LUBBOCK, Texas — The Teal Pumpkin Project by the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is a simple way to make trick-or-treating welcoming to all. A teal pumpkin on your doorstep signals that you offer non-food treats and trinkets that can delight every trick-or-treater.
When a child with food allergy sees a bowl filled with candy, they can feel left out or even afraid. Many favorite candies contain common food allergens as ingredients so here are some tips you can use this Halloween:
- Check the ingredients list of the candy (ingredients might differ from full size candy bars and mini size)
- Some brand of candy corn can often contain egg whites.
- Some dark chocolate often contains traces of milk.
- Double check when purchasing large bags of candy, that it does not contain any peanuts.
- Chocolate, gummy, jelly and hard candies are gluten free.
- Pretzels, fruit snacks, chips and crackers are safe yummy alternatives than candy.
1 in 13 children have a food allergy, which can cause life-threatening allergic reactions. Here are some non-food treats to hand out to ensure trick-or-treaters safety:
- Mini-Notebooks
- Playing Cards
- Stickers
- Fidget Toys
- Glow Sticks
- Pencils or Pens
- Bubbles
- Bouncy balls
- Spider rings
Find out more about the Teal Pumpkin Project at TealPumkinProject.org…