Fall is one of the best seasons of the year. The colors on the trees are amazing, football is in full swing, flannels are being worn on Fridays, and Halloween is right around the corner. Ask any kid what their favorite part of Halloween is and you're likely to hear dressing up in their favorite costume or trick or treating.

Going door to door and collecting pillowcases of candy was one of my favorite things to do as a kid. We'd get a big group of our daycare friends together and enjoy stopping at as many houses as we could in our neighborhood. For some kids, Halloween is the best day of the year, for others, it's a little more complicated than that.

Unsplash - Bee Felten-Leidel
Unsplash - Bee Felten-Leidel
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Food allergies can make trick-or-treating a bit more complicated for some kids and their parents. It can be even more complicated for parents who have to try and explain to their young ones why they can't eat certain candies. Imagine a parent who has to try and tell their 2nd grader they can't trick-or-treat the same way as other kids. It's pretty heartbreaking.

That's why I'm hoping this year you see a lot of teal pumpkins on people's doorsteps. The Teal Pumpkin Project allows kids who may have food allergies to enjoy trick-or-treating without worrying about having an allergic reaction.

KCRG reports, "if there is a teal pumpkin on someone's porch, it signals the house is giving away nonfood trinkets or teats." If you want to participate in the Teal Pumpkin project, there are a ton of cool things you can hand out, along with your candy. Things such as; stickers, play-doh, foam masks, glow-in-the-dark sticks, Squishies, stick-on tattoos, books, or Halloween sunglasses are all great options to have on hand for kids who may be allergic to certain foods.

KCRG spoke with Taylor Smith, who has a daughter that is allergic to eggs. She said

[Parker’s] getting better at remembering to ask mom, ‘Does this have eggs?’. Seeing her big sister snack on candies right away, you can see the look on her face — she’s bummed.

While you may be stocking up on candy to pass out to trick-or-treaters this Halloween, it's a great idea to also grab a few other things you can pass out this year. Remember to place a teal pumpkin on your doorstep to let parents and kids know you have options for anyone who may be worried about food allergies.

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