Don’t TRASH your Halloween candy ~ 7 creative ways to get it out of the house or repurpose it

Don’t TRASH your Halloween candy ~ 7 creative ways to get it out of the house or repurpose it

7 ways to use your Halloween candy, recipes and projects to put that Halloween candy to good useSo many parents are talking about how good it feels to get rid of the Halloween candy, making better choices and getting rid of unhealthy food, so they toss it all in the TRASH when the kids are at school. Β My thoughts on this… STOP IT!, Stop being so wasteful!!! Β Now hear me out, I am all about healthy choices, but what REALLY bothers me is the fact that we live in a throw away society. Β We take things of value and just throw them away… Go ahead and get rid of the candy, but use it as a teaching experience or do something useful with it.

Teach your kids to give ~ Give it all away, you might not want it, but that does not mean it no longer has value. Β Take it to a homeless shelter, church pantry or the food bank. See if your kids teachers want it to add the treasure box at school. Β Send it to the the Troops who project our freedom.

Save it for another party ~ Do you put candy in your kids stockings at Christmas, or do a pinata Β for birthdays? Β Put the candy in a ziploc freezer bag and store it in the freezer till you are ready to use it. Β Let’s be honest here, it is just wasteful to toss candy in the trash and then 7 weeks later buy more candy to fill your kids stocking???

Gingerbread house decor ~ Do you make a gingerbread house with your kids, or maybe buy a gingerbread kit. Have the kids pick out fun things to add to the gingerbread house, save it in a bag and pull it out in a few weeks when you are ready to decorate.

Buy Back programs ~ Lots of Dentist participate in buy back programs where they pay kids cash for their candy. We have several locally that participate, see if there are any in your area.

Use the chocolate in a recipe ~ Store the chocolate candy bars in a ziploc bag in the your freezer until you are ready to use them. If you plan to make chocolate chip cookies or brownies make your recipe as normal, but instead of chocolate chips add left over Halloween candy bars. It is best if you chop them up into smaller prices first. Here is a recipe for Candy-bar Crescent Rolls.

Make a Candy Bouquet ~ Make a candy bouquet and brighten someones day. They are easy to make and turn out really pretty, and an easy way to make someone smile.

Use it to motivate you kids ~ My kids LOVE candy and if I let them they would have eaten the whole bucket by now. But I believe it is good to teach them moderation and self control. Β On Halloween night they get a few pieces to eat, but then they have to turn it over. I am one of those “Mean Mom’s” Β I make my kids put all their candy in a bowl and I take it away. Β Each day they have the opportunity to earn two pieces once they get their homework done, eat all their dinner and get to bed on time. Β It totally motivates them, they want something and are willing to put forth the effort to earn it. Within a few weeks the candy is gone and eaten in moderation. And a good lesson on working for something has been learned.

If you don’t want your kids to have any sugar, then DON’T let them go to 100 doors trick or treating. Teach them to value their time, don’t spend 2 hours trick-or-treating only to toss everything in the trash 3 days later. Β Instead take them to a few houses, then plan something else fun to do. Maybe go to the movies, go to a special restaurant you don’t normally eat at. Have friends over and play games. Β  Β Halloween is about creating memories and having fun.

Bonus Hint – Send it to Military Troops Overseas – through Operation Gratitude

operation Gratitude

 

What traditions or tips do you have for Halloween?

The switch witch is another way you can get your kids to TRADE their candy for something else. At that point you can then use the candy for other things or give it to them only for special occasions.

Switch WitchSwitch Witch

My friend was telling me about the Switch Witch a couple of days ago. Each of her kids get to choose 10 pieces of candy Halloween night, and then they leave out the rest for the Switch Witch. The witch at night and takes the rest of candy and leaves the kids money or a special toy in return.

  • 100% polyester fibers
  • Imported
  • Too much candy from trick-or-treating?
  • Switch Witch is Here!!
  • Let the Adventure and Magic of a Switch Witch Halloween Begin!
  • On Halloween night at bedtime, kids leave a heap of their trick-or-treat sweets with their Switch Witch pal… and in the morning they will see that their candy has been switched for a special switch gift!
  • Included is your very own Original Switch Witch doll and cauldron, and a beautifully illustrated Halloween Children’s Storybook.

