Things to Do with Extra Halloween Candy

Inevitably after the excitement of trick or treating dies down and kids sort through their candy, there is extra candy leftover. Often we toss the extra candy they don't like into a bowl and it either ends up sitting on the table or our thighs for an eternity. Fortunately, there are things we can do with that extra candy other than eat it or waste it.

The best thing to do with your leftover Halloween candy is to donate it. Contact local Ronald McDonald Houses and pediatric hospitals prior to Halloween to see which facilities accept donations. Children in these facilities and often siblings staying Ronald McDonald House don't get the opportunity go trick or treating on Halloween. Encouraging your children to donate the candy they don't like rather then taking it to school and trading it is a valuable lesson in charity. Take the leftover Halloween candy to the accepting facilities the next day if possible. Often, places will accept the donations, but only for a certain time frame. You can also donate your leftover Halloween candy to assisted living facilities and nursing homes. Again, you should always contact the facility ahead of time to ensure donations are welcome.

If you can't find a place to donate your Halloween candy locally you still have options. You can give it away to people you know. Give some to the mailman or your child's bus driver or teacher. Separate the leftover Halloween candy into little bundles and then put it small sandwich bags. Sometimes churches and places of worship will take extra Halloween candy for their children's classes. So, that is always an option for you to consider. You can also have you or your spouse take the extra Halloween candy in to work for others to enjoy. There are plenty of people who would be happy to get a thoughtful little treat.

If push comes to shove and you can't find a place to give your leftover Halloween candy, you still have options. First, sort out what you can use for baking. Things like M & M's, Hershey's Kisses and candy bars that can be cut up are perfect for baking cookies. You can freeze the Halloween candy that you can use for baking until the holiday season approaches and defrost it then for baking. After that is sorted whatever is leftover should only be kept for a few weeks and then tossed.