Candy-free Trick-or-treat

The Teal Pumpkin Project

With Halloween right around the corner, you might have seen “The Teal Pumpkin Project” being posted on social media. If you don’t know what that is, in a nutshell, it’s another treat option for kids with allergies who need to stay away from candy. So much of the traditional Halloween candy is a big no-no for kids with allergies to milk, eggs, nuts, wheat, and soy.

Here’s the low-down, in 2014, Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) launched The Teal Pumpkin Project as a national campaign to raise awareness of food allergies and to promote inclusion of all Trick-or-Treaters throughout the Halloween season. If you have a child with food allergies, then you know first hand how scary Trick-or-Treating can actually be. In the United States, these allergies affect 1 in 13 children and can be life-threatening. The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages people to place a teal-painted pumpkin outside their door on Halloween if they’re offering non-foods treats. It’s a great idea and can work for kids without allergies as well, who just want healthier, teeth-friendly treats. I mean, do we really want our kids hauling home an entire pillowcase full of candy!

Here’s a list of 20 fun non-food treats that any kid would love. Most of these things can be found on Amazon.

1. Halloween Stickers

2. Halloween Stampers

3. Halloween Tattoos

4. Vampire Fangs

5. Halloween Pencils

6. Pumpkin Slinky

7. Glow in the Dark Bouncy Balls

8. Halloween Straws

9. Spider Rings

10. Halloween Bracelets

11. Glow Sticks

12. Halloween Erasers

13. Play-Doh

14. Halloween Figures

15. Witch Fingers

16. Bubbles

17. Halloween Finger Puppets

18. Spider Web Glasses

19. Creepy Crawly Bugs

20. Glow in the Dark Skeletons

If you want to learn more about the Teal Pumpkin Project or to get involved click here!

Melissa Desrochers put this list together on her website where she sells a really cool utensil for your little ones. Check her out!