 

For more deals follow us on Pinterest!

***********************

Β You can take advantage of FREE Shipping withΒ PrimeΒ and get it in two days… remember you can try prime for FREE for 30 days.

TryΒ Prime for FREE!

Looking for More Online Deals? Β Click here for more Β THRIFTY DEALS.Β Please note that Amazon prices tend to change often so prices may be higher or lower without notice.

 

106 thoughts on “Don’t TRASH your Halloween candy ~ 7 creative ways to get it out of the house or repurpose it”

  1. OkokoCollins1

    HACK ATM AND BECOME RICH TODAY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH MORE JOY
    How to hack an ATM MACHINE or BANK ACCOUNT
    You can hack and break into a bank’s security ATM Machine without carrying guns or any weapon.
    How is this possible? First of all we have to learn about the manual hacking of ATM MACHINES and BANKING ACCOUNTS HOW THE ATM MACHINE WORKS. If you have been to the bank you find out that the money in the ATM MACHINE is being filled right inside the house where the machine is built with enough security.to hack this machine We have develop the special blank ATM Card which you can use in any ATM Machine around the world. this card is been programmed and can withdraw 2000 USD within 24 hours in any currency your country make use of. this is real and it have help out so many people around the world. you can give it a try and your will never regret contacting us your Xmas celebration will be the best ever with the help of this card. before contacting us for the card you must NOTE: THE COST OF THE CARD START UP FROM 150 USD depending on card you request for because each of the card have the month they will get expire. The card will make the security camera malfunction at that particular time until you are done with the transaction you can never be trace. getting the card you will forward the company your address details so we can proceed to send the card to you once you agree to the terms and conditions. you can contact us on
    email now integrityatmhacker@gmail.com
    GOOD LUCK APPLICANTS please Note once more if you cannot afford for the card please do not email the company we want serious people not people to make joke of this
    ADD HIM ON WHATSAPP +2349038420842
    Β and he will change your life with this card

  2. Debbie Jonsson

    I don’t mind my kids having candy I mean after all I did take them trick or treating but some Halloween’s we end up with way more than I thought we would because people actually passed it out decently but when it’s an overabundance I start taking it to my job that way it doesn’t expire because the Halloween candy becomes an after school snack if their behavior was good at school that day or it becomes a dessert after dinner if they earned it but its still not enough to get us through it and I hate to see food go to waste so I usually take it to my job I didn’t think about taking it to places like schools or seeing if the dentist would quote unquote buy it so Thanks for some of the awesomeness through the comments that I have seen and not all parents throw it away but then again not all that candy has due dates because we don’t have the original package up on which it came in

  3. Jackie Rouse

    I learned this with my oldest daughter. She wasn’t allowed sweets, ever, when she was little. Now she’s 11 and a chocoholic! She obsesses over treats and anything sweet. When I was a kid, I never had many restrictions on food/treats and now I could care less if I have any.

  4. Jackie Rouse

    Wait. What? People are just throwing away Halloween candy?! I’ve never heard of this nonsense lol we just let our kids have a few pieces here and there throughout the year. For dessert, for a snack, as a reward for doing something good or a chore. I even reward myself from time to time when I’m in the mood for some chocolate lol

  5. Melissa Vega

    Yep, I can do that with the candy we don’t like but we totally ate the good stuff.

  6. Laura Fifer

    After seeing this i will never give candy out again. What a waste of money.

  7. Laura Fifer

    Oh my God ur just like me. I even buy more after Halloween and its always available and they dont sit there and gorge, they just take a piece till its gone sometimes a month or more. Let them be kids and learn on there own.

  8. Laura Fifer

    Thats why i dont give candy anymore. A couple years back i noticed moms saying , i dont give them sugar. So why trick or treat ? That our money in the garbage. Why spend money on costumes. Just take the holiday of your to do list. So ungrateful and wasteful.

  9. Calley Land Auman

    You can donate candy to a cancer facility for the chemotherapy patients. Their treatments are harsh on their taste receptors and some days certain candy is what stays down.

