Fishers Family Makes Halloween Food Allergy Friendly

FISHERS, IN — Central Indiana neighborhoods will be filled with costume crews partaking in trick-or-treating festivities during Tuesday's Halloween fun. Bags will be filled with candy and other treats, as most of the area's trick-or-treating hours are scheduled for the evening. But before you get your little ones all dolled-up and decorated for Halloween, there's a certain color you might want to keep an eye out for tomorrow.

Don't be alarmed if you walk up to a house and the decorations include a teal-colored pumpkin, or a sign with the image of the colorful pumpkin. This means the home's residents are supporting the Teal Pumpkin Project, by promoting awareness of food allergies and including trick-or-treaters with food restrictions. After all, everyone deserves tricks and treats, and homes supporting this movement have treats that are suitable and harm-free for those with food allergies.

In 2016 Fishers resident Katie Alexander and her family joined the movement, as Alexander's daughter, Jordyn, has an allergy. Alexander and her family gave trick-or-treaters the choice of what she says were party favor-type mid-size and small toys, or candy.

"We let them pick between the two and most picked the goodies," Alexander said. "We were telling kids to grab handfuls of candy when they picked that since we didn't need all the leftovers in our house. Our oldest has the allergy and she loved that they picked the goodies. I think partly because she got to have some of the leftover candy that is safe for her."

Alexander adds she thought it was really cool last year's trick-or-treaters were choosing the goodies more than the candy itself.

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The Teal Pumpkin Project was an idea brought to life by a Tennessee woman and mother named Becky Basalone, and was promoted by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), a nonprofit advocacy group, two years later. Basalone simply wanted to make Halloween treats safer for trick-or-treaters with food allergies, and Alexander felt the same way, saying hopes there is more participation this year and in the future, with years of trick-or-treating in her future as her three daughters are nearing the ages of eight, four and two.

"We started last year after hearing about the project," Alexander said. "Last year we found a teal paint kit at Target and our girls all had a ton of fun painting."

Whatever you choose to paint, whether it's a pumpkin, sign or other decorative item, all that matters is you place it outside your home where trick-or-treaters and those passing by and can your sign of support.

The Alexander Family has a sign set up near the front porch and front yard (pictured) so trick-or-treaters and their families can see it when they approach the home.

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"I got a banner to place in our yard and will be putting it up early so that people can see it and hopefully get them to look into it more," Alexander said.

Those interested in supporting and participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project can do so by completing these two simple steps: Paint a pumpkin a teal-like color, or create a sign like Alexander's, and purchase non-food treats to give to trick-or-treaters who say they have food allergies. (Patch has posted the link below to where Alexander bought her Teal Pumpkin Patch-appropriate goodies for those with food allergies).

In addition, FARE has a Teal Pumpkin Project "Essentials Kit" that can be purchased online, or head to your closest dollar store or department store to gather your own collection of safe goodies.

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More information and ideas for Teal Pumpkin Project supporters and food allergy awareness: foodallergy.org

Photo credit: Rebecca Bream, Patch