How teal pumpkins help kids with food allergies have a happy, safe Halloween

Let's be real, on Halloween, most kids love to go door to door gathering as many candies and sweet treats as they can. But some kids have food allergies and trick or treating can be a tough time for them and their parents.

The non-profit group Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) started the Teal Pumpkin Project to make sure kids with food allergies can get allergy-friendly alternatives. People can participate by placing a teal pumpkin outside their homes alongside their other jack-o'-lanterns.

Families in all 50 states took part in the inaugural Teal Pumpkin Project in 2014. Now in the project's fourth year, FARE is striving to get even closer to their goal of having a teal pumpkin on "every block in every neighborhood in the United States."

One in 13 children in the United States has a food allergy, according to FARE. While most of the food allergy reactions in U.S. come from just eight foods, people can have reactions to just about anything.

FARE suggests low-cost items like stickers, bubbles, glow sticks and pencils as safe alternatives to candy. It's important to keep in mind that some non-food items contain common allergens like wheat and latex. Additionally, the food allergy-friendly alternatives should be kept in a separate bowl to avoid cross-contamination.

If you want to participate, get your teal pumpkin ready for display and add your address to the map of participating houses.

Also, if you don't have time to paint a pumpkin, FARE has free signs on its website that you can print out.

For more information on the Teal Pumpkin Project, go to FARE's website.