Education

FAACT Valentine's Day Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Valentine's-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

Preparing for Holidays with Food Allergies

Holiday gatherings are usually filled with family, friends – and food. Here are some tips from FAACT for traveling during any holiday season, as well as dining in/out to help you avoid any potential dangers, so you can have a happy holiday season!

Traveling during holiday seasons:

Plan your route for traveling and note any allergy-friendly restaurants to stop along the journey.
Eat a good meal before leaving to help keep everyone full for a longer period of time.
Bring a cooler full of allergy-friendly snack items. Keep the snacks fun and be sure to include a variety of sweet, salty, crunchy and soft.

Dinner at your house:

Plan out in advance what others will bring. Assign dishes that are less likely to contain the allergen.
Are they buying the item or making from scratch? Discuss label reading and recommend certain brands you know are allergen safe.
Have them take a picture of the label and text or email you if they have any questions.
Gently, but thoroughly, go over how to avoid cross-contact in the kitchen.
Be in charge of all the baked goods to reduce any issues and remind them to not bring the allergen as a gift.

Dinner at a family member or friend’s house:

Contact or have them contact everyone and politely remind them not to bring any unsafe items.
Offer to go a little early and help clean.
Offer to help the host cook the food.
Have your child eat a snack before you go, so they’re less tempted to grab food when you’re not watching.
Bring separate dishes that you know your child can eat.
Remind your child about not eating anything that you haven’t OK’d first.

Dining out during the holidays:

Research restaurants to find out if they’re allergy-friendly.
Call ahead to speak with the chef and/or manager and address any concerns.
When at the restaurant, let your server know about the allergy. Ask to speak to the manager and/or chef so you have no doubt the kitchen has been made aware.
Consider eating at a time that is less busy.

Wishing you safe and Happy Holidays all year through!

Safe and Alternative Halloween Family Activities

by Ashley Smith, FAACT-recognized Support Group Leader and FAACT Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Advisory Board Member

Happy Fall! October is here and that means cooler breezes, leaves are displaying a beautiful array of vibrant hues, and everyone’s favorite spooky holiday is quickly approaching. But what will Halloween look like this year? As many families are searching for ways to safely celebrate Halloween amid the Covid-19 pandemic, this collection of socially distant Halloween ideas will ensure that you too can create your very own Spooktacular Halloween!

Virtual

Virtual events are a great alternative to in-person gatherings that allow families, friends, and school communities the opportunity to come together while staying apart. This is also a particularly fun way for relatives that live far away to join in on the festivities. Host a virtual mad scientist event, magic show, costume parade, or jack-o-lantern carving showcase. How about a virtual escape room? (Teens and adults, that suggestion is for you!)

At-Home Celebrations

Surprise the kids with a family fun Halloween party! Planning parties is one of my favorite things to do. Here are ways to create a fa-boo-lous at-home Halloween celebration this year.

Decorate your home! Whether you would like to roll up your sleeves and do some fun DIY projects, invite your young ghouls and goblins to craft and display their best Halloween art displays, or turn your home into a haunted house, decorating will definitely get everyone excited for October 31st to arrive.

Plan Halloween movie nights or a weekend movie marathon! Select a special day once a week (or one weekend) to sit down as a family and watch a Halloween movie together. My kids are old enough that they enjoyed helping me pick out which movies we will be watching.

Carve/decorate pumpkins! A classic Halloween tradition for many families. Allergy-friendly alternative if someone has an allergy to pumpkins - purchase a styrofoam or cardboard pumpkin to paint teal and decorate it. You can also print out a pumpkin template or draw a pumpkin to decorate and display around your home. Did you know that teal pumpkins represent inclusion for all trick or treaters with food allergies or other conditions? More information about the Teal Pumpkin Project® can be found here.

Bake allergen-friendly Halloween desserts! Halloween can be a very scary holiday for families managing food allergies but this year my kids are particularly excited to help bake and decorate allergen friendly sweets. Even if you do not have allergies, spending time together and teaching the kids new baking skills is a fun way to spend the day. Check out FAACT’s Allergy-Friendly Recipes Pinterest Board for more ideas.

