What to Do With That Leftover Candy

Halloween is over but you still have bowls of candy lying around that you’ve been hiding from the kids or yourself. Good luck with that.

What do you do with your leftover candy?

Sure, I could use that Halloween candy to make more sweet treats, but I’ve got other ideas this year:

  1) Candy Poker or Blackjack: If your kids are of pretend gambling age (shall we say 6 and up?), if they want more candy, they’re gonna have to win it back from you—spouses included. Establish how much each candy is worth (see, kids get to learn how to add quickly and strategize, too), and then teach them how the game is played.

2) Candy slingshot game: There are actually a surprising number of candy slingshots you can purchase, but a slingshot with character, like our dear friend “Coyote” (purchased in Death Valley), is best. What you need: Candy, slingshot, tape and worthy opponent(s) Here’s how the game works:

• Gather your hard and soft candy — because it’s fun to have them fall apart even if they do — but save the wrappers, you’ll need them!
• Then take the wrappers, space them out and tape them on a wall; they are what you’ll be aiming for.
• Assign certain points for each type of wrapper, and that will determine how many points you can earn; bonus points if you hit candy with matching wrapper!

 

 

3) Candy experiments: Writer Loralee Leavitt has a fun book and website that shares all the interesting things you can learn from experimenting with candy, from what color Skittles dissolves fastest to discovering how many color dyes are used in a brown M&M. You may think twice about the candy you eat after a few of these. Science is cool.

4) DIY Egg Shaker: Check out our super easy DIY Egg Shaker, but instead of using rice, lentils or quinoa, try Nerds or crush up some hard candy. You may want to glue those eggs up tights so you’re not tempted later.  

5) Candy Bribery: It’s a no-brainer to bribe kids with candy, but Valentine’s Day is all about how sweets can win someone’s affections, right? So leave the kids out of this, and go after those adults you’re trying to win over. My cousin Duane showed me how far a box of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts can go to getting him special treatment when was in the hospital. He had a whole stash of boxes with him that won him friends in his wing, from neighboring patients to the nurses. BTW, I wouldn’t mind if any of you felt like sending some peanut butter cups my way in the form of these bars.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars by Bakerella

 

If you’re hungry for more, see our favorite desserts on our Sweetest Thing board on Pinterest! And check out other tips below that are mostly calorie free.

What to Do With Those Leftover Pumpkins

What to Do With All Those Stuffed Animals

How To Get Rid of Telemarketers