Dear Tracy,
This isn’t something that moms “should” say, but being a food allergy mom…is exhausting.
When we’re out in public we have to be on high alert for well meaning people who pass out free samples in the grocery store. We have to be vigilant against other mothers in our childs’ classes who bring snacks or cupcakes or treats to class. We have to always check the labels of everything even if we’ve purchased it dozens of times before because corporations like to cut corners and make a buck swapping out ingredients. We have to be the shield between our child and a family member who doesn’t treat this as a life and death situation…or call you dramatic for getting angry over crumbly falling apart peanut butter trail bars brought into your home. (An actual thing that has actually happened in my home.)
I feel you mommas. I feel you HARD.
And that level of hyper vigilance cannot be maintained without consequences; namely…exhaustion.
And Halloween Candy?!
It’s our worst nightmare, isn’t it? Strangers passing out Reese Cups into our kid’s bucket potentially cross contaminating anything in that previously peanut free treat collection? I’m about to have an anxiety attack just thinking about it. (No seriously, I have anxiety, I’m about to hyperventilate here people.)
If any allergy mom who are pros at this season have any ideas, please leave a comment. We are a village. Let’s pool ideas.
What to do?
- Talk to your neighbors, give them safe candy to pass out to your kid or encourage them to pick up a bag of dum-dum suckers for the nut allergy kiddos
- Set up a trade system and trade out unsafe candy for toys, bits of distraction, and safe treats.
- Let your kid pass out candy instead (My kid literally just ate out of our own candy bowl last year and refused to trick or treat.)
- Only trick or treat at teal pumpkin houses
Safe Candy
And for those of you who want to pass out safe things…here’s some suggestions:
- Rice Krispy Treats
- Halloween Pretzels
- Dum Dum Suckers
- EnjoyLife Mini Bars
- Starbursts
- Lifesavers (and the gummy version too!)
- Non-candy treats like stickers or fake vampire teeth
Teal Pumpkin Project
What’s the deal with the Teal Pumpkin?
It’s just a way to let others know safe and non candy treats can be found at your house for kiddos dressed up.
Nothing fancy needed, just a pumpkin with a teal ribbon, a coat of paint, or a colored light in it just to let others know their kiddos will be safe there. And know, if you’re not an allergy family who puts one out anyways, we are so grateful.
Thank you so much for making my kid’s childhood not only happy, but safe. I cannot thank you enough for the thoughtfulness. Truly. It makes a difference in the lives of allergy moms knowing we have allies out there.
Love,
Jess