Don’t forget to dress up! Halloween would not be complete without costumes! Grown-ups, let the kids help pick out or create a costume for you to wear too.

Play Halloween games! Kids will love these traditional games with a Halloween Twist. Pumpkin Ring Toss. Instead of ‘Simon Says’ play Frankenstein Says. Monster Mash Freeze Dance, Halloween Bingo, and there are many more ideas online (thank you, Pinterest) if you need some extra inspiration. You can also check out FAACT’s Halloween Pinterest Boards for fun, allergy-friendly ideas.

Create a Halloween-themed art project! Assemble a foam or wooden haunted house, get messy with finger paints, or have fun counting down the days until Halloween by creating a paper chain.

Conduct your very own mad scientist experiments at home! - Younger kids might enjoy simple science projects such as investigating pumpkins, float or sink, or maybe the leak proof bag experiment while older kids might prefer making slime or trying the elephant toothpaste experiment.

Alternatives to Trick-or-Treating

Pinatas! My family is doing a Pokémon Halloween theme this year, so I am overly excited to surprise my kids with their very own pokeball pinata to break open this year in place of trick-or-treating.

Scavenger Hunts! Pinterest has many free scavenger hunt printable ideas that are Halloween-themed. Make it a treasure hunt with non-food items or allergen-friendly treats as the hidden surprise! *Note: FAACT’s Teal Ghost Non-Food Fun Halloween treats can be found at your local Walmart.

Glow in the dark egg hunts! Reuse those plastic Easter eggs by filling them with either non-food favors or allergen friendly candies. Tip: use a sharpie to draw jack-o-lantern or ghost faces for an added Halloween touch.

Having trouble coming up with inclusive non-food Halloween treats this year?

As a FAACT-recognized food allergy support group leader for the Los Angeles area, hosting allergy friendly/non-food events for my community has been such a gift to me. I find myself unable to appropriately convey how meaningful it has been for me to see so many families over the years safely enjoy what can truly be a frightening holiday. Here are some allergy-friendly non-food treats that are sure to be a hit.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) and Walmart have made it easy for anyone wanting to offer a fun array of FAACT’s Teal Ghost Non-Food Fun treats such as ghosts, yo-yo’s, bubbles, slime, pencils, teal skeletons and pumpkin cups, and more. Just look for FAACT’s Teal Ghost logo on the display cases and packaging in the Halloween section of your local Walmart.

Other ideas you may want to consider: a new book or puzzle, glow sticks, Rubik’s cube, spin tops, slinky, invisible pen with notepad, bookmarks, stamps, flashlights, mini footballs, beach balls, squish balls, keychains, mini plushies, bracelets, yo-yos, LEGO Minifigures, and more!

Whether you are staying home or just looking for allergen friendly alternatives to celebrate Halloween, I hope this collection of ideas will help you create a safe, but spooky good time this Halloween!

Easter

Easter is an annual Christian festival in commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, as calculated according to tables based in Western churches on the Gregorian calendar and in Orthodox churches on the Julian calendar. Also called Easter Sunday, the day on which this festival is celebrated.

Visit FAACT's Preparing for the Holidays section for more tips and resources.

Passover

The eight-day Jewish holiday of Passover is celebrated in the early spring. Passover (Pesach) commemorates the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. Pesach is observed by avoiding leaven, and highlighted by the Seder meals that include four cups of wine, eating matzah and bitter herbs, and retelling the story of the Exodus.

In Hebrew it is known as Pesach (which means “to pass over”), because God passed over the Jewish homes when killing the Egyptian firstborn on the very first Passover eve.

Visit FAACT's Preparing for the Holidays section for more tips and resources.

FAACT's Halloween Resources

Halloween can be scary – and we’re not just talking about decorations. Avoiding unsafe foods at school and other celebrations is often a challenge for children with food allergies.

FAACT created resources to help families have more fun and less fright this Halloween, including blog posts, Pinterest boards, podcast episodes, and activities to help educate your community.

Download FAACT's Halloween Resources handout.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah or Chanukah. However you spell it, the "festival of lights" is a joyous Jewish celebration of family and faith.

Why is Hanukkah celebrated?

