For most kids, Halloween is the night the rules relax. For a child with a serious food allergy, it can be the opposite: a long walk of doorways where the treat on offer might be dangerous, and where they have to say no, or explain their disease, again and again. A teal pumpkin on a porch is a small signal that changes that.
One family, one painted pumpkin
According to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the project "began with one East Tennessee family looking for a better Halloween experience." Becky Basalone's son has a severe food allergy, and she wanted him to enjoy trick-or-treating "without having to refuse candy or disclose his disease at every doorway." Her family offered non-food treats and put a teal-painted pumpkin outside so kids would know. She shared the idea through the Food Allergy Community of East Tennessee, and it spread.
As NBC New York reports, the project "was first launched in 2012 by a local food allergy group in Tennessee." FARE adopted it nationally in 2014. (Teal was chosen because it's the color of food allergy awareness.) By 2024, FARE says, its Teal Pumpkin Project map listed "over 12,500 locations and 91 events," with participants in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and 13 other countries.
Why a separate bowl matters
FARE says about 33 million people in the U.S. are affected by food allergy. Many classic Halloween candies contain common allergens. As an Ohio State University Extension guide points out, chocolate can be "terrifying if you are allergic to milk", and nuts, eggs, soy, wheat and certain food dyes are other common culprits. It adds that "many food allergies only require a small amount of the allergen to trigger a reaction, so cross-contamination is a major concern."
That's why the project doesn't ask anyone to give up candy. It asks you to add an option, and to keep it apart. FARE's own advice on its non-food treat ideas page is simple: "If you're also serving candy, be sure to use a separate bowl." The same bowl also helps kids with other conditions that affect what they can eat, such as diabetes or celiac disease, as the OSU guide notes.
FARE's CEO, Sung Poblete, put the point plainly in a line the organization quotes on its project page: "No child should ever be excluded from a celebration because of a disease."
What to put in the bowl
FARE's list of low-cost ideas includes glow sticks, bracelets or necklaces; pencils, crayons and markers; bubbles; Halloween erasers or pencil toppers; mini Slinkies; whistles and kazoos; bouncy balls; finger puppets; coins; spider rings; vampire fangs; mini notepads; playing cards; bookmarks; stickers; and stencils. It notes these can be found at dollar stores, party supply stores or online. Every kid can take one, allergy or not.
If you're out of time to paint a pumpkin, FARE offers free printable signs, and you can add your address to its map so families can plan a route ahead of time. Kids old enough to help can sort the treats and make the sign, which is a nice, concrete way to talk about including others. Our guide to teaching kids generosity has more ideas like it.
Today's act
The act: Make your door a safe stop tonight. Offer a non-food option, keep it in its own bowl, and let families know it's there.
- Grab a bag of glow sticks, stickers or spider rings on the way home, or raid your junk drawer for new pencils and erasers.
- Use a separate bowl for non-food treats, and let kids choose without having to explain why.
- Put out a teal pumpkin, or print FARE's free sign and tape it to your door.
- If you have time, add your address to the Teal Pumpkin Project map so families can find you.
Want more small ways to make someone's day? Browse our list of random acts of kindness ideas.
Sources
- FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) — Teal Pumpkin Project
- FARE — Ideas for Non-Food Treats
- NBC New York — Make Halloween inclusive: How to join the Teal Pumpkin Project (Oct. 15, 2025)
- Ohio State University Extension, Live Smart Ohio — Halloween Safety for Children with Food Allergies (Oct. 22, 2014)