With Halloween coming up, I feel the need to let you know what it means to paint a pumpkin teal. Painting a pumpkin teal shows love and compassion to many little goblins, princesses and ghosts on Halloween night.
Halloween used to be one of my favorite holidays. Probably second behind Christmas. Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, cool fall weather, the beautiful fall colors, planning your costume for weeks and the excitement of finally being able to step out in it and show it off on Halloween night. Then of course trick or treating for hours to get loads of candy. And finally coming home to a warm house with chili and hot chocolate waiting for you. Then the best part of the night, dumping out the candy on the middle of the front room floor and trading with your siblings.
If you are one of 15 million Americans that deal with food allergies, Halloween is not as desirable as it was when I was a child.
Halloween now is a little more scary—I am a mom to a daughter with severe food allergies to milk, peanuts, nuts, eggs and sesame seed. Scary in the sense that many of the treats offered at Halloween could really hurt her. Not only can she not eat most of the candy offered, but if it has been in the same bowl as the candy she is allergic to, that can pose a problem as well. Many times the chocolate or peanut butter can get on the wrappers and then also get on the candy that she can have, thus making it not safe for her. Most people are not aware of how severe food allergies and cross contamination can be to these little ones. I didn’t until I started dealing with it with my daughter.
The past couple years there has been a campaign called the Teal Pumpkin Project. I almost cried the first time I saw a teal pumpkin waiting on a doorstep in a neighboring street. When you put out a teal pumpkin and try to provide a safe treat for these little goblins and ghosts that have limited options you are showing them (and their Moms) great love and compassion. You are showing them that you are aware of the severity of food allergies. You are helping them have as normal a Halloween experience as possible. You are making their night and putting a big smile on their face.
My neighbors have shown this great compassion to my daughter even before they knew about the Teal Pumpkin Project. So many people put a lot of thought into having something that my daughter could have when she came trick or treating. She felt so loved and special that she just kept saying, "They all have treats I can have!” It was very sweet for her, and comforting for me.
If you want to make a difference in a little princess or pirate’s life this Halloween, think about setting out a teal pumpkin. Paint it with your kids and teach them about thinking of others. Tell them why you are painting this pumpkin teal and what it means. By putting out a teal pumpkin you are saying that you are trying to be allergy aware. You are telling people that you have treats that may be safe for those with food allergies. So how do you do that? After you paint the pumpkin teal what do you need to do now? I recommend a couple things. I have three separate bowls at my house: one with chocolate and peanuts and nut treats, one with treats that are safe for the majority of kids with allergies (some examples of safe treats are skittles, starbursts, life savers, dum dum suckers, swedish fish, sour patch kids etc.), and a third bowl with non-candy treats. I usually find cute things in the Target dollar section, like glowsticks, vampire teeth, halloween pencils, erasers, sticky hands, parachute guys, bracelets etc.
Here is a link to a list of candy free from specific allergens
Don’t be afraid to join the teal pumpkin project because it can be overwhelming to make your house a perfect allergy safe house. Just start by trying to show love and compassion for these kiddos. The moms are still going to double check their candy, read every label and wash off the packages when they get home. So give it a try this year and let these little ones know that you are aware of them and want them to have a great Halloween along with the rest of the ghosts, goblins and princesses out there.
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