Having a child with a food allergy or diabetes impacts nearly every aspect of life – including how he or she can participate in holidays and related celebrations. Festive celebrations nearly always include candy and treats, and it can be heartbreaking to tell a child with a food allergy or dietary restrictions that he or she can’t participate in the merriment of trick-or-treating on Halloween night.
This is where the Teal Pumpkin Project comes in, allowing all children to get in on the fun of trick-or-treating – while removing the worry of its junk-food focus.
“I’m a big proponent of the Teal Pumpkin Project,” says J. Andrew Bird, M.D., Director of the Food Allergy Center at Children’s Health℠ and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern. “It’s a fantastic project for the community, and it’s becoming more and more recognized as a standard part of Halloween.”
Families can paint their teal pumpkin or purchase one from a local craft store. Placing it on their doorstep signifies that they will offer allergy-friendly treats in a separate bowl during trick-or-treating – or perhaps only offer the alternative treats
Are you stocking up on Halloween treats? Remember that some children may not be able to enjoy candy due to allergies or dietary restrictions.
See a few tricks to keep the spooky season safe for children with food allergies and other dietary restrictions.
Ideas for non-food Halloween treats.
