Is your house filled to the brim with your kids candy haul? Not to mention all the leftovers from what you didn’t hand out. Here’s a bunch of fun and useful ways to use Halloween candy without letting it go to waste – or eating it all at once!
FREEZE IT
It’s there when I need it but it’s not in my face all day begging me to eat it. You can eat it as-is when a sweet tooth strikes or you can use it to add to milkshakes, sundaes, ice cream or even cookie dough.
TRAIL MIX
I can’t promise that your kids won’t just pick out the candy from the trail mix but at least there’s a chance they’ll also eat the other stuff too.
BAKE WITH IT
Here is a recipe to make frozen cookie dough: https://capitaldistrictmoms.com/mom-hack-make-frozen-cookie-dough-from-your-halloween-candy/
MAKE S’MORES
ICE CREAM BAR
Make a weekly ice cream bar. Why does Friday have to be all about pizza? Make Fridays the new Ice Cream Bar Night and use candy as the different toppings.
CREATE A SECRET STASH
Stash *some* candy in your desk drawer or car console for sugar emergencies (for you and the kids!)
USE FOR PRESENTS
Save the bows this year and use candy to add some flair to your gifts. Fill cellophane bags with some candies and use them to decorate presents or pair with a wine bottle as a gift.
DIY THANKSGIVING COUNTDOWN CALENDAR
This is a great activity to do with your kids!
How to:
- Get a poster board or canvas and have your kids decorate it for Thanskgiving. They can all write what they’re thankful for on it.
- ape or glue 26 dixie cups to the poster board. You can also use push pins or toothpicks.
- Write numbers 1 through 26 on each of the Dixie cups (or you can choose to use sticker numbers. You can also put Thanksgiving Day on the 26th cup)
- Parse out candy into each cup so they can each have one piece of candy leading up to Thanksgiving.
- You can use bigger cups or cover the cups so that the candy is a surprise each day.
- Be creative! You can decorate the cups with things that remind you of Thanksgiving. You can make them into turkeys, or pilgrims, or Turkey pilgrims!
THANKSGIVING PIÑATA
Why not use this year to start a new tradition of having a piñata at Thanksgiving?
MAKE A GINGER BREAD HOUSE
Although I doubt anyone is handing out candy canes and gumdrops this Halloween, I’m sure you can use those chocolates for walkways and the m&m’s for the roof.
LOCAL EVENTS
– Albany Braces Candy-Buy-Back **Patients Only
– Operation Gratitude Halloween Candy Give-Back
**November 2nd through November 9th at Carhartt located at Crossgates Mall (see flyer below)
– Candy Buyback at Colonie Center – Saturday, November 4, 2023 from Noon-2pm – Click here for details.
