Placing a teal-painted pumpkin outside your home could be sending a hidden message to people passing by, as the colour signals that non-food treats are available for trick-or-treaters with food allergies.
While many families carve pumpkins with intricate or funny designs, painting pumpkins has become increasingly popular, especially for households with young children who are too small to cut into pumpkins. As people move away from typical "scary" designs and opt for more aesthetic patterns featuring their favourite colours, many have shifted from the traditional Halloween colours of black, orange and purple.
The Teal Pumpkin Movement
Over the last few years in the United States, FARE, the Food Allergy Research & Education charity, has been working to make trick-or-treating more accessible for people with severe food allergies. They created the 'teal pumpkin movement', which signals to parents of children with allergies that non-food items are available if trick-or-treaters knock on the door.
FARE said: "Halloween is less than two weeks away - and it's time...to go TEAL! A teal pumpkin lets families know non-food treats are available at your home. For the nearly 6 million children in the U.S. and their families living with food allergy, that small signal can be a beacon of welcome."
How to Take Part
"Taking part is simple. Set out or hang up a teal pumpkin, offer non-food treats like glow sticks, stickers or bubbles, and keep them separate from any candy you hand out. Everyone from homes to classrooms to community events can participate," FARE added.
After FARE reminded people about the project, many commented under the post to explain how they handle Halloween as the parent of a child with allergies. One person said: "When we come home we sort through his loot, work out what he can keep and then do our letter to the Switch Witch. In the morning he has a goodie. If yours are still young enough could be a good way to still give them a treat from all their tricking."
A second said: "Children have different preferences. I like this idea. As a parent of a medically complex child with sensory differences, it is great when some homes offers non-edibles like little, toys, stickers, games. I wouldn't want to separate level 6 anaphylactic items at home, we just don't take them."
