What To Do With All That Leftover Candy?

On November 1st, the day after Halloween, parents have to decide how their household will handle all that candy.  Halloween is a good opportunity to teach kids that having candy occasionally and consuming it mindfully is okay – they won’t suddenly develop diabetes or gain a million pounds. Banning candy altogether makes candy seem more appealing to kids. Rewarding kids with candy glorifies it. Finding the right balance seems to make sense, and yet, there is still so much candy!  Is anyone wondering what to do with all that candy?

Here are some suggestions:

1. Donate the candy to local homeless shelters or foster homes in your area. To find local homeless shelters in your area click here and to find local foster homes click here.

2. Halloween can be sent to our troops abroad through Operation Gratitude. They ask that you send by mid-November, and to please not send any chocolate. Please include the total weight of candy you are sending, and include a “donation form.”   Candy can be sent to:                       

Operation Gratitude/21100 Lassen Street/Chatsworth, CA 91311

Attn: Angel Cuevas/Receiving (818)469-0448

3. Check out the Halloween Candy BuyBack Program. You can enter your zip code and find local dental offices that will buy back your child’s candy. Usually it’s $1/1 lb of candy.

4. Parents can do their own buyback program. For every 1lb of candy, kids can receive money, a book, or a toy.

5. Try donating candy to local charities such as Ronald McDonald House, nursing homes, food pantries, and children’s hospitals.

6.  Use it for next year….does candy really expire!?