The thought of a plastic bucket or pillowcase full of candy is one reason — maybe the main reason — young people are looking forward to Halloween, Tuesday night.
However, that candy can be dangerous to many children.
“One in 13 children has food allergies,” said Tiffany Leon, assistant director of training and professional programs with Food Allergy Research & Education. “A lot of the popular candies kids would be receiving contain some of the common allergens — peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat.”
For more than a decade, the group’s Teal Pumpkin Project has sought to raise awareness of food allergies, and offer Halloween options for children with food allergies.
She hopes parents will make trick-or-treating more inclusive.
“By placing a teal pumpkin on your doorstep, that signals to your neighbors that in addition to candy, you’re offering nonfood treats,” said Leon. “You can pick a pumpkin from the patch and paint it teal,” or major retailers now offer plastic teal-colored buckets and plastic pumpkins.
There are lots of alternatives to candy, she said: “I’ve offered bubbles, stickers, glow sticks,” in addition to “spider rings, bracelets, window clings, and all kinds of fun items that children can enjoy.”
Asked if candy-loving children would be disappointed by receiving a nonfood treat, Leon said her mother offers children a choice to pick from the candy or alternative bucket: “She says that bucket goes faster than the candies — a lot of the kiddos are getting some of the same candies at each house,” and appreciate something different.
