Halloween is just around the corner, and this year, I was excited to hear about a new trend – the Teal Pumpkin Project. As food allergies are becoming rampant, affecting 1 in every 13 kids, many are unable to enjoy the typical candy offerings that most of their peers enjoy on Halloween.

 

The idea of the Teal Pumpkin Project is to place a teal pumpkin outside of your house letting trick or treater’s know that in addition to candy, your home also offers non-food options. Some food alternatives include glow sticks, stickers, coins, pencils, etc. You can read more about the Teal Pumpkin Project here.

 

As a nutritional therapy practitioner and soon to be parent, this is one tradition that has been a struggle for me over the last couple of years as we are clearly seeing the negative effects that sugar is leaving. See our posts on these negative impacts of sugar in PART 1 and PART 2 of the Not So Sweet Sugar Reality. I love the idea of giving the option for something other than a sugary treat.

 

As another alternative, friends of ours have introduced the “sugar fairy” or “sugar witch” at their house. After trick or treating is over, the candy is put in a designated location and for the sugar fairy. She uses sugar to keep warm during the winter and in exchange for the candy she leaves a special gift!

 

Whatever your family decides to do, have a fun and safe Halloween!

 

Author: Joelle Kurczodyna, NTP