A reporter stopped me the day before Halloween to ask how I moderated my children’s Halloween Candy. I blundered through the interview with an incomplete answer. The interview ended. My first thought was, ‘why didn’t I tell him about the way we sort candy in our home?’
We freeze some, toss some, eat some, bake some and yes let our kids eat some too.
First, pick out the chocolate bars to use for baking later in the year. Kitchen Sink Butter-crunch Bars are fabulous and an easy recipe to adapt to what you have on hand. Freeze the chocolate bars for later. There are too many sweets in the house to bake just yet.
Chocolate bars with crunch or nuts are best.
Take a moment to separate the M&M packets too. Open them up and pour them into a zip lock and freeze for cookies in the new year.
M&M Oatmeal Cookies
Next pick out the bright-colored candies to use for gingerbread houses or other Christmas treats.
Nerds make pretty “Christmas Lights” on a gingerbread house.
Now it’s time to toss. There are some candies I don’t want my kids eating. Some are a choking hazard others have too many artificial ingredients. Just toss them out. Seriously. Where’s the harm?
Toss these out!
Pick out the packets of pretzels, raisins or other healthier snacks. Tuck these into the pantry. Pull them out for road trips, park days, neighborhood walks etc.
Handy snacks ready to go.
I have no shame in admitting I pull out my favorite treats from the girl’s Halloween candy buckets. I made the costumes and went trick or treating too. Why not share the spoils?
Mommy Treats
Please don’t think I’m an evil nut. We cleared several gallon-sized zip-lock bags of candy away and still have more candy on hand than we should. The balance of the Halloween candy is for the kids to enjoy at our discretion.
Still plenty of candy to over indulge with.
The reporter asked me if the kids were aware of my tricks to remove Halloween candy from their buckets. Thanks to the interview, they do now. Here is the amazing part: They think it’s great. 4-year-old Sophie asked if she could help me sort the candy.
This photo is not staged. Sophie showed up ready to work.
I believe, if you teach your kids good eating habits and ways to be resourceful in the kitchen there is no real harm in letting them enjoy a few extra pieces of Halloween Candy.
Oh my! Those candies make me wish I were a kid
Jennifer Kimberley recently posted…My Diet Tribe
Just dive in… not need to be a kid to enjoy a treat every now and again. Trust me I do!
I love these ideas! My favorite one is for the Gingerbread houses! We always make those for Christmas but I end up buying extra candy, I won’t be buying any this year I will just use the candy we have.
Melinda Dunne recently posted…Pinypon Snow Collection Toy Review and Giveaway 11/25
Thanks Melinda! I used spend a bunch on candy for those houses too. Not anymore… just use what you have. It stretches are imagination a little too which is always a great bonus.
I love giving out candy for Halloween. I don’t have any kids, so I don’t have to worry about sorting it or what not. Only eating it 😀
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Those are great ideas! I do something similar. I divide the snacks into candy , chocolate and chips. I sort out all the stuff my kids don’t like. Then I take 2/3 of the candy and send it to my husbands work. My kids don’t care. Halloween isn’t about the candy but the fun! Since Halloween they have asked twice for a piece of Candy.
Jen recently posted…Take Time to Remember This Remembrance Day
Jen you are so right! The kids love the getting… the eating they get over pretty quick.
I have never heard of this idea, but I’m totally pinning a photo so I can remember this next year. I am doing one thing though, giving all 3 full gallon zip lock bags to my Home School group for us all to use on ginger bread houses in a few weeks. So at least its out of my house and not around for my kids or myself. hehe
I never thought of organizing our candy to use later! Thank you for sharing this, I will have to try this out next year!
Amberlee Cave recently posted…Manicure Monday Polished Jet Black Nails
Good Luck Amberlee… I hope this works out for you too.
Luckily mine only likes one kind of candy so far. But I do understand how important healthy eating habits are and this is definitely a great way to sort out Halloween!
You are so lucky Lexie… my kids love it all!
Halloween Candy is so delicious but definitely needs to be limited so that kids (and us, adults) remain healthy!
Lauren Harmon recently posted…Skillshare School of Fashion and Style: a dream come true
Lauren we just seem to attract candy like it is going out of style… ha! It’s hard not to dive in. Re-purposing it though, takes away some of the guilt.
Those are great ideas. We always donate ours to the troops, we take them to the drop off location and the get shipped overseas. We enjoy plenty of candy in our home so donating this one day is a great way to teach my little ones to share with others.
Jennifer Williams recently posted…Why Not Give Back with Gifts From Kenya
Jennifer that is a much better idea than my list. Great lesson for the kids too. Thanks for sharing:)
That’s a great idea! I love it. Brilliant to use the candies for gingerbread houses as well.
Rita Von recently posted…Blogember: November 11 – 3 albums you would take in a deserted island
Thanks Rita!
Our youngest gave us about 90% of his candy. He only like gum and a few hard candies.
Wow Maria did you hit the mommy jack-pot! Congratulations on that score.:)
We “organize” our Halloween candy and treats too! However, most of it ends up in my daughter’s birthday pinata!
Bridget A recently posted…Veterans Day: A Letter of Thanks to a Veteran – Dear Grandpa!
Bridget that is a great idea too! I have used the candy on birthday cakes and I admit it… in treat bags:)
You did a wonderful deed with your chocolate because here in our cave we ate all of them. My kids were quick at finishing and hiding some of their candies before I got a hold of it and throw it away. we threw all the chocolates and candies inside our mouth hehehe
Sheila recently posted…Google™ Nexus 7 Tablet 16GB for Back-to-School Tablet {review}
Sheila your funny… I bet the chocolate was great though!
This is an awesome idea for Halloween Candy.. this would be good for Easter too.. We didn’t get much candy this year, so they ate what little there was.. but I’m taking these ideas for the other candy Holidays
Natalie Summers recently posted…Boring Weekend FTW
Natalie I agree… also good for parades. We seems to attract candy at every turn. It’s no wonder we need to sort it all out.
We don’t do halloween but we sure love candy around here!
katherine bartlett recently posted…My Doll House App is Fun for Girls
Candy is just dangerous lol.
Debi recently posted…Handling Asthma with Poise and Confidence
Debi– it is… but oh so good.
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