With Halloween approaching, the Teal Pumpkin Project aims to promote awareness of the severity of food allergies and inclusion for children whose food allergies preclude them from trick-or-treating.
One in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy, making Halloween a particularly tricky holiday as many candies contain common allergens. Additionally, a number of miniature-size candies have different ingredients than the full-size equivalents and do not include ingredient labels, making it that much more complicated to determine if the trick-or-treating loot staples are safe for children affected by allergies and intolerances.
With numerous precautions required, trick-or-treating can quickly become an inconvenience rather than an enjoyment
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FARE recommends handing out goodies such as stickers, bubbles, glow sticks, or pencils.
The FARE website also provides an interactive map of the U.S. and 14 other countries to which participants may add their address and find other local participants. In addition to neighborhood houses, the campaign has spread to malls, zoos, and amusement parks.
Though the project’s goal is to provide a sense of inclusion for children with food allergies, this does not mean that it intends to eradicate the tradition of candy-giving. FARE suggests keeping candy and non-food treats in separate bowls to ensure the safety of all trick-or- treaters.
Children without food allergies can also benefit from the campaign, as providing non- food treats reduces their sugar intake.
FARE is a nonprofit organization working on behalf of the 15 million Americans who are affected by food allergies. As one of largest private sources of funding for food allergy research, FARE strives to improve the health of individuals living with allergies by providing new treatments and support. For more information, visit http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-