Teal Pumpkin Project Makes Halloween Less Scary for Kids With Food Allergies
Halloween should be fun and spooky, but it can be downright scary for kids with food allergies. Candy is at the heart of Halloween. Yet, those treats can contain harmful or even life-threatening allergens that are unsafe for the 8 percent of children with food allergies. Our Plano pediatricians support the Teal Pumpkin Project, which provides a safe way for kids in Plano and around the country to enjoy all the fun Halloween has to offer.
What is the Teal Pumpkin Project?
In the past, many of the 5.6 million children with food allergies had to opt out of Halloween festivities to stay safe. The Teal Pumpkin Project’s goal is to make trick-or-treating safe and accessible for kids with food allergies. It encourages people to offer non-food items at their homes to ensure a safe treat for those with food allergies. Easy, low-cost alternatives to candy include pencils, stickers, bookmarks and bouncy balls.
How to become a teal pumpkin house
It’s easy to become a teal pumpkin house and join our Plano pediatricians in keeping kids safe.
- Purchase non-food treats. It’s okay to offer candy also, but keep the two in separate containers to avoid cross-contact. Even better, put non-food treats in a teal pumpkin to avoid any confusion.
- Identify your home as food-allergy-friendly with a teal pumpkin on your doorstep or front of your house. You can print a teal pumpkin picture or spray paint a pumpkin teal. Amazon, Etsy and Target also offer teal pumpkin signs and products for purchase.
- Post your address (no names needed) on an online map of Teal Pumpkin Project homes to help kids with food allergies find safe places in Plano to trick-or-treat.
- Spread the word. Tell friends and neighbors that your home is food-allergy-friendly, and encourage them to participate. Post on social media and add #tealpumpkinproject.
Help our Plano pediatricians protect kids who have food allergies
Pediatric Specialists of Plano endorses the Teal Pumpkin Project to help ensure a safe and happy Halloween for the entire community. Visit www.foodallergy.org for free teal pumpkin printable signs and the Teal Pumpkin Project house map.
Please remember that allergies can develop and change over time. PSOP kids offers allergen testing to determine if your child has food allergies. Contact our Plano pediatricians for more information.
