Halloween: Trick or Treat or Plumpy'nut

There is something a little extra that could be added to this year's Halloween festivities. In addition to treats, why not have plumpy'nut added to each bag of candy?

What is plumpy'nut? Essentially it is a precious treat for children in developing countries because it can save their lives. The plumpy'nut family of ready-to-eat foods is a peanut paste used to treat dangerous levels of malnutrition in children ages 0-5.

Without proper nutrients in these early years, severe physical and mental damage can take hold.  Plumpy'nut can nourish these small children and change their lives forever.  Right now small infant children in Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan and other countries are in desperate need of this food. There is extremely low funding for child feeding programs globally.

This is where Halloween 2010 comes in. If trick or treaters across America asked for some plumpy'nut with every doorbell ring, this food could be donated and save millions of lives around the world.  

Add plumpy'nut for children in developing countries to this year's Halloween celebration (photo courtesy usa.gov)

Since plumpy'nut is not something sold in stores, this particular treat would have to be in the form of a dollar. If you donated that dollar to the non-profit organization Edesia, which produces the life-saving food, it could then be channeled right into the production of plumpy'nut for starving children. Or you could contact the World Food Programme, Action Against Hunger or UNICEF who place the plumpy'nut orders with Edesia and other producers.

This plumpy'nut aspect of Halloween is something parents could set up in their neighborhoods. UNICEF has been running trick or treat campaigns since after World War II. You could also set up a plumpy'nut Halloween as part of their program.

So let this year's Halloween have the classic themes of candy, full moon, Dracula, the Wolfman and others....but let's welcome a new addition.....plumpy'nut. Treats for all. A Halloween for the ages.

Learn more about plumpy'nut from Rhode Island based Edesia.

Article Author: William Lambers

William Lambers is the author of Ending World Hunger. This book features over 50 interviews with officials from the UN World Food Programme and other charities discussing school feeding programs that fight child hunger. …

Visit William Lambers's author page — William Lambers's Blog