What to Do with All the Halloween Loot???

Some dentists in PA & NJ are sponsoring a drive to donate excess candy to make Christmas packages for the troops, cheer up solders who are rehabilitating in oversease hospitals and foster relationships with children who provide information to our troops in harms way in Iraq and Afghanistan. Maybe there is a collection site near you? You might want to google "2008 Candy for the Troops Campaign" and see what comes up!

1 mom found this helpful

Hi,
here's what we do... We go to the mall first (safe candy) get the loot there from the stores and the officers then we go around the block (literally, we don't cross the street). By the time we get home from the mall it's time to hand out candy which my kids (7 and 2.5 love doing).
The next day the baskets/bags have disapeared into the freezer. If they behave they get one piece (they get to pick form three pieces I think are OK) for after lunch and another for after dinner.
By putting them in the freezer they are out of sight but still perfectly good for rewards and such. I don't believe in wasting anything even remotely resemblying food.
We limit how many houses and such so it's fairly easy to monitor and by next all hallows we are done with the previous year

After it is all said and done, sorting and going through the candy with out my son present, I put it away. Not to discourage or take it from him but out of sight out of mind. Then during the day he may have a piece w/ snack, lunch and dinner. While the candy is his I can control the quantity. Leaving it in his hands would be a nightmare. And I do have to accept that it is Halloween..

Well, we've got no definitive solution but here are a few of the things that we try...

First of all, we go through all of it and throw away anything that might be unsafe (slightly opened wrapper, major choking hazard depending on age, etc.). Once that is done, we put some of the candy in a bowl that we usually put on our table. For a couple of days to 2 weeks, we may let our children have up to 3 pieces of candy per day. The rest of the candy, we put in a large non-opaque (if you can see through it it defeats the purpose) container (we usually use a cookie jar). We put the container on the top of the refrigerator near the back (out of sight, out of mind). After about 2 weeks (especially with other candy available), they usually forget it is there.

Now for getting rid of the extra candy, well, some I send in to work with my husband. He usually puts it out in a candy dish in his office and/or in the break room. This allows his coworkers some free indulgence and saves us some. Some you can use for baking (Those mini candy bars work great on top instead of candy kisses onto of kiss cookies/peanut butter blossoms/whatever you want to call them. They also make a tasty treat baked into the middle of a cake or other cookie. You can check online for recipes.)

Provided there are no peanut allergies, some we send into school as a treat for the kids say on our daughters birthday (8 days after Halloween) or for their last day before Thanksgiving or for their Christmas party if we still have it at that point.

Some other ideas are to check at one of the local assisted living centers to see if they will take candy for in a candy dish for their residents. I'm sure there are some residents who would really enjoy this.

Lastly, give some of it to friends and relatives who do not have children and therefore did not receive the Halloween bounty. ;) Most (at least those who are not on diets and like candy) will appreciate the gift and the fact that they are helping you out as well. I've asked, "Will you please do me a favor and take some of this candy. There is no way we can possibly eat it all." ;)

Anyhow, I hope this helps. Perhaps someone else has an idea that would help more than mine. But this is some of what we do.

I keep the candy up out of reach and my 4 year old asks for some. I wouldn't let him have it in his room for several reasons; over eating, the mess, and choking. I slowly get rid of the candy i know he doesn't care for and once he stops asking for the candy, i trash the rest. Its just too much!

it's candy, unhealthy junk. toss it!
take it to work (send it with daddy to the office in a bowl).
put it out of sight so your kids don't pester you.
I'd toss it... it's just candy. if you feel bad about 'wasting' it. maybe next year limit the number of homes you go to, or the distance you go (3 blocks and that's it, etc.)

We give them a couple of days and then the rest goes into a big bowl like the other mom said. We freeze alot also, especially the hershey bars. We use the hershey bars for homemade hot chocolate nights here and there.

We combine the "loot" into a big bowl that everyone has access to. However, my kids know that they must ask before they can have any. This allows me to control how much they are getting.

Great post!!! I was thinking the same thing.

I agree with most of the other responses, but wanted to add
Next year, I will buy pretzels or little goldfish bags to hand out so that other moms like me don't have to worry so much about this. Duh, why didn't I do that this year!

Hi S.~ I havent read all of the responses you got- but I send goodies like that to work with my husband for him to put out for everyone ...rather their hips & sugar rush than mine or Justins!! ;)
I dont know where you live, but we live in the country & have Amish neighbors, who I also share special things like that with. Have a Good Weekend!!

