PENNSYLVANIA, USA — We're about a week away from the spookiest holiday—Halloween!
And you may think haunted houses are the scariest part of this day, but for some it can actually be the candy.
About 1 in 13 children have potentially life-threatening food allergies. It could be anything from peanuts or eggs to soy.
That's why the food allergy nonprofit, FARE, encourages everyone to get involved in the Teal Pumpkin Project.
This project is as simple as it sounds—houses can participate by placing a teal pumpkin in the window or outside of the home, which signals to families they have non-food treats for kids.
“Nobody wants to be left out, Halloween especially, and holiday seasons can be a lonely time," said the CEO of FARE, Dr. Sung Poblete.
"And I think whenever we have an opportunity to be inclusive, whenever we have an opportunity to pull people in and just share the joy and the magic of holiday celebration, we should," she said.
These non-food treats could be bubbles, bouncy balls, spider rings, stickers, etc.
And this year, FARE has a map option on their website that allows you to search houses in your area that are participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project. You can add your own address if you choose to participate.
If you do plan to have both food and non-food treats at your house, FARE encourages you to keep them in separate baskets.
You can find all sorts of alternative treat options at places like CVS and Target.
For more treat ideas and more info on this project, click here.