  10. Hillari Cooper

    Several dentist in our area have a buy back program they pay $1 per pound and have the kids color things and send it all to the troops in care packages

  11. Annie Nichols

    How about lightening up and let your kids have fun? My parents let me eat as much candy as I wanted and I was still healthy and active, had 0 cavities and went to bed on time. Halloween is a time to have fun and be kids and eat candy don’t ruin it for them because you care what some bitches in a magazine think

  12. Sarah Erskine Vela

    That was my thought also. My dad, brother and husband were thankful they got packages no matter what was in there and was grateful they got things since like you said some don’t get anything at all.

  13. Kara Maloney

    My husband is also in the military. Please send it to them……. Some people don’t get care packages at all so getting junk candy is better than getting nothing at all.
    After 18 years of service my husband still enjoys variety of candy as well as healthy. Remember some of the “kids” in the military just stopped trick or treating not too long ago! U0001f609

  14. Susan House

    I couldn’t agree more! If you don’t want them to have the candy throw a party instead!

  15. Karin Hoeppner

    Why is something that is not ok for your children ok for the troops? Why do we want to send this stuff to our military and make them feel like crap? I don’t understand the logic behind this one.

  16. dianeegriffith

    For goodness sake, You Tiger moms, and helicopter dads are going way too far. I would not believe you if you told me you NEVER pigged out on Halloween candy as a kid at least once. Did it kill you, NO. I’m not saying have an all out eat as much as you want when ever you want, but get a life. You kid is a child only once. I bet you have some found memories of swappingΒ  candy with your friends, sneaking a few pieces, and going outside to eat them in secret. STOP stealing their childhood, do you really want your kids to say 20 years from now, my mom always threw my Halloween candy away, she let us have two pieces and then it was gone. Come on a piece or two in their school lunch, one after dinner for a few weeks, will it kill you ? more important will it kill them ? Whats the point in collecting it and wasting it. MODERATION

  17. Amber Barnes

    If it’s candies that are durable (no chocolate) you can give it to anyone that packs Shoeboxes for OCC. I went the day after Halloween and bought dum dums and nerds just for my boxes.
    I also know a lady who bagged up her candy and took it with her to give to the first homeless person she came across. Sure it’s not overly healthy but food is food.

  18. Melissa Griffin

    All of our schools were collecting to send overseas to our soldiers.

  19. Kat Boorady

    We took my 2 year old trick or treating for the experience. To show off her costume and gain confidence in her interaction with things that are new and strange. She got 1 bite of a candy and right away brushed her teeth. Her daddy ate the rest. If you are going trick or treating for the sole purpose of getting candy you are doing parenting wrong.

  20. Gretchen Rogers

    Or just throw caution to the wind and let your kids eat some darn candy! Lol

  21. Rebecca Beauford Rea

    Take your kids to get candy and then throw it away? Just don’t take your kids at all if you’re worried about it being unhealthy. Lol. Geez

  22. Virginia Campbell

    Call me crazy, but I don’t make a big deal over how much or when my two kids eat candy. It’s available to them whenever they want pretty much. As a result, it’s no big deal. They will have their Halloween Candy until Easter. My 5 year old will eat a bowl of raw spinach leaves while snacking on smarties. As Capt. Sparrow would say: “The problem is not the problem. The problem is your attitude about the problem”. It’s only a big deal if we make it a big deal. The key is learning moderation. In my experience, withholding sweets only causes kids to eventually rebel and gorge.

  23. Sheila Stclair Gorton

    Ok really…who throws out chocolate? ? That never gets thrown out in my house..lol..but seriously. .let your kids have a little..

  24. Kayleen Ramseyer Grew

    My daughter doesn’t like candy and only eats plain chocolate (crazy willpower πŸ™‚ ) As a result we go a handful of places to trick or treat and she is perfectly happy. Any leftover candy is used for her Gingerbread house at Christmas πŸ™‚

  25. Jennifer L Ramirez

    People have left over candy? Lol my kids dont get alot od candy during Halloween. When they do it last till Christmas.

  26. Linda Preston Preciado

    I make cookies with all the chocolate candy and bars! They love it and you can also share back with neighbors.

