Why I'm Putting a Teal Pumpkin On My Steps This Halloween

The Teal Pumpkin Project has been making strides the past few years to be make every child's Halloween special. Here's how you can help!

Growing up with food allergies is complicated. For me growing up it consisted of bringing my own desserts to a birthday party and trying to not be rude when I deny someone offering to feed me. But everything seemed to come crashing down on Halloween when I filled my pillow case with candy only to be allergic to more than half. My brother and sister rejoiced because that meant more for them, and I could tell my parents didn't mind the late night snacks that were now available.

But now that I've grown up and moved out of the nest it's my time to give back. I heard of "The Teal Pumpkin Project" through a coworker and instantly went out and purchased myself a pumpkin and some paint.

Having a teal pumpkin outside your house symbolizes that your house has non-food items specifically for children with certain diets that will take away from the Halloween experience. This isn't just beneficial to children with food allergies and intolerances, but also ones suffering from Celiac disease, Eosinophilic Esophagitis, as well as children with feeding tubes or on a special diet for other reasons. Teal is the color of food allergy awareness, and having one of these pumpkins will show kids that they can enjoy the holiday with peace of mind.

Need ideas of non-food items for your house? Try some of these: