November 2nd, 2009
Wondering what to do with all that leftover Halloween candy? All the extra sweets making your kids batty? While the obvious answer might be to simply throw it away, it seems unfortunate to discard and waste so much perfectly good candy, so here are some alternatives to ditching these sweet treats.
#1 – Donate it!
Many nursing homes, firehouses and various shelters will accept candy in the original wrappers so why not send all that sweetness where it’s truly wanted? Be sure to call ahead to ensure that your donation will be accepted.
#2 – Make a soldier’s day!
Send your non-chocolate candy in a care package to the troops overseas and make a soldier’s day. Unfortunately, chocolate tends to melt, so hard candy and other sweets tend to ship best.
#3 – Freeze it!
Some candy (especially chocolates) freeze exceptionally well and you might consider doling out small amounts of candy to your kids throughout the year, or using it as leverage to get certain chores accomplished.
#4 – Start a new tradition!
Some households have started a tradition of the “Halloween Fairy.” Children are allowed to choose a few special pieces of candy to keep, and the rest is placed outside their bedroom door before they go to sleep…the Halloween Fairy pays a visit, magically turning their leftover candy into non-sweet age-appropriate treats such as coloring books, craft items, CDs, books, etc.
#5 – Get creative!
Save hard candies or colorful candies for decorating the gingerbread house, or use chocolate candies in baking brownies or other sweet confections. Tootsie rolls baked inside of biscuits or crescent rolls offer a gooey, tasty surprise.
#6 – Fair trade!
Candy goes a long way in the workplace, so you might consider “bribing” a co-worker, or simply showing your appreciation for someone’s hard work. Remember, anyone with kids may be in the same situation as you (with too much candy) so consider sharing with co-workers who don’t have small children.
Get creative and have fun with it — remember, there’s no need to throw out perfectly good candy (or leave it lying around the house, tempting everyone in sight). Happy fall !
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