Teal Pumpkin Project Helps Ensure Everyone Can Trick-Or-Treat

(KNSI) — When shopping for trick-or-treat goodies, the Teal Pumpkin Project recommends picking up some non-food treats, too this Halloween.

Trick-or-treating is one of the highlights of the year for most children as they eagerly scoop up candy filled with chocolate, peanuts, and other goodies. Many of these treats can be scary when eaten by a child with a food allergy. CentraCare Pediatrician Jill Amsberry recommends having something else on hand for the one in 13 kids who can’t have M&Ms or Snickers bars.

Placing a teal pumpkin on your front stoop lets kids with food allergies know there is something at your house they can have.

“So, what we typically recommend is that you have one bowl that may be regular, typical Halloween treats. The big bag of candy that you can buy at the store, but that maybe you have another bucket that is allergen free, and what that means is typically just non food treats.” Stickers, small toys, stuffies, play-doh, mini coloring books and small packs of crayons are some popular suggestions.

Eggs, milk, wheat, gluten and nuts are just some common candy ingredients that can cause problems. Amsberry says it is not exactly known why certain people have bad reactions to various food ingredients, but “The latest recommendations are that we actually introduce those high allergen-containing foods early. So, really starting right away at six months that we begin to introduce these high allergen-containing foods. And that has been shown to reduce the number of food allergies, and specifically peanut and nut allergies.”

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