The history of Hanukkah dates back to around 160 BC, when the Maccabees led a Jewish revolt against their Syrian-Greek oppressors. When the Maccabean Jews regained control of the city of Jerusalem, they rededicated the Second Temple of Jerusalem. However, they only had one day’s worth of pure oil to use in the temple’s menorah, which was meant to burn all night, every night. Miraculously, the oil lasted for eight days and nights, giving the people time to collect fresh oil. The holiday celebrating this miracle came to be known around the world as Hanukkah, derived from a Hebrew word meaning “to dedicate.”

How is Hanukkah celebrated?

Hanukkah falls on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev—typically some time in December (although occasionally it lands in November). The holiday is celebrated for eight nights. Hanukkah traditions such as lighting candles on the menorah or sharing family favorite latke recipes can be enjoyed by everyone, even family members with food allergies. Visit FAACT Pinterest boards for mouthwatering, allergen-friendly recipes as well as Hanukkah-themed craft ideas. FAACT also has downloadable Hanukkah crossword puzzles and word searches for everyone in your family to enjoy while making memories together.

FAACT's Holiday Podcasts

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to share gratitude with family, friends, and our communities. It is also a holiday focused on sharing food. Dodging allergen mine fields can feel daunting at this time of year. FAACT is here to help.

The resources on this page will help you safely navigate the holidays. Our Pinterest boards are packed with fun craft ideas and scrumptious allergen-friendly recipes. Kick off your holiday celebration with our downloadable crossword puzzles and word searches for kids of all ages.

Kwanzaa

Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture that is held from December 26 to January 1. The name Kwanzaa comes from the phrase “matunda ya kwanza”, which means “first fruits of the harvest” in Swahili. It is a celebration of African-Americans and their cultural heritage and traditional values. Kwanzaa is not a religious holiday, although some people celebrate Kwanzaa and Christmas together.

Each of the seven days corresponds to the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity (umoja), self-determination (kujichagulia), collective responsibility (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba) and faith (imani).Kwanzaa in its current form was created and popularized by African Studies professor Dr. Maulana Karenga during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The celebration's roots trace back to agricultural traditions in ancient Africa, when ancient tribes and societies marked the first harvests of the season with a feast. Its modern iteration re-enforces core values of African culture and celebrates African heritage.

How Is Kwanzaa Celebrated?

Participants decorate in Kwanzaa’s colors (red, green and black) and light candles in a special candle holder (kinara). The daily candle-lighting ritual provides the chance to reflect on the Kwanzaa principle of the day.

The holiday culminates with a large feast and gift giving. During the communal feast called Karamu on December 31, participants decorate the table with ears of corn (one for each child in the family) and drink from the unity cup (kikombe cha umoja) to honor their ancestors. The focal point of the meal is often a one-pot stew, such as Ghanaian groundnut stew, West Indian or South African curry dishes, Philadelphia pepper pot stew, jambalaya, Nigerian jollof rice, or Senegalese thieboudienne. The most-important thing is that the meal is shared. On the seventh day of Kwanzaa, participants exchange presents.

Christmas

Christmas is a religious holiday observed on December 25 to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is also a cultural holiday – marked by exchanging gifts, singing carols, and feasting with family and friends – in which Santa Claus plays a pivotal role.

How is Christmas celebrated?

The tradition of gift giving became popular toward the end of the 18th century as a reminder of the gifts that the Three Wise Men brought to the baby Jesus. Santa came into the picture in 1823 with the publication of "A Visit from St. Nicholas” (more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas”), transforming the Christian saint Nicholas into Santa Claus as the source of Christmas gifts. Leaving cookies and milk for Santa – and a few carrots for his reindeer – became a tradition during the Great Depression to teach children the importance of giving to others and being grateful for the gifts they received.

Christmas presents usually appear under a Christmas tree. The tradition of cutting down an evergreen tree and decorating it for Christmas dates back to 15th-century Germany but became widely popular after an illustration of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert standing around a Christmas tree with their children was published in 1846. Today, Christmas trees – either real evergreens or manufactured ones – are decorated with lights, ornaments, and garlands. The tree topper is often an angel or a star.

