You may spot teal pumpkins on shelves at Target, H-E-B, Walmart, CVS, and other retailers this Halloween — but they are more than just festive decorations. These brightly colored gourds are part of the Teal Pumpkin Project, a global initiative that raises awareness about food allergies and promotes inclusion during one of the most candy-filled holidays of the year. A teal pumpkin placed outside a home signals that non-food treats are available for trick-or-treaters with food allergies.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionapproximately 8% of children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with a food allergy as of 2025. Alarmingly, around 40% of those children have required emergency care due to an allergic reaction. Currently, there is no cure for food allergies.

For children and adults, the only effective way to prevent allergic reactions is strict avoidance of trigger foods. In cases of accidental exposure, particularly those that lead to anaphylaxis — a severe, potentially life-threatening reaction — immediate treatment with epinephrine (EpiPen) is critical. The medication helps temporarily reverse symptoms, but medical attention is still necessary. Even with fast intervention, outcomes can be unpredictable.

In other words, trick-or-treating can pose serious risks for children with food allergies if they encounter unsafe candy or snacks. That’s why one mom decided to take action. After her youngest son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, she placed a teal pumpkin on her porch to let others know she was offering allergy-safe, non-food treats. The small, inclusive gesture sparked a global movement.

How the Teal Pumpkin Project began

In 2012, Atlanta mom Becky Basalone faced a dilemma: her youngest son, Caden, had just been diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies to peanuts, cow’s milk, tree nuts, apples, and cinnamon. All of these were common ingredients in Halloween candy. At first, she taught Caden to refuse unsafe treats and had his older brother collect them instead. But by 2013, determined to make sure he wasn’t left out of the Halloween fun, the Basalones placed a teal-painted pumpkin — the color of food allergy awareness — on their porch and offered non-food treats as safe alternatives for trick-or-treaters with food allergies.

Basalone started the Food Allergy Community of East Tennessee in 2013. The teal pumpkin initiative quickly picked up steam. In 2014, the Food Allergy Research and Education organization (known as FARE) took over the Teal Pumpkin Project with Basalone’s blessing, launching the food allergy awareness effort into a worldwide movement.

How to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project

FARE offers a Teal Pumpkin Project map to help kids plan their safe trick-or-treating routes. Teal Pumpkin Project participants can add their address to the map if they’re so inclined.

Participants in the Teal Pumpkin Project are encouraged to paint a pumpkin teal or purchase one from a local grocery store or vendor. Keep non-food treats exclusively in the teal pumpkin to prevent cross-contamination with candy or other Halloween treats that might contain allergens.

FARE recommends non-food items like glow wands, crayons, Halloween erasers, stickers, stencils, bookmarks, playing cards, vampire fangs, spider rings, whistles, kazoos, novelty toys, and bouncy balls as suitable alternatives for typical Halloween treats.

Common children’s items like Play-Doh and finger paint aren’t recommended for the Teal Pumpkin Project because they may contain food allergens like wheat.

FARE also has free printable resources, such as Teal Pumpkin Project flyers, which participants can display on their front doors this Halloween.