Teal Pumpkin Project raises awareness for kids with food allergies

MEDFORD, Ore. – Most of us think of ghosts and goblins as the scary part of Halloween, but for many it’s the candy itself.

While trick-or-treaters are busy planning out their costumes, some people are busy painting pumpkins. The Teal Pumpkin Project is hoping to raise awareness for trick-or-treaters with food allergies.

Emily Borden has a son with a milk allergy and just a little bit of chocolate could be life threatening.

“We avoid all the chocolates and there’s actually, there’s just a lot of candies with milk in them,” Emily said.

Every year, Emily goes through his candy to make sure the ingredients that can harm him, aren’t in his bucket.

“His sister and brother are pretty awesome and usually when we come home and we switch, you know. We switch everything around and then that way he can get his own stuff,” Emily said.

The Borden house is one of the 100,000 households participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project in the US this year, according to ‘Food Allergy Research and Education.’ A teal pumpkin on the porch means the home offers more than just candy. They’ll give out small toys or other non-food items, like pencils, playing cards, glow sticks or bouncy balls.

“There’s a lot of allergies, his is milk, but you know. There’s a lot of people with a lot of food allergies or sensitivities and then that way if it doesn’t contain any food, they can have it,” Emily said.

With teal pumpkins on the rise, Emily hopes her son will be able to trick or treat without a scare.

More on the teal pumpkin project, including a map of participating houses, can be found on the food allergy research and education website: www.foodallergy.org