  27. Mary Ann Norton

    Holy crap what kind of people are you being and raising when you go into someone’s personal space while they are gone, & steal their private property?!? Exactly what kind of lesson are you teaching? When your children won’t trust you because you routinely behave untrustworthy or worse they victimize another person it will be on your head.

  28. Alma Espinosa Critchlow

    Totally agree. Is fun for kids trick or treating. If you don’t want it in your house take it to the dentist for the troops.
    They’re also great incentives to get chores done or extra work around the house.

  29. Gabriela Santiago

    I am the one that slowly pics through their candy, after Halloween they forget that have it and becomes a late night treat for me.

  30. Carolyn Ann Olsen Drenth

    Sorry if your going to just throw it away its pretty much pointless going trick or treating. I use the candy as a reward system. I also don’t let my child go nuts on it. She gets a couple pieces here and there, all in moderation folks! And momma teaches her about taxes as well…need to start them young!

  31. As a wife of a military guy he says candy is the last thing they want. They need to eat healthy too and 9 times out of 10 they are sent care packages with mostly junk anyways so the candy is just thrown out after its sent to them anyways. Send healthy stuff if you’re going to send it!

  32. Maria De Rossi Newton

    We kinda of do that… few pieces of candy on halloween night, one piece in their school lunch boxes after that. πŸ™‚

  33. Manessa Weaver

    Lucky’s, here in Columbia, exchanged produce for the candy. They then sent the candy overseas to our troops. I have always wondered if the troops eat it themselves, or if they give it to the kids they meet.

  34. Jen Evans Snow

    If parents are giving it away to be heather why would you give it to someone else….. Teach others to be healthy too!

  35. Andrea Rowland House

    If you are referring to operation Christmas child, they ask that no candy be sent in the boxes on their website.

  36. Kelly Duke Perez

    My daughters dentist buys back the candy for $1 a pound up to 5 pounds. They donate to the troops.

  37. Sarah Crawford Leber

    I use the chocolate to chop up throw it in my cookie or brownie batter. Makes great chocolate chunk cookies. I donated the cookies I made to our church bake sale.

  38. Angela Hagel Tutton

    We had a huge bag left over from passing out candy so I put a handful in separate baggies and then put them in the freezer. (In a Costo box of something else so the kids don’t notice it.) Then I can grab one or two baggies when we go to the movies.

  39. Michelle Kane McGee

    We take out the candy we love most. Then we take some to families who couldn’t go like kids are sick that night. We also mail to troop over seas.

  40. Tabitha Edmaiston

    My husband and I take our kids out and they get about 5 pieces that night after its all been checked. Then, the next day, we HAND OVER THE BUCKETS! No rationing or stashing it all away to be forgotten! It’s all eaten and gone in a day, 2 at the most! Then it’s done and we don’t have to deal with it. Teeth are brushed and clean and I don’t worry about them eating candy for a month and forgetting to brush their teeth after!

  41. Janice Smyrl

    Why do you participate in trick or treating just to throw out your kids’ candy? Let them have a treat for dessert, rewards, etc. Tell me YOU don’t have treats now and then…

  42. Angela Hodge

    I always let my kids binge on the candy while I sneak a few myself. ONE day of a candy binge when they get very little during the year is not going to make any difference in the long term. Let them enjoy the holiday for pete’s sake.

  43. I feel sorry for your daughter Kat. You sound so controlling even when it comes to the smallest things! Disgusting…

  44. Susan Falcetta

    What a waste. Bring it to a hospital. Donate it to the local fire house. Make a Christmas party piΓ±ata at school.

  45. Leah Parrett

    Send it to troops overseas!!! They love getting the candy and notes from folks back home!

  46. Linda Marino

    I used my kids’ candy to decorate the gingerbread house in December.

  47. Emily Marie Lund

    We always take 25 pieces out and make a Christmas countdown with Saran Wrap and ribbon. Starting December 1st they get 1 piece a day. The rest they can eat as they want.

  48. Kailey Owens

    Yeah! I hate the thought of throwing out the candy! People spent their hard earned money to buy it, and Halloween candy isn’t cheap! We sent a lot of our candy to my husband’s work.