Christmas dinner brings family and friends together around a table laden with food. The traditional dinner of roasted turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy, and root vegetables has taken different cultural spins across the country. For example, Virginians often serve oysters, ham, and biscuits. In the upper Midwest, holiday dishes include Scandinavian specialties such as lutefisk and mashed rutabagas. In the South, rice is often served instead of potatoes. Pumpkin and pecan pies are frequent Christmas desserts. And it is a tradition among many Jewish Americans to eat Chinese food on Christmas because these were often the only restaurants open on Christmas Day.

Passover Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's festive and educational Passover-themed crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home with your family or share with your child's classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our Passover crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT's Passover Crossword Puzzle 1

FAACT's Passover Crossword Puzzle 1: Answer Key

FAACT's Passover Crossword Puzzle 2

FAACT's Passover Crossword Puzzle 2: Answer Key

FAACT's Passover Word Search 1

FAACT's Passover Word Search 1: Answer Key

FAACT's Passover Word Search 2

FAACT's Passover Word Search 2: Answer Key

FAACT's Passover Coloring Page

Download FAACT's Safe and Alternative Halloween Family Activities handout.

Easter Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's festive and educational Easter-themed crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home with your family or share with your child's classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun Easter crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT's Teal Ghost Kit

A cool chill has ushered in a teal treat sure to put a smile on your face this fall.

Halloween is here, but there is no need to fear! FAACT created a Teal Ghost Kit as a fun way to include children with food allergies in the Halloween festivities and help them have a safe and happy Halloween.

Teal Ghost your neighbors by downloading FAACT’s “You’ve Been Teal Ghosted” signs. Add allergy-friendly, non-food treats like glow sticks, bouncing balls, or fidget spinners. Then secretly Teal Ghost your neighbor by placing the sign and goodies on their doorstep. Ring the doorbell and fly away!

Your neighbors will love their Teal Ghost Kit and will learn more about food allergies. It is the best way to troll – we mean teach – the community about food allergies!

FAACT Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Thanksgiving-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT Hanukkah Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Hanukkah-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home with your family or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT Kwanzaa Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Kwanzaa-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT Christmas Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Christmas-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home with your family or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

FAACT's Halloween Safety Tips

Set the stage for a fun Halloween with these safety tips:

Bring epinephrine: Carry two epinephrine auto-injectors while trick-or-treating, to parties, at the mall, and anywhere else there may be Halloween candy.
NO snacking: Give your child incentive to wait until they get home before eating treats. Switch out unsafe candy for safe treats, toys, or even money.
Dress up: Can your child wear gloves to help avoid direct contact with allergens? Accessorize costumes with teal buttons, stickers, or other awareness items to let other parents know about food allergies.
Speak up: Have fun with a little role playing. If they see candy they know they can have, teach them to ask for it. If someone offers something they can’t have, they can say, “No, thank you. I have a food allergy.”
Discuss candy to avoid: It’s one thing to tell your child to avoid candy with peanuts, but do they know what the wrappers look like so they don’t accidentally grab one? Teach them to scan candy bowls for allergens and even avoid safe treats if they’re surrounded by unsafe candy.
Look around: Watch what other kids are eating nearby and scan for any candy/wrappers thrown on the ground.
Read ALL labels: Sometimes snack-sized candy is manufactured differently. Ingredients and manufacturing processes change. NEVER assume an item is safe just because it was safe last year. You may need to research some ingredient lists online.
Hand out non-food treats: Halloween-themed pencils, glow necklaces, rings, and temporary tattoos ensure every child can enjoy the fun. Avoid items like Play-Doh that contain food ingredients (and potential allergens).
Set up safe stops: Place small bags of safe candy at a few neighbors’ houses so your child can go there and get it. It also gives you a chance to educate neighbors about food allergies.
BYO treats: When friends or neighbors host a Halloween bash, bring allergen-free treats for the whole gang so your child won’t feel left out. (Be sure those treats are kept away from other foods.)
Sing about it: Kyle Dine created a cute and catchy song, “Food Allergy Halloween Safety,” to teach children about safety.
Read about it: The No Biggie Bunch wrote a cute book, “Trade-or Treat Halloween,” about kids swapping the candy that contains their allergens.

Download FAACT's Halloween Safety Tips poster.

