Teal pumpkins help children with food allergies enjoy Halloween. According to the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, one in 13 children in the U.S. has a food allergy. The Teal Pumpkin Project aims to provide kids the opportunity to trick-or-treat without coming into contact with their food allergies. Instead of handing out candy, people are encouraged to have a teal pumpkin or bowl and then hand out non-food treats.

Sonia Leyva has two elementary-aged sons who have severe food allergies. She helped spur the Teal Pumpkin Project in Washington last year, and there were four businesses on the square who had teal pumpkins, a surprise for her sons, “I didn’t tell them anything about it, so it was a complete surprise. And so it was so nice to see their faces just light up, because they know what Teal Pumpkin is, we’ve talked about it. They’re aware of all of their allergies and it’s something we live with, have to work with every day. And so the fact that they got to see Teal Pumpkin and know that if they put their hand in this Teal Pumpkin anything they get from there is safe, you know, that just made them happy and it made them definitely included, like somebody cared.” This year, even more businesses will have allergy-free options during the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Trick-or-Treat Around the Square.

Families are able to do this at home, too. Some ideas for non-food treats include glow sticks, bracelets, bubbles, bouncy balls, bookmarks, stickers, and stencils. These options can also benefit children who are on special diets, with certain diseases, or those who have feeding tubes. The goal is to be inclusive so all kids can have a fun, safe Halloween.