  49. Shandra Mueller

    I have a friend with autistic kids and allergies. They can’t eat the candy, but she still wants them to experience trick or treating to help them socialize with other kids. This year I told her about the switch witch where the witch takes the candy and leaves them a toy instead, and told her about some dentists who trade candy for money and then donate it. There are valid reasons to take your kid trick or treating me even if they can’t have the candy. (I mean, can you imagine being the five year old who has to hear Mom answer the doorbell dozens of times but doesn’t get to go out?) Thankfully a lot of us in the neighborhood know that we’ve got kids with allergies so we did the teal pumpkin project so that we had non food treats for kids too. It was awesome and even kids who could eat the candy were opting for the little tattoos I had because they knew they had enough!

  50. Selina Ramirez

    I cannot believe they are just throwing it away we keep them in a container and the kids n me get a piece occasionally and i put a bowl out when company is over and will be using the candy for gift baggies for christmas for the kids class parties

  51. Dawn Dugan Heimburger

    Please don’t throw your candy away. Send it to kids via operatio. Shoebox

  52. Julia Gammeter

    we let them have one to two pieces after all chores are done then by thanksgiving we freeze what is left over as a summer treat, we do not buy candy for stockings stuffers, we have been buying mini bags of popcorn with single serving flavors of hot coco and apple cider to use instead of candy in the girls stockings along with hair ties, tavel size body lotions n sprays

  53. Joanna Detwiler

    Keep what you want and then take the rest to work and let other people have it.

  54. Alice Garcia

    That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! If your not going to let them have it. Why let them get it? Makes no sense. How about cutting back the length of time they are trick a treating and get less candy, genius.

  55. Austyn Brouillette

    The day after Halloween our kids get to indulge. The night after, they pick ten fave pieces and then offer the rest to the switch witch for a small toy. The candy then (after mommy and daddy indulge) gets taken to our work. πŸ™‚ no waste and everybody still gets to enjoy!!!
    Edit-Why would you throw out perfectly good candy that people spend their hard earned money on?? πŸ™

  56. Sarah Erskine Vela

    Our orthodontist buys it back from the kids and then sends it to the troops.

  57. Cindy Mross Stines

    Don’t toss it at all. If you don’t want it in your house, why in the world did you let your kids go trick or treating?!! ARE YOU JUST THAT STUPID? I’m sure there is a teacher at your school who would welcome a donation!!

  58. Cassandra Lyn Shreffler

    Our left over stuff lasts us forever, I stick the chocolate in the freezer for my occasional guilty pleasure

  59. Kat Boorady

    Me… I don’t eat candy or drink soda. Don’t like it and my daughter will be the same way

  60. Danielle McGee

    Take it to your local library they pass it out to kids who check out books to encourage kiddos to read .

  61. Tara Jenson

    Same here…my kids get a few pieces on Halloween night and then after that, they earn 1-2 pieces a day depending on what piece(s) they choose. πŸ™‚

  62. Kim Whitehead Gay

    I agree take it to work for your co-workers to enjoy. That’s what I did.

  63. Elizabeth Creamer Leon

    I agree with the masses. Why would anyone gather candy just to throw it out? Senseless!

  64. Kat Maccallum

    Don’t let them trick or treat. The parents should plan something else. What a waste and its a great lesson. Take something you don’t want and then just throw it a way. Smfh

  65. Colleen Sullivan-McKinnon

    Don’t go trick or treating at all if you’re going to throw it all away! Let kids be kids. They can have an occasional piece here and there. I’m very careful about what I give my kids, but a few m&m’s once in a while wont hurt! Like the article stated, teach your kids self control.

  66. Nedina Lewis

    What’s the point in going out and getting Halloween candy if you are just going to get rid of it??

  67. Mandy Gsell

    Can’t believe there are Mum’s who THROW it away!! Such waste in this day and age with so much poverty around .

  68. JoAnne Dietrich

    The military takes your kids’ extra Halloween candy. Don’t throw it away. What a waste!

  69. Meagan Crews McClellan

    we donated our to our sons school, they are donating it πŸ™‚

Comments are closed.