Put a Teal Pumpkin on the Porch

A teal pumpkin says something simple: we have non-food treats here, too.

It does not mean you have stopped giving out candy. It means children who cannot eat it have another option at your door.

The idea began with Becky Basalone, a Tennessee mother whose son had a severe food allergy. She wanted him to be included in Halloween, not left out. Her family offered non-food treats and put a teal-painted pumpkin outside to let others know. Food Allergy Research & Education, or FARE, took the Teal Pumpkin Project nationwide in 2014.

A small signal made the welcome easier to find.

For children with food allergies, Halloween can involve more than choosing a costume and collecting treats. Many popular candies contain allergens such as milk, nuts, egg, soy or wheat. A non-food option gives them another way to join in.

You do not need to make this complicated.

Choose stickers, pencils, glow sticks or small toys suited to the children visiting. Check the materials: some modeling clays contain wheat, and some children have latex allergies, so choose latex-free items. Non-food does not automatically mean suitable for everyone.

Keep those treats in their own bowl, separate from the candy. You can offer both. The point is to add a choice, not take one away.

Then make the choice visible.

Paint a pumpkin teal, buy one already made, or put a teal pumpkin sign on your door or in the window. FARE offers free printable signs. You can also add your home to the project’s map so families looking for non-food treats can plan their route.

At the door, keep the invitation easy:

“Would you like candy or a sticker?”

No explanation required. No need to make a child’s allergy the conversation.

Just something they can choose and take home.

That is a kind of hospitality worth practicing: noticing who might be left out, then making room before they have to ask.

You do not need a grand gesture. A separate bowl and a visible sign are a good beginning.

Put a teal pumpkin on the porch.

Let the welcome include another choice.

Make room at your door

Set out non-food treats in a separate bowl. Display a teal pumpkin or sign. Give more children a way to enjoy the evening.

Sources

1. The project’s origins, its national launch in 2014, printable signs and the participation map. FARE, Teal Pumpkin Project.
2. What the teal pumpkin signals, keeping candy and non-food treats separate, and checking non-food items for wheat and latex. FARE, About the Teal Pumpkin Project.