My kids each have a Tupperware-type container, the size for cereal, in which they put the bulk of their candy. They go through it all year...as dessert, to take to the movies, as a special treat...and then we throw out what's left before the next Halloween! They enjoy trading throughout the year, treating their friends if they're going to the movies, etc. (When my daughter was still in preschool, she would spontaneously would make a gtaph on Halloween night re how many of each type of candy she had! Then she would keep track and be aware if her mom or dad had a hand in her pot of gold!)

S.
I know there is a group that donates the unwanted candy to
the troops in Iraq.....Its called Moms on a Mission at www.meetup.com

Our next Meetup
Post Halloween Playgroup/Candy kick-off Nov 1st

Sat 3:00 PM Where?
This location is shown only to membersWho’s coming?
4 Yes / 0 Maybe Want to attend?

Come join us at Squaw Park in Fox Chapel for a post Halloween Party. Wear you costumes one last time and show off to your other buddies. Also, bring your leftover candy that you know shouldn’t stay in your house (for fear of getting eaten). We’ll be sending any donated candy to our troops. Lindsey, who is a MoMo military mom, has collected addresses for some men that would love a package from us! Read more

Hi S....

We combine all the loot from both our boys in a big stock pot which we keep in a high cabinet that they cannot reach. They are allowed 2 pieces each after dinner each night, before brushing their teeth. Of course, we allow a little extra when they've been especially good or done some extra chores. The candy lasts quite awhile and this has worked for us.

I've also heard that some area dentists will pay kids to "turn in" their candy while learning a lesson about tooth decay....don't know any names off hand.

I've also heard of programs for donating the candy to the U.S. Troops in Iraq. Check the web for these ideas if you're interested.

I still tightly control my older son's itake of candy but when I was growing up, we would put it all in a big bowl. The first day we were able to have a bit more (we could usually pick a handful of pieces) and then after that we were allowed one or two pieces a day. I am the oldest of 8 kids so it worked out to make everything "fair". Eventually it would get down to candy we didn't really care for and we would toss it out. Good luck!

Hi S.

My son is almost 4 and already came home from preschool with the first of the goodies. I have put it in an out of reach place and allow 1 or 2 treat(s) per day after dinner. He is not a great eater, so in order to get a piece of candy I am requiring that he eat one forkful of each thing I have made for dinner that isn't a chicken nugget! I remember gorging on my Halloween candy and since it only comes once a year, I figure it'll be ok. Oh, and I am going to take all the candy that comes in and it becomes communtiy property. No "mine" or "hers". I think it should be shared amongst all because it's not like they are working for it!

HTH.

Check the community pages. In some areas there are dentists who get together and collect the candy and offer something back to the kids.

I send ours to a friends son in Iraq! K.

my son's school's service club is doing a "buy back" and then sending them overseas to the troops- Valley Forge Middle school

I would hide them somewhere. it is good that your son is good about how much candy he should eat.I would let him keep his stash in his room if he wants to. tell your daughter she can not have candy all the time. tell her she can have candy one day a week and pick a day. may be if she does something really nice she can have a piece. most little kids like candy but taking control of how much they eat is good.

HI read some of your responses but not all so if if this is a repeat, sorry.
You can crunch up the potato chips and make potato chip crusted chicken (breasts or tenderloins). Email me for the recipe.

When my kids were little, the bowl of treats went on top of the fridge and they got a few a day. They needed to ask before eating any. Letting them have the bag of treats in their room is just asking for stomach aches. They don't know when to stop before it is too late.
I also sent some to work with my husband. My church also collects left over Halloween candy to use in Christmas stockings for a local charity. Maybe you can give some away.

honestly the novelty wears off after a few days if you let them have it - at least it does with my kids - its the old adage - if you cant have something you want it tenfold - same thing here - i also do what the other mother suggested - and nezt monday when i go to work i will bring a baggie full and that type thing - make sense?

if it bothers you that much then next year dont take them so many places or not at all

We don't allow candy in rooms and all wrappers are thrown away immediately, no matter how old they are. It's only once a year. They can have some after each meal for dessert, but it must be earned. It's a great bargaining tool and for the little ones it's a great learning tool. You can use it for good behavior and potty training, etc. Ration it out. Only 3 pieces but let them choose since they had to do the work for it, lol. It's only once a year and makes for fun memories! If there's still candy left by Thanksgiving, toss it out. Just be sure to really brush their teeth 2 - 3 times a day, morning and night. If they balk at doing it in the afternoon then they don't need candy, lol!

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
Chat and events, within 2 hour radius

We never allow our kids to keep candy in there rooms we say it could cause us to get ants HAHA!!! We have a 13,9,6 and 10 mon old.
you can also have them take it to a hospital to the children who don't get to go out to get any candy. Or a nursing home for older folks who are the same and enjoy seeing kids, Good luck with that I think it is hard. If we keep the candy I only keep it around for a week giving them some evey day and they ususally will get sick of it then I throw it away or take it to work.

