So Halloween (or Easter, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, etc) has passed and parents everywhere are looking for ways to use the pounds of candy the kids receive. Little ones shouldn’t eat all the sugar, fat and calories, and those things don’t belong on the hips and thighs of their parents either.
So what to do? Here are five quick and easy ways to make use of all the leftover candy without it adding to your weight or giving your kids the sugar rush of their lives.
1. Freeze it. Take all the miniature candy bars that the family loves and freeze them in a couple freezer bags. Pull them out one at a time to thaw overnight or pull out a whole bag for a last-minute party, potluck, or playdate.
2. Reuse it. Chopping up chocolate candy bars is great to add to cake mix, cookie, or brownie batter. They can add dimension to the dessert and an extra little punch to traditional boxed mixes. Throw them on top of ice cream sundaes, blend into milkshakes, or toss with popcorn for a salty-sweet taste. And be sure to share these dolled up treats with friends and neighbors. Sharing the calories is good for everyone concerned!
Need some recipes? Author, recipe developer, and Food Network winner, Camilla Saulsbury, has a few good examples. Her Mother Lode Chocolate Toffee Bars are sure to be winners in any circle.
3. Sell it. No really. Businesses around the country, mainly dentist offices, are offering candy buy back programs. Kids get to have the fun of trick-or-treating but they don’t have to actually eat all the candy they get. Instead, they can receive cold, hard cash in exchange for their candy so they can buy something they really want.
Atlanta’s Pediatric Dentistry at Vinings is one of the many dentistry offices nationwide participating in the Halloween candy buy back program. According to their website, this office, run by Dr. Faith Bates, is giving kids $1 for every pound of unopened Halloween candy they turn in. The candy will then be used to send to troops serving overseas via Operation Gratitude http://www.operationgratitude.com/
4. Craft with it. Tootsie rolls can make cute wreaths when glued on construction paper. Peppermints and other hard candy can spruce up the outside of a plain holiday gift box. Lollipops make a great addition to a cute coffee mug. Let the creative juices flow.
5. Share it. Do you or your husband work in an office setting? Take the whole big bag of candy in, put it in a big bowl, and see if it lasts until Thanksgiving. You can also ship some off to single friends who haven’t yet experienced the joy that is the holidays with children.
Sources:
PediatricDenistryatVinings.com. Web. 31 October 2011. "Halloween Buy Back". http://www.pediatricdentistryatvinings.com/Halloween_Buy_Back.pdf
Examiner.com. Web. Publish date: 1 November, 2010. "Easy delicious recipes for leftover Halloween candy".
http://www.examiner.com/stay-at-home-moms-in-atlanta/easy-delicious-recipes-for-leftover-halloween-candy-1
Edited by Jody Smith