Allergies are scary...

It’s Wednesday night. You are about to dig into your dinner when the doorbell rings. You answer it; it’s 2 ninjas, Moana, and their parents, partially dressed up by wearing nondescript animal ears.

For me, this is a ton of fun. I love seeing the kids dressed up, excited about their costumes that they spent months thinking about, putting together, or begging their parents to buy for them. They should be rewarded for their efforts—they’ve been working for it all year!

Unfortunately, Halloween can be an extremely stressful day for parents of kids with food allergies.  Just one bite of an allergen can lead to a reaction scarier than the headless horseman. It is estimated that food allergies affect 15 million Americans and 1 in every 13 Kids. Although the prevalence of allergies continues to rise, the most common allergens remain to be: PEANUTS, TREENUTS, MILK, EGGS, WHEAT, and SOY—all common ingredients in commercial candies. Some allergic reactions can even result in potentially deadly anaphylaxis.  That’s why the Non-Profit Food Allergy and Research Education has started The Teal Pumpkin Project, a movement to encourage people to “Treat” trick o’ treaters with non-food and allergen-free items.

Fact: 1 in 13 kids suffer from allergies.

Now don’t get me wrong—I am ALL about candy, after all it is a part of the festivities, but allergies are scary. By placing a teal-colored pumpkin on your porch, you are advertising that you are offering non-food treats for allergy-conscious kiddos, supporting these families’ efforts to more safely enjoy the festivities. Support your local families and take the Teal Pumpkin pledge here.

Here are some inexpensive--Guaranteed to keep your pumpkins from being smashed--Trick or Treat Ideas that can be found at your local dollar store, party store, or online in bulk. Most of these toys can be just as cheap as candy, too! :

·         Glow Sticks-- Kids of all ages can't help but be mesmerized by these.

·         Sticky eye balls-- Sure to provide endless fun until it ends up stuck to the ceiling.

·         Bouncy Balls— I went for glow-in-the-dark ones this year

·         Funny glasses —fun for all ages

·         Bubbles—easy to buy in bulk from Amazon or wedding supply and craft stores

·         Stick-on tattoos—kids go crazy for these

·         Plastic vampire teeth--A classic.

·         Quarters. There's no gift like a couple of George's $$