Halloween is almost here! I am so very excited for another year of jack o’lanterns, costumes and trick or treating!
I will confess that we are a bit traditional in our candy offerings.
For us, it is a treat, and we honestly never end up eating all of the candy little man collects on his adventures around the neighborhood. However, since having a child, I realize that not all parents want their kids having buckets of chocolate and sweets, that some little ones probably may not be old enough for candy so they aren’t reaping the benefits of the haul they collect, and that their are some children who have allergies and sensitivities which make candy off-limits in any shape or form.
As a result, we started adding some extras to our goody basket – individual bags of pretzels, fruits snacks or goldfish, and even glow sticks, so that our trick or treaters could make choices that were best for them, and everyone could walk away happy.
We also learned something. Glow sticks? Are a huge hit.
Of course, we planned to continue in the same vein this year. However, FoodAllergy.org introduced a new initiative, and we are happy to join the program.
The Teal Pumpkin Project is a way to help make it easier for parents and children to identify which houses are giving non-food alternatives. All you do is display a teal-colored pumpkin outside your house (it’s very easy to do with a real or artificial pumpkin and some acrylic craft paint).
You can also display a similar poster or flyer. FoodAllergy.org provides several graphics, including stickers, that you can download and pass out for awareness.
In the meantime, we have a great bucket full of non-edible goodies for trick or treaters, in addition to our regular offerings.
This year, we have a variety of glow sticks, tattoos, spider and skull rings, Halloween pencils, little glow in the dark rubber duckies, and glow in the dark slime. I think it’s a fun selection and will hopefully be a great alternative to candy.
(In the meantime, if you’re looking for something to do with all the candy your little ones DO bring home, there is the Halloween Candy Buy Back site. Entering your zip code will direct you to local dentists who are willing to “buy” your unwanted Halloween candy and get it off your hands. The candy is then sent off to Operation Gratitude, where it is boxed up into care packages for deployed US service people.)
Will you be participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project?
Do you keep all the candy or participate in a candy buy back program?
I love both the non-food initiative and the Operation Gratitude! Such a great idea!
Rachel @ Undercover Diva: A Sitcom recently posted…Adjusting to Life in a New Country
They are both really great.
That is so neat!! If we actually got trick or treaters, we’d totally participate! Love that this supports kids with food allergies and includes everyone!
Sarah @ Sweet Miles recently posted…Mizuno Wave Rider 18 Review
Oh, man! I would be so sad without trick or treaters! That’s my favorite part!
Never heard of this. So cool. Thanks for sharing.
Abby @ BackAtSquareZero recently posted…Buying Fitness Gear Online with Unique Fitness Concepts
Absolutely!
This is the first that I’ve heard of either program.
My neighborhood, alas, get very few trick-or-treaters. Heck, we end up heading elsewhere to go door-to-door. With 4 year olds (though one is almost 5), we don’t get to TOO MANY houses, which is, honestly probably for the best. My plan has been, when there is enough candy to really ensure that we need a plan, the kids can have a piece of candy for an afternoon snack, a piece of candy for dessert, and then, after a few weeks, I’ll just take whatever might be left to the office. IT bastards love candy.
John (Daddy Runs a Lot) recently posted…Where I write about things that have bothered me this week.
That’s usually how we operate – a piece of candy in the lunch box and then maybe one later on, and then… magically… the candy is gone. The Twix bars are mine, though. MINE! LOL!
I too have found that the non-candy items are a big hit! Such a great thing for kids who don’t always want candy and/or can’t have it. We had the teal pumpkin project around here too but this year I didn’t get on board. Next year!
jan recently posted…Happy Halloween!
Non-candy was a hit again this year!