The Teal Pumpkin Project is a national campaign lead by the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, or FARE. The project began as a local project in Tennessee and was nationalized in 2014.

According to the FARE website, the Teal Pumpkin Project raises “awareness of food allergies and promoting inclusion of all trick-or-treaters throughout the Halloween season.”

The program allows children with severe allergies to still enjoy Halloween night and trick-or- treating, even though they may not be able to eat everything that is offered.

The Teal Pumpkin Project has become more popular over the past few years.

As a member of the food allergy community, it is amazing to see something like this become so popular. I have had some variant of food allergies since I was six months old, but I was not diagnosed with a severe allergy until I was three years old. Even so, I was still very young when I discovered my peanut, tree nut and seed allergies, so I was used to not being able to eat everything I got from trick-or-treating.

It can be difficult for a toddler to advocate for themselves. At the time, there was no food allergy network in place to help parents navigate things like Halloween or snacks in classrooms for their child who has an allergy. My parents were lucky enough to have a school system that was willing to work with them and request that other parents and children not bring certain things into the classroom that may put their child, and a few other children in the class, in danger.

Halloween was another story. As much as parents want to keep their children safe, it would be cruel to prevent them from dressing up and going trick-or-treating, particularly when their siblings, cousins and friends are all going out.

What my parents did instead was when we came home at the end of the night, I would pour out all of my candy, and anything that had peanuts or treenuts, or was processed with peanuts or treenuts, was exchanged for a candy I could have that my parents kept at home. That way, as a kid, I didn’t feel like my allergies were preventing me from experiencing anything.

The Teal Pumpkin Project allows other parents to do the same thing. In order to participate, families register on the FARE website, and then paint a pumpkin teal or post a teal sign on their door, which shows parents and children that their house has non-candy treats to give out. The toys could be necklaces, noise makers, stickers, small activities and the like. Not only is it a fun way to include children with life threatening food allergies, but it serves as a reassurance to parents that their child will be safe that Halloween.

FARE has now included a new feature on their website. A map of all registered participants has been posted in order for families to better determine where they can go to trick-or-treat with their children. To spread awareness on food allergies and protect young food allergy sufferers this Halloween, register for the teal pumpkin project at foodallergy.org, and use the hashtag #tealpumpkinproject.

To contact the Ionian’s Julia O’Regan, email her at [email protected].