Every week before Halloween, I write this article — what do we do with all the candy? Now, don’t get me wrong, I love candy but that is the problem. It really doesn’t matter how many houses we end up at, we always end up with way too much candy. So, this year I spent some time on the internet and came up with my top 10 list of things to do with Halloween candy.
1. DIY trail mix. Take your Smarties, M&Ms or other little candies and chocolates and add them to nuts, pretzels and dry fruit to make your own trail mix.
2. Keep some in your purse/diaper bag. You never know when you might need a pick me up or a bribe.
3. Take it to work/school. This is a quick and easy way to get the candy out of your house. It is always an easy way to give away those candies that aren’t a big hit in your house. I also find that more and more kids are receiving Goldfish crackers, granola bars etc. if your child receives these low sugar items they can be packed as school snacks.
4. Save it to bake with. Put a bag of candies away in the freezer to use when you are in the kitchen. Whether making cookies, a cake, a milkshake or an ice cream sundae, candies will give them a yummy twist. Smarties and M&M’s are awesome for this.
5. Make your own advent calendar. Homemade advent calendars can be as simple or as fancy as you would like, ranging from attaching boxes together to decorating envelopes. Have your child pick 25 of their favourite candies and put them into their advent calendar.
6. Make a gingerbread house. Save little packages of candies; Skittles and little candies are perfect for the gingerbread house activity. This is a great way to re-purpose your Halloween candy and getting your kids to decorate a ginger bread house can be a great fine motor skill activity.
7. Use it for a piñata. Maybe you have a birthday coming up, or if it is not until next year you can put your candies in the freezer. When the party comes around you can buy a premade piñata or if you are feeling crafty you can use paper mache to make your own original piñata.
8. Make a trading station. This idea turns your kids’ candy into currency. You can put together books, games, small toys, crayons and other small items and give them a candy value. This will give your kids a chance to choose what they would like to spend their candy on. It is a fun way to keep them from getting sick from eating it all.
9. Donate it to a charity such as Ronald McDonald House, a nursing home, food pantry, children’s hospital, veterans’ home, or a women’s shelter. It is a good idea to check with your local charities before dropping off any candy.
10. Use it for science. Head on over to Google and you will find experiments using Skittles, Lifesavers, Starbursts, M&Ms, and more.
Enjoy a more normal Halloween this year, even if it is on a Sunday.
Shelley Heaphy
