Maybe you’ve got a glut of leftover Halloween candy you feel really guilty throwing away (even though you know it’s evil, evil sugar with zero nutritional value.) Or maybe you see all the huge bags of candy marked down in the store and you hate to not take advantage of a good deal. Here’s seven quick ideas for using up every last piece (except for Dots and Good and Plenty which should both go right in the trash.) Click the pics to learn the details.
1. My kids set aside a piece or two of candy for each day in November and eat them after saying prayers for departed friends and family members. We keep a list of names on the fridge and every morning, usually right after waking up, the kids check the list, say their prayers and then enjoy some candy. It makes the Halloween haul last longer and no one ever forgets to say their prayers.
2. Throw it in a crock pot or double boiler and make fondue. Start with a cheese course and finish up with marshmallows, strawberries, and cake dipped in a vat of melted fun size Milky Ways.
3. Bake them into cookies or brownies.
4. Toss them into your ice cream maker. Most manuals explain when to add things like nuts or chocolate chips; just smash the candy up into small pieces. Or set up a sundae bar for a special occasion and allow everyone to top their ice cream with their favorite sweet.
5. Remember, you don’t need to make all of this now. Candy freezes really well. So long as you have willpower, you can pack candy in the freezer and then bring it out to make M&M cookies at Christmas or serve fondue at a New Year’s Eve party. Otherwise…
6. Infuse spirits for great Christmas presents (I’ll take some!!) and upcoming cocktail parties.
7. There’s lots of beautiful (a.k.a. long) Masses coming up as we enter into the new liturgical year. Keep some Halloween candy on hand to bribe little ones through Father’s rambling homily (“If you stop slamming the kneeler, Mommy will give you a Tootsie pop!”) or to threaten the older ones who seem to always drag their heels (“If you don’t hustle it out to the van right now, this bag of Snickers is going in the woodstove!!”)
“I’M USING MY NICE VOICE KIDS!!!”
Do you have any candy left? Or do you also have ravenous teenagers who are no longer blind to their Mama’s thieving ways and thus eat up all the good pieces ASAP???? (Weep for their loss of innocence and my loss of secret candy.) Be sure to write down all the details then link them up below! Include a link back to this post so your readers can find the rest of the Quick Takes. I look forward to reading your posts!
Two words: candy tax.
You took the kiddies door-to-door so you get a cut of the goods.
YES!!! I’m a BIG fan of the candy tax! There are all sorts of hidden taxes, too. The costume tax (after all, who did all the crazy driving around on Monday to find accoutrements for their pirate costumes?), the container tax (who paid for those pillow cases?), the footwear tax (who paid for the shoes on those feet, and all that walking creates unnecessary wear and tear), etc., etc., etc.
I love the idea of having the kids ration it out for November and eating it after praying for the souls! That’s such a great idea. We don’t have much candy left (though we didn’t have much to start with), but if we do reach the situation of having too much candy around, I’d love to donate it to the troops through one of the many programs out there. I think it’s so much better to do something proactive and good instead of just trashing Halloween candy 🙂
Kelly, you are the BEST. Oh. My. Goodness.
I love these ideas, especially the praying for souls! What cool ideas!
“Or ladle it directly in your mouth. Whatever.”
ROTHFLMAO
I love these ideas, especially the praying for souls, and the ice cream. OK ALL of them!
I love the first one. Love it!
I LOVE the gif from “Clue,” that movie is a Halloween tradition in my house and it’s hilarious!