Teal Pumpkin: Allergy Friendly Treats!
- Patria Lincoln Posted On Sep 27, 2022 | Halloween
Halloween is nearly upon us! This fun and spooky holiday are one of the most entertaining nights for kids each year: creative costumes, running around outside after dark with friends, and…trick-or-treating for candy! I have so many childhood memories of Halloween excitement, so I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness when we discovered my two daughters had a dairy allergy a few years back. I didn’t want them to miss out on all the fun or feel left out while going door-to-door with their friends. Luckily, there are still some dairy-free candy options, but most Halloween treats tend to be chocolate. And dairy isn’t the only allergy out there - nuts, gluten, and soy also affect thousands of kids around you.
What is the Teal Pumpkin Project?
Thankfully, awareness of this issue has gained traction and popularity over the past few years! Have you ever heard of the Teal Pumpkin Project? It’s a fantastic initiative that focuses on the inclusion of children with special diets who trick-or-treat.
The concept is simple, and everyone is encouraged to participate:
- Collect non-food treat options
- Place a teal pumpkin on your porch to show people that you have available non-food treats.
- Add your address to the Teal Pumpkin Project Map.
![](https://mcstaging.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TPP-1-800x1067.png)
![](https://mcstaging.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TPP-1-800x1067.png)
We found our teal pumpkin and non-food treats in the dollar section of local stores. Some great ideas for treats are Learning Resources Counters, stickers, temporary tattoos, pencils, bookmarks, necklaces, glow sticks/bracelets/wands, bouncy balls, notepads, stencils, bubbles, noisemakers, or playing cards. Many families choose to give out non-food treats AND traditional Halloween candy, and they just have two separate treat bowls.
![](https://mcstaging.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TPP-2-800x1062.png)
![](https://mcstaging.learningresources.com/media/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TPP-2-800x1062.png)
I can’t tell you how happy I am that awareness is being raised for children with food allergies! Even if my girls were not allergic to dairy I would still encourage participation in this wonderful project. We are constantly striving to teach our daughters about inclusion and the importance of making everyone feel special and cared about. The Teal Pumpkin Project is an easy way that families can do just that within their local communities everywhere!