How to Help Kids with Food Allergies Enjoy Halloween
Locate allergy-friendly homes., Insist that your child takes an emergency treatment for allergies everywhere., Remind your child not to eat candy while trick-or-treating., Trade your child an allergen-free candy as you go., Give homeowners...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Locate allergy-friendly homes.
The Teal Pumpkin Project (TPP) has an online map of homes that offer alternative Halloween treats.
These treats will be free of common allergens, and your child is more likely to find something they enjoy when visiting these homes.You can visit the TPP database at http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project/fever-map#.WBZfAfkrKUl.
Some homes might also place a teal pumpkin or teal jack-o-lantern outside their home to indicate they offer treats that are amenable to kids with common food allergies. -
Step 2: Insist that your child takes an emergency treatment for allergies everywhere.
If your child has severe food allergies, he/she should always have two auto-injectors filled with epinephrine (such as EpiPen).
If your child accidentally consumes a treat to which they are allergic, and has an anaphylactic reaction, you’ll be able to treat them immediately.Younger children, especially, might not understand how their food allergy works and how serious the effects of their allergy can be.
This is why it is so important for an adult who knows how to use an EpiPen to be with your child at all times.
You can also use the opportunity of Halloween to get them in the habit of taking their food allergies more seriously.
Watch your child carefully while they are trick-or-treating and ensure they do not consume foods to which they are allergic. , If your child waits until they are home, you will be better able to sort through the candy with them and determine what is and is not appropriate.
Offer reminders to wait until consuming the candy throughout the night.
Preface your reminder with a friendly question like, “What did you get from that house?” After your child replies, say, “Oh, you will enjoy eating that later” if the treat is edible or “Oh, we can trade something good for that later” if the treat is inedible.These reminders will keep your child aware of the fact that they need to refrain from snacking on the candy until they get home. , The easiest way to ensure your child still gets a boatload of sweet treats after Halloween is to trade them a “safe” treat for an “unsafe” one after they complete their Halloween rounds.
But if your child is especially impatient or fussy, you might want to make a trade on the spot.Pack a large variety bag of allergen-free treats and accompany your child on their trick-or-treating.
After your child receives candy from a given house, help them check the ingredients list. (Make sure to bring a flashlight so you can see!) If it contains an allergen that they cannot consume, swap it out for one from the bag you packed.
Remind your child that they should still not consume their candy while trick-or-treating.
Not only will this cut into trick-or-treating time, but it’s important to double check the candy after coming home to ensure candies with allergens didn’t accidentally end up in your child’s loot. , With younger children who you are accompanying on their trick-or-treating, you could give the treat distributors an allergen-free candy or treat and ask them to them to pass it to your child.
With slightly older kids, or kids who you are not personally accompanying on their Halloween rounds, you could connect with treat distributors in advance of the holiday and provide a handful of treats specifically meant for your child.Be sure neighbors know your child and their costume if you intend to leave a special allergen-free snack or treat with them. , If you’re going trick-or-treating with your child, you should tell the people distributing treats that your child has a food allergy.
They might be able to locate a treat free of the allergens which affect your child.
If you are not accompanying your child, hang a small label around your child’s neck reading, “Hello, I have an allergy to .
Please provide me with treats free of this ingredient.” That way, treat distributors will know not to give your child foods that they are allergic to.You can make a simple label by punching a hole in either end of a notecard and tying a string through either end.
Keep in mind that because so many candy products are manufactured in facilities that are not free of common food allergens, many people won't have candy available that is allergen-free (and they may not even know how to check), so it is still very important to check every piece of candy your child receives after trick-or-treating. -
Step 3: Remind your child not to eat candy while trick-or-treating.
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Step 4: Trade your child an allergen-free candy as you go.
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Step 5: Give homeowners allergen-free candies ahead of time.
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Step 6: Communicate with treat givers.
Detailed Guide
The Teal Pumpkin Project (TPP) has an online map of homes that offer alternative Halloween treats.
These treats will be free of common allergens, and your child is more likely to find something they enjoy when visiting these homes.You can visit the TPP database at http://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project/fever-map#.WBZfAfkrKUl.
Some homes might also place a teal pumpkin or teal jack-o-lantern outside their home to indicate they offer treats that are amenable to kids with common food allergies.
If your child has severe food allergies, he/she should always have two auto-injectors filled with epinephrine (such as EpiPen).
If your child accidentally consumes a treat to which they are allergic, and has an anaphylactic reaction, you’ll be able to treat them immediately.Younger children, especially, might not understand how their food allergy works and how serious the effects of their allergy can be.
This is why it is so important for an adult who knows how to use an EpiPen to be with your child at all times.
You can also use the opportunity of Halloween to get them in the habit of taking their food allergies more seriously.
Watch your child carefully while they are trick-or-treating and ensure they do not consume foods to which they are allergic. , If your child waits until they are home, you will be better able to sort through the candy with them and determine what is and is not appropriate.
Offer reminders to wait until consuming the candy throughout the night.
Preface your reminder with a friendly question like, “What did you get from that house?” After your child replies, say, “Oh, you will enjoy eating that later” if the treat is edible or “Oh, we can trade something good for that later” if the treat is inedible.These reminders will keep your child aware of the fact that they need to refrain from snacking on the candy until they get home. , The easiest way to ensure your child still gets a boatload of sweet treats after Halloween is to trade them a “safe” treat for an “unsafe” one after they complete their Halloween rounds.
But if your child is especially impatient or fussy, you might want to make a trade on the spot.Pack a large variety bag of allergen-free treats and accompany your child on their trick-or-treating.
After your child receives candy from a given house, help them check the ingredients list. (Make sure to bring a flashlight so you can see!) If it contains an allergen that they cannot consume, swap it out for one from the bag you packed.
Remind your child that they should still not consume their candy while trick-or-treating.
Not only will this cut into trick-or-treating time, but it’s important to double check the candy after coming home to ensure candies with allergens didn’t accidentally end up in your child’s loot. , With younger children who you are accompanying on their trick-or-treating, you could give the treat distributors an allergen-free candy or treat and ask them to them to pass it to your child.
With slightly older kids, or kids who you are not personally accompanying on their Halloween rounds, you could connect with treat distributors in advance of the holiday and provide a handful of treats specifically meant for your child.Be sure neighbors know your child and their costume if you intend to leave a special allergen-free snack or treat with them. , If you’re going trick-or-treating with your child, you should tell the people distributing treats that your child has a food allergy.
They might be able to locate a treat free of the allergens which affect your child.
If you are not accompanying your child, hang a small label around your child’s neck reading, “Hello, I have an allergy to .
Please provide me with treats free of this ingredient.” That way, treat distributors will know not to give your child foods that they are allergic to.You can make a simple label by punching a hole in either end of a notecard and tying a string through either end.
Keep in mind that because so many candy products are manufactured in facilities that are not free of common food allergens, many people won't have candy available that is allergen-free (and they may not even know how to check), so it is still very important to check every piece of candy your child receives after trick-or-treating.
About the Author
Alexis Scott
Creates helpful guides on cooking to inspire and educate readers.
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