Teal Pumpkin Project aims to raise awareness about food allergies

Some families are putting a twist on the treats they hand out to trick-or-treaters this Halloween to be more inclusive to kids with food allergies.

The Food Allergy Research & Education is promoting the Teal Pumpkin Project. It involves having non-food treats available for kids who go trick-or-treating this Halloween. Those who wish to participate can place a teal pumpkin outside, and or a flier letting kids know they have non-food treats available. Teal is the color of food allergy awareness.

“It’s not to replace trick-or-treating,” said Alicia Raebel-Mazanec, whose 6-year-old son has food allergies. “It’s to just be more inclusive, to give kids an opportunity to not worry, ‘Is there something in this bag that will hurt me?'”

Raebel-Mazanec said her son James is allergic to nuts, soy, wheat, egg and dairy.

“He knows there are certain things he can have and there are certain things he can’t have, and whenever he is given a treat, he always asks, ‘Does it have nuts in it?'” She said.

The Raebel-Mazane family still goes trick-or-treating every year. But Raebel-Mazane inspects every treat James gets, and she trades every piece of candy he receives that he can’t eat, with a piece of candy he can eat, like Starbursts or Skittles. But not everyone has that option.

“Keep in mind, there’s chocolate, there’s milk, there’s wheat, there’s soy, a lot of ingredients and dyes and food coloring, kids can be allergic to,” said Doctor Eric Caplan, from the Colorado Springs Allergy and Asthma Clinic.

Caplan said one of every 13 children nationwide has a food allergy.

“So it’s a large problem,” he said.

Raebel-Mazanec is giving away pencils, juice boxes and glow sticks this Halloween. Caplan said he’s giving away small toy cars and stickers.

“You can still hand out candy, this just says that you have a little stash of some extra non-food treats, so when the kids with food allergies come trick-or-treating, they can do so safely,” Caplan said.