Five Less Waste Teal Pumpkin Ideas

Did you know you can make Halloween trick or treating inclusive and safe for kids with food allergies by handing out non-food items? If you set out a teal pumpkin, kids will know you’re a safe house to go to!

As a food allergy parent, I am so grateful for this movement that includes kids like my daughter. It makes what can be a really scary holiday for people with food allergies, not spooky scary but a health emergency kind of scary, into something that’s fun.

But…it can also admittedly produce a lot of toy waste that heads to the trash within a few days. To mitigate some of that, I have come up with five treat ideas that will hopefully last longer and produce *less waste.

*Notice, I didn’t say no waste. Candy wrappers still produce waste too after all. 😉 This is just my way of trying to reduce it.

Ideally, I hope you can find these items locally (1, 2, and 5 should be easier than 3 or 4). Target has a robust and adorable teal pumpkin section and I think CVS has one too. If you need to order online, I have included Amazon links as well.

(Notice: This post includes affiliate links which give me a small commission but do not affect your price.)

1. Temporary tattoos – This idea is my favorite. They’re festive, easy to find, and produce even less waste than most candy wrappers. I simply cut out the individual tattoos from the sheets, so that I have plenty to pass out.
2. Little erasers – By now kids have likely worn through their pencil erasers from the start of school, so this treat is both useful and fun. Bonus, if you get non-seasonal ones, you can also save extras to put into Easter eggs in the spring. 
3. Fidget poppers – My daughter goes nuts for these and likes to put them on her backpack. It’s more of a splurge than the others, but if you get a large quantity, you can get a good deal. (The Amazon link I included is for a smaller pack of these. If you want dozens, the price per fidget popper can get better.)
4. Vinyl stickers – These are longer lasting than craft stickers you stick on paper. They can decorate water bottles, folders, devices, etc. and are a hit with older kids. (Note: The Amazon pack of 200 does have a few stickers that don’t make sense. Some of my kids think they are funny, but you can pull them out.)
5. Gel pens – I don’t know about you, but I still like to write with gel pens myself. Grab an assortment pack to hand out. It’s still fun to get just one!

P.S. I really like glow sticks too, but by design they will definitely end up in the garbage by the next day, so they didn’t make the list.

TIP: If you participate, please put non-food items in a separate bowl to prevent any cross contact issues for sensitive kids.

THANK YOU so much for making Halloween fun for everyone. I can tell you, that it means so much when our food allergy kid gets to participate in something like the rest of her peers. When so much of her life has to be different to keep her safe, the moments in which she can be included, are a big win.

Have a happy, safe Halloween!