Teal pumpkins for Halloween? What?
Halloween can be a scary time of year - not because of scary costumes and spook alleys, but because I have a son with a tree nut allergy! There are a LOT of different kinds of candy out there with tree nuts. Every year at Halloween, I would have to carefully go through Son #2's candy and make sure his candy was safe for him to eat. (Mom bonus: if there WAS a candy bar that had tree nuts, I would have to "take it for safe keeping"........ya - I would eat it!)
The Food Allergy Research and Education website (FARE) has a fun idea to help families of kids with food allergies. They are asking families to place teal colored pumpkins on their porch (and the sign pictured above) and hand out non-candy treats instead.
You can paint a real or plastic pumpkin teal, then print out the sign to hang on the front door. You can also print out fliers to help spread the word.
There are a lot of things you can hand out instead of candy, FARE suggests:
- vampire teeth
- spider rings
- Halloween stickers
- mini slinkies
- mini bottles of bubbles
- bouncy balls
- glow bracelets
You can find lots of fun (and cheap) toys at your local party store or craft store. There are a few places online where you can order supplies too.
What a fun idea! :) Finally - a way to make Halloween safe for kids with food allergies!
Food allergies can make life difficult!
ReplyDeleteLast time I see, that in Polish supermarkets is more products gluten-free or lactose-free than even 10 years ago and they are much more cheaper than 5 years ago.
I wish You good week - and greetings from sunny and warm South Poland :)
Yes, I have noticed more gluten-free and lactose-free foods at the supermarket. I have a friend that must eat gluten free. If she doesn't, it will cause diarrhea.
DeleteBut with food allergies, it's a LOT more serious because it eating something you are allergic to can cause anaphylaxis - a severe allergic reaction that can kill you. It's really scary. Son #1 had an allergic reaction after an allergy shot, and luckily the staff at the doctor's office knew what to do. They literally saved his life. You can die in as little as 30 minutes after eating something you are allergic to. Scary stuff!!!
I am allergic to seafood and must always carry an Epi Pen with me. Son #2 is allergic to tree nuts and he also carries and Epi Pen.
We haven't had to use the Epi Pen yet, but we are fanatical about reading food labels and asking what is in food to make sure it's safe for us to eat. Sigh.
It's My Life as an Asthma Mom....