Oh my god! What am I going to do with all of this candy?! I feel your pain. Usually, I don’t like eating the regular stuff, especially, if it isn’t chocolate. My daughter likes to grab the lollipops and other hard candy like that. Gross. So, I’ve compiled a short list of ways to get rid of the candy, as in, get it out of the house instead of scarfing it all down.
This list does little good, though, if you can’t get the candy away from your kids. Say “Hello” to the Switch Witch. I’ve mentioned this a couple of times in past posts. The Switch Witch works just like The Elf on the Shelf, except, you “give” candy to it on Halloween night in exchange for a small toy or book, (it’s much better than the Jimmy Kimmel trick).
If your kids don’t like the witch, there are a couple of others, such as The Sugar Goblin, (which is difficult to find), The Ghoul On A Stool, Harvest Jack, and The Skeleton In The Closet. So, without further ado…
Donate It
Believe it or not, someone, actually, wants your leftovers. There are a number of organizations that will send your donated candy to the troops over seas, or wherever. This is also a good option if your kids are a little too old for the Switch Witch and company. The soldiers, probably, need it more than them. Here’s a short list of places: Operation Gratitude; Soldier’s Angels; Operation Stars and Stripes.
Sell It
There is a coalition of dentists who will buy leftover candy from you. They, also, send the goodies to the troops. The rates vary, but it’s somewhere around $1 per 5 pounds. This is yet another option to get the candy away from your sugar-seeking monsters. Check here.
Wear It
Simply put, you can make things, like jewelry, out of it, and, no, I’m not talking about the chalky candy necklaces and bracelets. Depending on the candy or the recipe, you can put the pieces in resin and preserve them forever. How about some peppermint earrings?
Add It In
I know, technically, this isn’t really getting rid of it, per se. The reasoning here, though, is that some of you will add sugar to your coffee or use one of those chocolate-covered spoons. So, in place of doing that, drop in a 3 Musketeers or Hershey’s Special Dark. You could, also, add a few bits of candy to your trail mix. They already sell trail mix with candy in it at the store. You’re just cutting out the middle man.
Booze It
My favorite drink, if done correctly, is a Chocolate Martini. This would be the perfect opportunity to use up the leftover stuff. Just drop a bar of Hershey’s Special Dark and some vodka into a mason jar, add milk or cream, and serve. You can, also, do this with Candy Corn, minus the cream. It makes a great-looking Halloween drink. I’m sure there are other candies and liquors you could try this with. Experiment and let me know what you come up with.
Bake With It
There are tons of Halloween candy dessert and snack recipes all over Pinterest: far too many to name. One of my favorites is the Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, which I make myself. Aside from those, you could, also, use the candy to decorate a gingerbread house. Another option is a homemade advent calendar. Christmas is coming. Can you last that long?
Whack It
Are your kids at the birthday party age? Boom. Now, you have some filler. Just toss the leftovers into a pinata, or something like. Your work is half done. This is especially useful if you’re the type who likes to make his/her own pinatas.
Toss It?
I included this in the list because, technically, it is a way to get rid of it. If you’re going to do that, though, why not just donate it? At least then, someone else will get to enjoy it. The candy companies are only going to make more. So, send it to the troops.
That’s all for now. I hope you found the list helpful. Up until now, I, myself, have always wondered what else I could do with any kind of leftover candy, not just Halloween. I’d rather give it away then just toss it in the trash can, and having it hang around until next Halloween, (yeah, right), is way too scary.
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