Wondering what to do with all that leftover candy? Here’s 10 great ideas that will help you put that candy to good use!
1. Unwrap and store for baking. From Hershey bars to miniature snickers,it’s easy to dress up those holiday brownies and cookies with a few extra touches. Consider cutting up the pieces and freezing them for an instant topping for ice cream sundaes, cookies, and other baked treats in the oncoming weeks.
2. Make a giant gingerbread house. A gingerbread house studded with Halloween Candy will make a great centerpiece for any pre-Thanksgiving celebrations, or just a gift for the neighbors.
3. Melt it. There’s nothing like homemade chocolate ganache to top off acake or simply finish up your ice cream sundae with. Just zap chocolate candy in the microwave for a decadent treat.
4. Remold it. If you’re stuck with bags of hard candy, consider crushingthe sugar and sweets and remolding it into your own homemade candy canes, lollipops, and other hard candy.
5. Use Bribery. If you are swift enough to grab your kids’ candy while they sleep, it can be doled out for MONTHS as bribes. Need the leaves raked? Two Hershey’s kisses per bag (not adjusted for inflation, that’s what I used to get paid). OR, just slowly dole out a piece a day in kids’ lunches. My parents used to throw it in our Christmas stockings, too along with nuts and persimmons.
6. Donate it. Nursing homes, doctor’s offices, women’s shelters – everyone loves candy, and spreading the sweetness can be a great way to avoid gorging on it all yourself. Check out more places to donate here!
7. Send it to overseas troops. Not so much for chocolate (which doesn’t travel well), but other candy is appreciated as part of a care package for the troops. For more info: Operation Shoe Box or Operations Gratitude
8. Take it to the office. Office candy jars can enjoy a refill!
9. Find an exciting leftover candy recipe at Delish.com! Yummy!
10. Trade It! Lots of people seem to like the idea of just convincing their kids to trade the candy in for a toy or book to (some call it the Candy Fairy or the Switch Witch!)
Credit: Associated Content, Wise Bread, and Coolmompicks
