Halloween Candy Is Not Just For Trick or Treaters...

            Halloween Candy Is Not Just For Trick or Treaters

The first day of October means it is officially time to start preparations for Halloween. When I think of Halloween, I think of dressing up as a fun character or animal, spending time with family, and eating lots of Halloween candy. When the holiday comes around, stores start stocking up and there are aisles upon aisles filled with every type of candy you can think of for the last night of October when the kids can go from house to house and trick or treat. I always find myself purchasing multiple bags of candy to give out, while the kids always end up coming home with their own stash of candy.  After a long night of doorbell ringing and candy counting, they always come home with way more candy then they need, so I usually allow them to pick a certain amount for themselves, and then I find other uses for the rest of the candy. Here are just a few ideas for what to do with your extra Halloween candy.

1. Bake With The Candy
If you are like me and love to bake, this extra assortment of candy gives you a chance to try some new recipes with the different candy your kids have brought home. If you are creative, you can go beyond the regular chocolate desserts or candy corn topped cupcakes. Using this candy also helps save you from a trip to the grocery store or for having to spend more money next time you want o whip up a delicious holiday dessert.

2.  Use Them As Decorations
Halloween candy these days comes wrapped in fall themed packages so that companies can sell more and say that they are different than the rest of the year. This is a good opportunity for you to use the candy, and the wrappers, to help decorate your home and make it look more festive. One of my favorite ways to do this is to sprinkle pieces of wrapped candy on my formal dining table with the rest of my fall decorations. This is a fun way to add a little touch to your fall table. You can even leave them there for Thanksgiving or when you host a get together so your guests can have an extra treat for after dinner. You can also use Halloween candy in candle holders. If you buy a clear candle holder, you can fill them with different candies, my favorite to use are candy corn, and then place your candle in. The candy will act as a support to hold the candle up and will give them a nice fall look.

3. Use The Candy As A Reward For When Your Kids Are Doing Chores
Here is a little trick to help keep your house extra clean. Even though your kids will receive their own Halloween candy, there is a good chance they will eat it all within a week or maybe two once you have allowed them only a certain amount to keep. After that, you can use the candy as a reward for when they get their chores done. Each chore can have a certain amount of candy that they can receive and it will be a fun way for them to help keep the house clean while also allowing them to have some of their candy back in smaller portions.

4. Give Some To Those Who Did Not Get Any
Once the top 3 tips have been finished and you find that you still have Halloween candy left over, you can find a place to donate your candy or just find someone to give it to who may not receive treats like this. I always love to find ways to give back and with the loads of candy that the kids always end up with, I love to give some of it away knowing whoever is receiving it appreciates it. I love having the kids go with me or having them pick out the candy to give away so that they get to play a part in giving back as well and they can see that Halloween isn’t just about candy and costumes.

While Halloween candy is fun to give away to all of the costume dressed children, you can use it for more than just that. Even if you do not have kids that are bringing home loads of candy, you may find that you have leftovers from handing candy out, which I always do, so you can try these tricks as well. You can even sneak a few pieces here and there for yourself.
​☺ Happy Halloween!