Ok enjoy and best to you

Ugh - it gets so rediculous! Mine came home from preschool yesterday with a brown grocery bag full of junk. My 3 year old son already started refusing anything but candy. They rarely have candy or junk so I guess a couple days of it doesn't hurt, but I'm with you not wanting to develop a habit that we have to break. One good thing in our house is that my son is also allergic to nuts so anything with nuts will get weeded out and probably sent to my husband's office for him to share. Thankfully my son understands and will be ok with that. In past years we had it around for a couple days and then I started just removing it from sight which worked well. I usually end up finding it again around Easter and at Halloween I discover hidden Halloween candy.

For the 3 year old, you might be able to limit things by only going on a short route - it's hard for them to walk in the dark with costumes, bags and props anyways. If you are walking with both kids, then that might be harder. I'd help your son find a special place to keep his loot safe in the kitchen. I personally never let food out of the kitchen and especially into bedrooms - but that is just me. By helping him find a special place, you would acknowledge his need, but you'd have better control over his candy habit since he'd be in the shared space to eat it.

Hi,
I guess my best suggestion would be to keep it all in one central location ours is on a shelf in our dinning room! Then after they've eaten a good meal, allow them to have a peice or two depending on age! They can root through the bag themselves and pick it out! This seems to work until they can reach it and then this becomes more difficult! My kids actually are excited for about a week and then honestly they forget about it! Blessings! - K. W.

I let them go nuts for about 2 days.
Then it slowly begins to disappear. all 2 pillow cases FULL

usually to my rear end. (ducking/bagman)

You could determine ahead of time how many pieces of candy they are allowed to keep. Let them pick out those pieces and then donate the rest to an area nursing home.

I limit my girls to one 'sweet treat'(or other junk like chips) a day year round. The same rules apply with Halloween.

I would never let them keep any in their rooms. That's just asking for trouble.

All of the other posts are great ideas and very similar to how I grew up, so this is not an idea that is against them, just an alternitive if you son is one of those strong willed children, or as an option for older kids who can reach the shelf etc.

The idea is to let them have a small bag with 8-9 days worth of candy. Tell them that there is enough to have one a day and enough to have an extra piece 1-2 days during the week. IF they eat it all at once it is gone and they don't get more until next week when you repeat the process. This gives your kids a chance to learn to be responsible and function on a budget of only so much candy a day. If they eat it all in one day this week and don't get more they will learn and not eat it all in one day next week.

This is funny because just this morning I was wondering how many mamas were in sugar shock like me. "Hello, my name is E., and I steal from my kids Halloween candy." We've got loot all over the house because of 3 school parties, last night, and a friend who loves my kids. My plan is to gather everything up tonight into a few plastic bags and go through it and steal my stash (Hershey's bars and Reese's PB cups!), then allow them to have some each day over the next couple of weeks. Last year I hid the bags in a few different places around the house and it worked out, but my 8 yo is a little smarter this year. By Thanksgiving, whatever is left goes into 1 big bag and gets sorted for saving and tossing. My kids are very healthy and weight-wise are actually on the lower end, so as long as they eat all their healthy food first, I don't mind them getting treats this time of year.

Hi S.,

This is a great website: HalloweenCandyBuyBack.com Kids can bring their Halloween candy to a participating dentist (who are listed on the site) and they will get $1 for every pound of candy they bring in. The candy is then sent overseas in care packages for our troops. I just love it. Good luck!

Add it to your holiday baking:
http://www.parenthacks.com/2007/11/use-excess-hall.html

Make a gingerbread house:
http://www.parenthacks.com/2007/10/halloween-hac-4.html

Other ideas
http://specialchildren.about.com/b/2007/10/31/five-ways-t...
http://www.parenthacks.com/2006/11/use_up_that_hal.html

We also do put it all in onw bowl and then my husband bags up so much each week to take to work. The said part that we are still working threw the candy from last year. My kids going trick or treating 3 times a year. In aug, and a camp ground and then trick or trunk at my dad's chruch and then with me at halloween. So by then the candy is, see how much we can collect more then anything.

If you can trust your son. Then get him a tin or a latch box to keep in his room. Have him put away so that he and you both now where to find it.

Go though it. Put the keepers in a community bowl....Sneakily remove about 75% while they're asleep and send the rest off to the office!

***The more I think about it--this is NUTS! Why do we even DO Trick or Treating????? Then we need to think of ways to give away, pitch out or reduce the stash!!! LOL I guess the act of participating is so appealing that we can't even imagine just taking the kids to 5 or 10 houses and going home with "enough". I do love the idea of donating to the soldiers***