Teal Pumpkins, Cute Costumes, and a Safe Halloween

It is that time of the year again, the season of pumpkin spice, falling leaves, and football. It is also the time of the year for one of my favorite holidays – Halloween. So, what do Halloween and food safety have to do with each other? Actually, there are quite a bit of safety precautions that one must take for our little trick-or-treaters. There are many rules for making sure that our little munchkins stay safe, like only trick or treating with an adult, visiting people that you know, checking to make sure that the candy is sealed and hasn’t been tampered with before letting your children eat any of it (after we swipe a few of those chocolate bars). I have meant to do a blog about the Teal Pumpkin Project in years past, but I always procrastinated until it was too late. This year, I have managed it!

What do teal pumpkins have to do with Halloween?

The Teal Pumpkin project is a way to include children who have food allergies in the trick-or-treating fun. As an allergy sufferer, I know what it is like to miss out on all the fun, so this project is great to allow inclusion for kids who would normally have to sit out of the trick-or-treating fun. When you place a teal pumpkin on your porch, it signifies that you have alternative treats for children who struggle with the traditional types of candy that are given. If you would like to participate in the project, FARE (Food and Allergy Research & Education) has an interactive map that allows you to submit your address to be placed on the map signifying that you are participating (1). This gives parents a way to plan where to take their children to minimize the chances of having an allergic reaction, while still allowing them to participate in the Halloween fun.

If you can’t find a teal pumpkin, FARE provides free downloadable signs to place on your door or window to let people know that you have special treats for the little ones. They also have alternative suggestions instead of candy that can be used. They can be found here: https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/free-teal-pumpkin-project-resources. 

What types of treats are okay?

Well, that depends upon what type of allergy your child has. Always, make sure you ask to see the ingredient labels to ensure that you know what is in the treats and that formulations of tried-and-true treats haven’t changed.

Megan Lavin suggests these candies as being allergy-friendly. However, once again make sure to check the ingredient deck to ensure that they do not include your child’s specific allergy (2). Not everyone is allergic to one of the nine allergens (wheat, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame, eggs, and soy). I am allergic to weird things like tomatoes, wheat, and beef. Here is the list of her recommendations:

1. Smarties (or in Canada, Rockets). These are one of my favorites!
2. Hard candies like Lifesavers, Ring Pops, Jolly Ranchers, and Dum Dums
3. Swedish Fish
4. Dots
5. Pixie Stix and Fun Dip
6. Mike & Ike
7. Laffy Taffy
8. Skittles
9. Fruit leathers

I am sure there are others out there, so double-check the label when you are purchasing treats.

Trinkets can be given instead of candy, and FARE has some great suggestions such as:

1. Pencils
2. Bracelets
3. Playing cards
4. Bubbles
5. Glow sticks
6. Bouncy balls
7. Whistles or noisemakers (If you want the parents to never speak to you again!)
8. Stickers
9. Slinkies
10. Crayons

We all want everyone to stay safe and have a good time, so here are some important tips for allergy sufferers (1).

Don’t forget the regular Halloween safety rules! The FDA has some recommendations to make sure that your Halloween stays safe (3).

1. Wear flame-resistant costumes.
2. Add bright reflective tape to your costumes to ensure that you can be seen.
3. Wearing makeup is a better idea than using masks that can hinder your vision.
4. Test the makeup a few days beforehand to make sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients.
5. If you are using highly pigmented makeup, check the FDA website to ensure that the pigments are safe.
6. Don’t wear decorative contacts. These can be harmful to your eyes.

The National Safety Council (NSC) also has safety tips for a safe Halloween night (4). They are:

1. Make sure a responsible adult accompanies children.
2. Plan on an agreed-upon route and return time.
3. Make sure that children understand to never enter a home or car (unless it is yours).
4. Make sure that the route is well-lit.
5. Make sure that the children understand that they cannot eat any of the candy until you have inspected it. You might want to have some pre-inspected and approved treats handy for the impatient.
6. Watch out for children in medians, on curbs, and in the streets.
7. Be careful when pulling out of driveways or from side streets.
8. Watch for children and teens who are in dark clothing (this is a good idea for streets near college campuses all year long).

If you aren’t sure that trick or treating is worth all the hassle, you can still have plenty of Halloween fun. Check out the local haunted house, take a hayride, attend alternate events such as church gatherings, have a scary movie night, or host your own Halloween party.

No matter what your decision is, stay safe, have fun, and wash your hands, especially after all that doorbell ringing!

References:

1. Teal Pumpkin Project. (n.d.). FoodAllergy.org. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.foodallergy.org/our-initiatives/awareness-campaigns/living-teal/teal-pumpkin-project
2. Lavin, M. (n.d.). Easy-to-Find & Food Allergy Safe Candy List. Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://allergyawesomeness.com/what-in-the-world-do-you-feed-your-kids-candy/
3. Office of the Commissioner. (2023, October 19). Halloween Safety Tips: Costumes, Candy, and Colored Contact Lenses. U.S. Food and Drug Administration; FDA. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/halloween-safety-tips-costumes-candy-and-colored-contact-lenses
4. Halloween Safety- National Safety Council. (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2023, from https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/seasonal-safety/autumn-safety/halloween