In a little over a week, millions of kids all over the country will be donning their Halloween costumes, grabbing their buckets and pillow cases, and heading out into the night for trick-or-treating. Our kids look forward to this every single year, and they always manage to clean up in the candy department! But for some kids, trick-or-treating isn't just Halloween business as usual. In fact, if you have a child with a food allergy, it can be downright dangerous. So many candies contain allergens that can be life-threatening to a kid with a severe food allergy. And it's hard to know which candy is safe and which can cause a reaction. But every kid should be able to experience the joy of going door-to-door in costume, asking for a treat on Halloween night! Which is why the Teal Pumpkin Project is so important. Here's what it means when you see a teal pumpkin on a porch.

An allergy advocacy group on Tennessee came up with the idea in 2013, and it was picked up by the Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) organization. Teal is the color associated with allergy awareness, so the teal pumpkins have quite a bit of significance. Rather than exclude kids who can't have traditional treats because of food allergies, the Teal Pumpkin Project asks that people provide a safe alternative, like a small toy or other small item.

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By placing a teal pumpkin on their porch, the family is indicating that they have non-food items for kids. That doesn't mean they don't give out candy - quite the opposite! Many families who participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project still hand out candy to kids who can have it. They just have a safe, non-food alternative for kids who can't. It's an easy way to keep trick-or-treating inclusive and safe.

So this year, please consider grabbing some cheap toys and trinkets at your local .99 Store or from the Dollar Spot at Target, and place a teal pumpkin on your porch to let parents and kids know that your home is safe for kids with allergies. It's one small gesture, but it can mean the world to kids with allergies on Halloween!

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