may dread the day if the child has a food allergy. The parents have to make the decision of allowing their child to go so as not to miss out on the holiday. If they do decide to let their child with food allergies go, then the parents must closely monitor what the child gets from houses. It may be anxiety-inducing for these families, especially if the child is young and does not quite yet understand the food allergy.
To provide some assurance for these families and inclusivity for the children, Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) was inspired to start the Teal Pumpkin Project, which raises awareness of food allergies. Homes that display a teal pumpkin outside indicate they have non-food items to give to trick-or-treaters with food allergies. The children may have teal pumpkin baskets to indicate they have food allergies. To provide support for the Teal Pumpkin Project, FARE has partnered with CVS to offer non-food items on Halloween. The offering of non-food items or food-allergy treats will help to accommodate children with food allergies.
Image from Wagner SprayTech