Why are pumpkins going teal this year? It’s a new trend designed to take the "scare" out of Halloween for kids with food allergies.
Halloween can be a tricky time for Gina Menette Lee and her daughter, Gillian, who has food allergies.
“Most treats are unsafe for children with food allergies," Lee said. "A lot of candy is produced in places with allergens so it’s not safe for children with food allergies to eat those.”
Lee said she and her family normally spend Halloween night picking through the candy they collect.
“We separate the candy she can have from the candy she can’t have. And then I make up for it in some way because I feel badly, because most of her candy she can’t have,” Lee said.
For children with food allergies, eating the wrong candy can cause a severe reaction. To keep them safe, an organization called Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) is introducing the Teal Pumpkin Project.
Here’s how it works: If a teal pumpkin is placed outside a home, it means the residents are handing out non-food items, like flashlights, puzzles and silly glasses.
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A FARE spokesperson said the goal is to make Halloween fun for everyone.
“We’re not encouraging people to take candy out of Halloween. We’re just encouraging people that there’s this other option that can make all the kid in their neighborhood feel included and have a fun and safe Halloween experience,” said Veronia LaFemina.
Lee has a teal pumpkin outside her home.
“How exciting would that be, if she was with her friends, she could automatically identify houses that have a treat for her, that’s definitely safe for her. That’s going to be a wonderful experience, and I’m really looking forward to it this year,” said Lee.
