Teal Pumpkin Project: Non-Food Treat Ideas That Make Yours the Best House on the Street
Join in 2 steps
Put a teal pumpkin (or printable sign) on your porch, and offer non-food treats in a separate bowl on Halloween night. That's the whole Teal Pumpkin Project — and for the one in thirteen kids managing a food allergy, your house becomes the safe stop on the street.
Here's how to participate well, and what to actually put in the teal bowl.
What the Teal Pumpkin Project is
It's a national awareness campaign run by FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), the largest food-allergy nonprofit in the US. The teal pumpkin is a signal: this house offers non-food treats, so kids with allergies to nuts, milk, egg or wheat can trick-or-treat here without their parents reading a single label in the dark.
What most people don't realize: even "safe" candy brands change manufacturing lines seasonally — last year's safe treat isn't automatically this year's. Non-food treats skip the problem entirely.
How to participate (the 10-minute version)
- 1. Get a teal pumpkin — paint a real one, buy a plastic one, or print FARE's free sign.
- 2. Fill a separate bowl with non-food treats (keep it apart from any candy bowl to avoid cross-contact).
- 3. Optional: add your house to FARE's participation map so allergy families can find you.
What to put in the teal bowl
Bulk heroes (for the door crowd)
Glow bracelets, sticker sheets, temporary tattoos, spider rings, mini bubbles, Halloween pencils — pennies per kid in bulk, and every age takes one.
The special-stop upgrade
Some households become famous on their street for one genuinely good treat. A mini dumpling squishy is the move: sensory-friendly, allergy-proof, and the kind of thing kids talk about on the walk home. Better suited to the houses expecting 30 kids than 300 — for big crowds, stick to bulk items and save the squishies for the kids you know.
For boo baskets and class parties
The teal philosophy extends beyond the porch: the non-candy treats guide covers the full strategy, and the Halloween squishy collection anchors an allergy-safe boo basket better than anything edible.
Why this matters more than it seems
Ask any allergy parent about Halloween: the pillowcase full of candy their kid can't touch, the trading session where they swap everything away, and the one house with the teal pumpkin that made their kid feel normal. Being that house costs about eight dollars and ten minutes. Few holiday gestures return more per dollar.
The bottom line
A teal pumpkin, a separate bowl, a handful of non-food treats — and your porch becomes the one an allergy kid remembers. Building the bowl is the easy part: start with the bulk heroes and add a few squishies for the special stops.
Frequently asked questions
What does a teal pumpkin on a porch mean?
The house offers non-food Halloween treats, safe for kids with food allergies — part of FARE's Teal Pumpkin Project.
What treats work for the Teal Pumpkin Project?
Any non-food item: glow bracelets, stickers, tattoos, spider rings, mini squishies. Keep them in a separate bowl from candy.
Can I offer both candy and non-food treats?
Yes — two separate bowls. Let each kid choose; the allergy kids will head straight for the teal bowl.