While I was running through my neighborhood last week, I noticed that quite a few homes had unnaturally colored pumpkins on their stoops. They're a growing trend across the Treasure Valley, for a very important reason! 

Rather than the traditional range of orange colors we're used to seeing this time of year, these pumpkins are a very pretty shade of teal. They're not just a flash in the pan trend for 2018. They are actually part of an initiative started by the Food Allergy Research & Education non-profit.  Your child may be lucky enough not to have any allergies to the ingredients in some of the most popular Halloween candies, but chances they have a classmate that may be allergic to milk, chocolate, peanut and other allergens hidden on the wrapper.  For those kiddos, trick or treating can be a real bummer where they feel like they've been left out because they can't accept those treats.

That's where the "Teal Pumpkin Project" comes in! FARE encourages homeowners to select a more inclusive non-food trick or treat item to pass out.  Homeowners choosing to do that can mark their home as a safe place for kids with food allergies by placing a teal colored pumpkin or jack-o-lantern on their doorstep.

Want to participate, but not sure what a non-food trick or treat items kids would love? FARE suggests these to make your house a hit!

  • Halloween Erasers or Pencil Toppers
  • Glow sticks, bracelets or necklaces
  • Pencils, pens, crayons or markers
  • Bubbles
  • Whistles, Kazoos or Noisemakers
  • Bookmarks
  • Bouncy Balls
  • Mini Notepads
  • Playing Cards
  • Stickers
  • Coins (my neighbor that handed out quarters ever year was my favorite house in the neighborhood!)
  • Stencils
  • Silly Straws
  • Finger Puppets
  • Vampire Fangs
  • Spider Rings

Teal Pumpkin Inspiration

If you'd love to participate but don't have a ton of spare time to paint and create your teal pumpkin masterpiece, there's a ton of cool pre-made teal pumpkin decorations at your disposal on Amazon.  With many of them being Prime eligible, you'll have no problems getting them before Halloween night if you order now! Here's a few of my favorites!

Image via Amazon, SCS Direct
Image via Amazon, SCS Direct
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Image via Amazon/Big Dot of Happiness
Image via Amazon/Big Dot of Happiness
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Image via Amazon/Allergy Superheroes
Image via Amazon/Allergy Superheroes
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Image via Amazon, Fun Express
Image via Amazon/Fun Express
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Image via Amazon/Allergy Superheroes
Image via Amazon/Allergy Superheroes
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