Using up that leftover Halloween stash

Halloween was fun and kids love their candy. But now that it’s been a week, the sugar high (and subsequent crash) is getting old and you’re wondering what the heck to do with the leftovers that you don’t want your kids scarfing down.

For us, it’s not only a health issue, we’re also really tired of the constant begging and bargaining.

It feels wasteful to throw it out, so here are some ideas on how you can deal with the leftovers.

1. Put it away for next year. Hard candy won’t go bad before next Halloween, so save it for trick-or-treaters ringing your bell. (Chocolate is not a good idea.)
2. If you have a birthday party coming up (or know someone who does), you can use your candy for a pinata.
3. Take it to the office!
4. Use leftover candy bars in the delicious recipe my friend Heather posted on Chocolate Bytes.
5. Donate it to a local hospital. While doctors and nurses aren’t going to condone binging on candy, patients might appreciate a special treat.
6. Donate it to a shelter or food bank.
7. Put it away. Pack it up in a container and stash it somewhere out of sight of the kids. Dole out a few random pieces here and there over the next couple of months. They’ll still get treats but if it isn’t in the open they won’t know to keep asking for it.

What are your favorite ways to use up the candy?

(I confess we take care of a lot of it by raiding it ourselves at night. Ahem!)

Image: Flickr