Mayra Robayo is a local Sayville Mom who founded Precise Gluten Free Foods, Inc. after discovering her daughters food allergies. We asked her to share what Halloween is like for her, as the Mom of a child with food allergies- she shared her perspective and information about the Teal Pumpkin Project with us:
Photo by Michele Katz @michelekatz
When your child has severe food allergies, trick-or-treating is all about being creative. It’s not as easy as putting on your costume, grabbing a plastic pumpkin and running around the neighborhood collecting candy. We have tried a bit of everything to make trick-or-treat fun for our 8-year-old daughter, Sarah, who is allergic to tree nuts, soy, sesame and has a gluten intolerance. We go trick-or-treating with the understanding that unsafe candy can be swapped out for allergy-friendly candy at home. We then donate the unsafe candy to our troops; many schools and doctor’s offices collect them after Halloween. In our quest to make it fun, we talk about how trick-or-treat is about having fun and seeing friends, not just about getting candy. This time of the year we work on spreading awareness about the Teal Pumpkin Project, this simple act promotes inclusion for trick-or-treaters with food allergies or other conditions. Some families buy ready-made teal pumpkins, and others make a craft project out of making their own. One thing is for sure our daughter gets very excited every time she sees a teal pumpkin on someone’s porch.
All children deserve to be able to participate in Halloween! This Halloween join the Teal Pumpkin Project. Placing a teal pumpkin on your front porch indicates that you have non-food treats at your house. You can make that even more clear by downloading and printing up a sign for your porch or yard from the FARE website.
You can also register your address on an interactive map where people can find participating Teal Pumpkin Project houses.
Some suggestions of Non-food treats to pass out on Halloween:
- Bubbles
- Bracelets
- Glow sticks
- Bookmarks
- Playing cards
- Stencils.
Don’t forget to place the non-food treats in a separate bowl to avoid cross contamination of any kind. Stores like Michael’s and Target have Teal Pumpkins. We can’t wait to see all the teal pumpkins around our town this year!
Photo by Michele Katz @michelekatz
Friends would describe Mayra as a dedicated class mom who takes prides in cooking for her kids and their friends. Those kids love the extra special attention, and their parents are grateful that their child can benefit from safe and healthy products.
An involved member of the community in the quaint village of Sayville, New York on the South Shore of Long Island, Mayra has built a local network of small shops and restaurants that carry and serve her mixes. She joined her local chamber of commerce to gain ideas from fellow business owners and is actively involved in several gluten-free associations where she networks and shares her story with her peers. Showcasing at several local and national expos, Mayra is well on her way to sharing her story and her delicious products for all to enjoy.
check out Precise Gluten Free Inc at :