Shine TEAL In Your Neighborhood

Teal Ghosts and Pumpkins are such a great way to include children with food allergies and help them enjoy a safe and happy Halloween. It helps include children with other dietary restrictions too!

To increase awareness about food allergies this Halloween:

Sign it: Let others know you support people with food allergies and have non-allergic treats. Download and print FAACT’s FREE “Non-Food Fun Ghost” and “Non-Food Treats Available Here” posters.
*** FAACT's 'This House is Teal with FAACT's Teal Ghost Non-Food Fun' Coloring Sheet
*** FAACT's 'This House is Teal with Non-Food Treats Available Here!' Coloring Sheet
Treat with teal: Hand out non-food treats such as FAACT’s Teal Ghost logoed fun and colorful prize packs, available at Walmart stores across the U.S.
Educate parents: Hand out food allergy information to parents of trick-or-treaters, such as FAACT’s FREE downloadable flyer, “10 FAACTs about Food Allergies.” Maybe next year you’ll have a neighborhood filled with teal pumpkins!
Color the classroom: Talk to your child’s teacher about bringing “teal” into the classroom with a non-food or allergy-friendly party. If you’re able, help out at the party and offer ideas for allergy-friendly activities. This allows you to watch over your child during the party and show others how easy it is to have fun celebrating Halloween without allergens. (If you need ideas for games and crafts, check out FAACT's Halloween Pinterest Boards.)
Go for the whole school: Ask the principal to place a teal pumpkin at the school and offer parents information about food allergies. If you’re able, supply the school with a list of ideas for non-food and/or allergy-friendly items, such as FAACT’s Bookmarks and Posters.
Make it profitable: Ask local businesses to help spread the word with a teal pumpkin and informational poster. Not only are they helping children with food allergies, it’s a great sales tactic. They can place sales items next to the pumpkin so customers can easily purchase these items to get involved. For example: At a home improvement store, have teal paint and brushes. At stores like Target and Walmart, have small, non-food items.

Alternative Halloween Traditions

Consider changing up Halloween to put the focus on giving to others and bringing them joy. Whether your child stays home and passes out the allergy-friendly treats or goes trick or treating and donates all their loot, they can feel good about helping others.

Donate: Some dentists and other businesses offer a “Halloween Candy Buyback” and send the candy to U.S. troops overseas. Your child can even send a letter of encouragement to our troops!
Celebrate: Make it a family holiday. Have something fun for dinner, dress up in costumes or silly pajamas, and eat your favorite treats while watching a movie together.

The excitement you bring to the idea will determine their excitement for doing it! You could say it like…

“I have a great idea. What if we make Halloween…Famoween (or something silly)? We can watch all the kids come to the door and see all their cool costumes. It will be like a parade that comes right to our door! We can even pass out flyers that tell parents about food allergies. Then when it’s all over, we’ll make some popcorn, eat a bunch of your favorite candy, and watch your favorite movie together.”

Not only would this be fun and safe, it would build lasting family memories.

FAACT Crossword Puzzles & Word Searches

You won't want to miss FAACT's Halloween-themed educational crossword puzzles and word searches. These are fun puzzles to do at home or share with your classmates and friends.

Download 10 FAACTS About Food Allergies to answer questions contained in the crossword puzzles and word searches.

10 FAACTS About Food Allergies

Download our fun crossword puzzles and word searches:

Holidays

FAACT Valentine's Day Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

Preparing for Holidays with Food Allergies

Wishing you safe and Happy Holidays all year through!

Safe and Alternative Halloween Family Activities

Easter

Passover

FAACT's Halloween Resources

Hanukkah

FAACT's Holiday Podcasts

Thanksgiving

Kwanzaa

How Is Kwanzaa Celebrated?

Christmas

How is Christmas celebrated?

Passover Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

Easter Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

FAACT's Teal Ghost Kit

FAACT Thanksgiving Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

FAACT Hanukkah Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

FAACT Kwanzaa Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

FAACT Christmas Crossword Puzzles and Word Searches

FAACT's Halloween Safety Tips

Shine TEAL In Your Neighborhood

Alternative Halloween Traditions

FAACT Crossword Puzzles & Word Searches

FAACT Blogs

FAACT Pinterest Boards