Food Allergy Awareness

With Halloween coming up next month, I thought I would share some awareness about food allergies. I never thought twice about what foods I carried around or what I ate in public spaces because I didn’t have a food allergy so it didn’t affect me. I wish I had been made more aware of how much they actually affect other people.

Approximately 1 in 13 children have a food allergy. Every three minutes a person is sent to the emergency room due to a food allergy reaction. It’s much more common than most people are aware of.

With Halloween coming around the corner, I think it’s important to bring awareness to food allergies. Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common food allergens in children and also happen to be in a lot of candies that are handed out on Halloween. In the past, I’ve bought Reese’s to pass out (because who doesn’t love Reese’s?) without realizing that a good amount of children can’t even eat the candy.

I encourage everyone to look into the Teal Pumpkin Project.

This project was started in eastern Tennessee and has since spread around the country in hopes of spreading awareness of food allergies and to allow a safe trick or treating experience for all children. There are other things to pass out to children instead of candy. Offer items such as bubbles, fake tattoos, glow sticks, bouncy balls, spider rings, stickers or stencils. If you really want to offer a type of candy or food try applesauce packets, gummies, Dum-Dum lollipops, dots, Oreos, or jolly ranchers. Always read the labels to ensure they do not contain any of the top allergens for children.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Halloween!