Teal Pumpkin Project

Cynthia Lopinto Feature Article Leave a comment 2,151 Views

By CYN LoPINTO
Editor-in-chief, gerontologist

One of the best parts of autumn, is seeing orange pumpkins decorating porches throughout the country. The closer it gets to Halloween and trick or treating, the more pumpkins and jack o lanterns you see. Starting in 2014, you may have also noticed teal-colored pumpkins popping up in certain areas. These new colorful additions were part of something called the Teal Pumpkin Project started by the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE).

The mission of the Teal Pumpkin Project is to make available non-food alternatives for trick or treaters with food allergies, intolerances, and other conditions or diseases that prohibit them from having candy. Since trick or treating is such a fun tradition for kids, the idea of certain children not being able to participate is unfair. By handing out non-food treats and toys, all neighborhood children can take part in festivities without their parents having to worry about getting items they can’t have. In addition, many children with autism are on special diets and this is a great way to help families struggling with whether or not to include trick or treating as part of their Halloween fun.

The way it works is very simple. You can still buy and give out candy to most of your trick or treaters. You would just have another bowl of small toys and non-food treats for those who want them. Or you could have one large bowl of safe items that you offer to everyone. It is your choice.

I participated last year and the first thing I did was purchase a pumpkin and painted it teal. I put out a small table on my front porch and put the pumpkin on it and framed a poster about the Teal Pumpkin Project and put it alongside the pumpkin. I bought toys and non-food items at local discount and dollar stores. This way both parents and kids knew I had items available. I also asked trick or treaters if they had any food allergies in case they didn’t notice the sign or pumpkin.

If you want to let trick or treaters know where to find you, just click on the crowd-sourced Fever Map to add your location. You can also contact neighbors and friends in your local community to spread the word. Maybe you can get together for a teal pumpkin-painting party and goodies shopping spree. A great resource for free printable materials and more information about the project can be found at http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project

Here are some non-food ideas for trick or treaters

Stickers

Pencils

Erasers

Bookmarks

Mini crayon sets

Mini marker sets

Rubber stamps

Stencils

Rulers

Coins

Straws

Bubbles

Balls

Hair accessories

Small toy cars

Glow sticks

Toy figures

Plastic Halloween items (vampire teeth, wax lips, spiders, etc)

Finger puppets

Bracelets/rings/necklaces

Temporary tattoos

Yo-yos

Kazoos

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Cynthia Lopinto

Cyn LoPinto, M.A. is a gerontologist focusing on significant issues affecting older adults and their families. Her areas of interest include lifestyle enrichment, family dynamics, and caregiver support. Cyn has worked in both the recreational and healthcare industries.