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Teal pumpkin project gives kids with allergies more treat, less trick

Put a teal pumpkin on your porch to let kids with food allergies know you have something other than candy to hand out. Jennifer Perkins/Flickr

From peanut allergies to gluten and lactose intolerance, Halloween for some families isn’t as simple as dressing up and trick-or-treating in the neighbourhood.

Parents of children who suffer from allergies and diseases often have to knock on their neighbours’ doors beforehand and offer toys or other sweets to give to their child once they get there.

Sound like a lot of work?

Enter the teal pumpkin project.

It was launched by Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) in 2014 and hundreds of thousands of families in seven countries are already taking part.

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The aim is to give children who follow special diets a way to enjoy the ghoulish holiday – even if they can’t eat all the candy and baked goods.

How can you get involved?

All you have to do is paint a pumpkin teal and leave it on your porch.

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That will tell parents that instead of – or in addition to – giving candy, you’re also handing out non-food items.

These can be anything from bookmarks to crayons or small toys.

Simple, right?

Not only will it ease parents’ minds, but it allows all children to take part in without missing out on the “good stuff.”

If you’re interested in taking part in the project, you can take the pledge here.

Will you put a teal pumpkin on your porch this Halloween? Send us a picture to montreal@globalnews.ca

rachel.lau@globalnews.ca

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