10 (+1) Things To Do With All That Leftover Halloween Candy…
Submitted by Jaime on October 20, 2011 – 5:00 am6 Comments
Ok, so apparently some people actually have this problem because I was asked to write a little something on this delicious Halloween dilemma…and when I did a little research on the topic (yep, I researched it too) I realized it’s a rather common occurrence…one of life’s sweetest mysteries. Now, I’m not sure what the problem is at our house – maybe my children neglect to collect an adequate amount of sucrose, fructose and glucose in arrays of shapes, colors and flavors – but I don’t think that’s it because we seem to have loot-a-plenty. Maybe a leaky Halloween bucket or Bermuda Triangle looming near the candy dish, but we have a way of making our stash disappear quickly.
A little treat for the lunch box, an after school snack, maybe a quiet bedtime nibble…I share some with the rest of the family too! I keep a shameless “secret” chocolate stash in the top shelf of the freezer too. Not that anyone is unaware of my frozen delights but the “out of sight, out of mind” technique seems to work with frozen chocolate. I guess rock solid goodness isn’t quite as appealing to the rest of the family either…crazy.
CANDY…just ONE reason I love HaLLoWeeN!
So, sweet tooth aside – if it were that we had extra confections just hanging around on into Thanksgiving, Christmas or the new year (crazy talk,) I brainstormed what I might do with it all.
Resisting temptation to insert my mailing address here…
10. Candy Tribuloumines – my favorite candy science experiment. It’s the science behind the wintergreen mint spark in the dark. The illumination is caused by the same principles that make lightning streak through a dark sky. Turn off the lights, find a mirror and crunch away.
9. Decorate With It – ok, so I know you might be thinking this finally confirms it: I really am a Not-So-Professional Home Decorator…but read on!
Candy is absolutely gorgeous with variations in color, shape and size. It offers fantastic visual appeal when displayed in a glass container and with sentiments reminiscent of youthful years, a large bowl can bring even the most refined palates to a grin as memories of Kool-Aid smiles and stained-blue tongues stir in distant, Candy-Coated Memories.
I love to keep a small bowl of festive candies on the fireplace mantle. It adds a bit of holiday cheer to our home and an attractive wonder for each child who comes through our door. So attractive, in fact, that I’ve had to put it away at times when the level was shrinking more rapidly than my “just a couple” rule would allow.
Search for that perfect glass jar, vase or bowl (think repurposing) and fill it to the brim because it’s not going to stay that way! Try three different sized glass containers and separate the candy into color families for unique decor. Add a bow for a lovely gift – share it with your child’s teacher at school – the entire class will thank you!
8. Bake With It – you’ve gathered by now that I have a sweet spot for sweets. Well, I find gingerbread houses to be awe-inspiring. If only I could stumble upon a house constructed with cake and confectionary (no witch though) or dive into a river of chocolate fudge (free of suction pipes)…a dream come true. With the wit of Hansel and Gretel and the grace to escape the fate of poor Augustus Gloop, I could make it out to tell the tale. Until then, I’ll just continue to play with miniatures. Incorporate a Halloween gingerbread house into your traditions and save extra candies in the freezer for your masterpiece in December. Oh, you can add bits here and there to your cakes and cookies too!
7. Candy Wreath – this may fall into the category of decorating with your candy, but with the craftiness and giftability, I felt it deserved its own category. All candies with wrappers twisted at the ends can be added to this tasty wreath.
You’ll need:
Approximately 2lbs of candy
Embroidery thread
8 in. round wire wreath (available at craft stores)
Simply knot each piece of candy to the wreath using the twisted end of the wrapper until your wreath is full. Hang from a bow for a lovely, edible display.
6. Play With It – National Pajama Day 2011 is November 19th, so why not set aside some of the Halloween stash for a fun evening in with the family. Get out the board games but instead of using the usual game pieces, substitute them for small candies. It will put a sweet twist to a memorable evening, and winner will reap the rewards like never before!
5. Love Notes – share the love by attaching a little sweet to a kind note in a lunch box. Get creative and staple it, tape it or write on it to let someone know you care. It may not sound like much, but your message will be received with a bonus of a yummy treat.
4. Wear It – candies with holes in them make great candy necklaces and young children can practice fine motor skills by stringing the candy onto a piece of yarn. If you don’t have enough candy to fill a necklace, add in some Cheerios for a gorgeous piece of jewelry.
3. Sell It – until I started researching, I would have thought this sounded strange. Apparently though, there are programs out there where the candy sold is donated to charitable organizations. One such program is the Halloween Candy Buy Back operated by dentists and benefiting the military. Coupons are used to “buy” the candy with donated items available in exchange for the coupons. The candy is then passed along to military support groups such as Operation Gratitude. Everyone wins!
2. Share It – this is a favorite of mine, and no, I’m not going to give out my mailing address (as much as I’d like to.) Think offices with heavy traffic, schools, friends or neighbors. My sister – lacking the sweet tooth gene – for years, would give me a bag of her collected candies…it was very much appreciated!
There are also several non-profits that would benefit from such a donation. Shelters, food banks and halfway houses are a thought. Check out places that might be near your neighborhood, ask to see what their needs are and make suggestions to friends on where to take their leftover candy this year!
1. The Candy Fairy – selfishly love this idea, ha. Some parents (haven’t tried it yet) let children leave candies out for the Candy Fairy. She flies in at night, completely unnoticed, leaves a small gift in exchange for the candy and everyone is happy. No cavities or sugar rushes – for the kids anyway!
*Healthy Halloween Treats – this suggestion, offered to me by a friend, was so brilliant that it surpasses my #1 choice and moves to a must-do category…buy treats that you want to be left with. Sure, pick up a pack of the naughty stuff but then grab some smart options too. Think juice boxes, fruit snacks, sugarless chewing gum, granola bars, etc. Then, when you have a pantry full of this stuff, you can just pack it into your lunches without the “please pack healthy snacks” note coming home from preschool. Sometimes the most obvious solutions are the most overlooked!
photo credit: blisstree, fancyhouseroad
LOVE these creative, fun ideas!
I agree that it is ok to have candy in moderation, especially for this holiday, but so many people are unaware of proper dental care and that little bit of candy can really hurt their mouths. Chronic tooth decay is the number one childhood illness and it’s so preventable! I will be doing the same and trying to raise awareness for the America’s Toothfairy organization! http://bit.ly/rj2K08
I LOVE these ideas! I don’t have any kids but I might make a candy wreath just for fun!
We always have a stash of candy left long after Halloween – Crazy, I know! I think we all have our favorites and the rest never get eaten. The boys forget about it a couple of weeks after Halloween and stop asking.
Perhaps we’ll try one of your ideas this year, so we don’t just dump the stale candy in the trash in December.
Let me know if you need a care package in mid-November.
Love this article, Jaime. So many great ideas! I think I’m going to try the “Candy Fairy” idea this year, and keep just enough to use in some “Love notes” in lunch boxes.
Dacia, I was thinking about doing a wreath just for fun too – maybe one for the office ladies at the elementary school. Lisa, likn’ the care package mid Nov idea…but I’m pretty sure it’s the last thing we need in the house that time of year, ha!