Five Ideas for Excess Halloween Candy
Halloween is a fun holiday for kids and adults alike. We get to dress up in costumes, go trick-or-treating, and eat lots of candy.
If you find yourself with more candy than you can eat, don't worry! There are plenty of things you can do with it. Here are five ideas:
Call the Switch Witch
The Switch Witch is a newer Halloween tradition that involves kids trading in candy for gifts.
To call the Switch Witch, have your child place the candy they don't want into a bag and leave it in a specific spot that night. When the child is sleeping, trade out the bag of candy for something they'd like to have instead.
It's important to make it something your kids WANT to do. If there is a huge haul of candy, select several pieces to enjoy and trade the rest with the Switch Witch.
Donate to Charities
If there’s way too much candy, there are several charities that are open to donations – but please reach out and contact them first.
Treats for Troops (www.soldiersangels.org) partners with local businesses and organizations to collect excess Halloween candy. In most cases, the partner collection sites accept excess Halloween candy from kids in exchange for goodies.
Numerous chapters of Ronald McDonald House Charities (www.rmhc.org) accept unopened Halloween candy to be shared with children and families who are staying with them. These kids did not have an opportunity to trick or treat in their neighborhood. It’s a terrific way to include severely sick children and their families in Halloween.
The Trussell Trust (www.trusselltrust.org) runs food banks in the UK and says sweets and chocolate are often included in food packs and are a nice treat for children.
Use for Baking
There are many recipes that incorporate leftover Halloween candy, from cookie bars to pretzel bark. You can also add candy to brownie or fudge recipes. Chocolate candies are more versatile than sour/fruity candies in baking, but don't count them out just yet!
Gingerbread House
Here’s where your colorful candies shine! Use for roof shingles, Christmas lights, brickwork, and decorations. Licorice makes a great outlining tool for windows, doors, and pathways, while tiny candies work as gravel. Create trees and bushes with taffy and gumdrops, or reindeer and bears with some snack-sized candy bars.
Good for Six Months
Most Halloween candy is good for six months, so it's not a bad idea to store it away – it doesn’t all have to be eaten by November 2. Candy that isn’t in holiday wrapping can be repurposed for Christmas Stockings or Valentine’s Day treats.
Store the candy in a cool, dry place and keep the candy away from direct sunlight and heat. If you're storing candy for an extended period of time, consider storing it in the freezer.