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Halloween is fast approaching, and we know how excited your kiddos are. However, we also know you’re probably dreading the candy craze! As much as we love seeing our kid’s faces light up at those overflowing bags of bite-size (and if they’re lucky, full-size) treats, we also know it can make them go a little… well, crazy. But don’t worry, mom and dad, we’ve got some clever candy solutions to the candy glut that are totally sweet!
1. The Switch Witch
If you’ve never heard of The Switch Witch, it’s a pretty ingenious idea. The basic idea is to have your kids put out a portion of their candy so that “The Switch Witch” can come in the night and exchange it for a toy, book, or maybe even a new pair of shoes! The Switch Witch is a good witch who delivers the excess candy to kids who didn’t get any on Halloween. Some change the name to the Candy Fairy or even The Great Pumpkin. Another option is The Sugar Goblin. Either way, it’s a pretty sweet deal: kids still feel like they got a prize, and parents don’t have to sweat over all that sugar.
2. Sweet Donations
Maybe your kids are too old for the idea of the Switch Witch, but there’s no age limit on giving back. There are a ton of places where you can donate extra candy! In fact, the weeks leading up to Halloween are a great time to start talking as a family about how much candy your kids will get to keep and how much they’ll be donating. Decide what organization you’d like to support with your candy as a family. Some are local, like First Responders stations, Nursing or Retirement homes, homeless shelters, soup kitchens/food banks, or even local churches, while others have a broader reach. Charities like Soldiers Angels or Operation Shoebox send extra candy to soldiers stationed away from their families. Ronald McDonald House is a fantastic organization that provides housing to families of children in long-term hospital care. They accept candy donations for all their facilities across the country. Who knew candy could do so much good?
3. Make Some Cash
Did you know about the candy buy-back program? Well, now you do! Dentists and dental hygiene companies have come together to buy back your extra Halloween candy! Some places will pay $1 per pound of candy! These organizations donate the leftovers, so you’re doing good and getting paid for it. Visit the website and enter your zip code to find a buyback station in your area.
4. Share the Goodness
November 4th is national candy day, and what better way to celebrate than to make some gift bags to give to friends and family? You could even take bags to your teachers, co-workers, and maybe your favorite baristas! Even having a few extra in the car to hand out to those experiencing homelessness is a great way to spread kindness (and get the candy out of your house)!
5. Reverse Trick’o’Treat
Similar to the last option, this one helps prolong the Halloween fun! On November 1st or 2nd, get your kids dressed in their costumes and go around your neighborhood or drive by friends’ houses to drop off extra candy. This is a great way to involve family members who didn’t get to see your kids on Halloween! Have family that lives out of state? Take a polaroid photo (or print one from your phone) of all the kids in their costumes and send a box of extra candy with the photo. Loved ones get to feel included in the fun, and you get the candy out of your house!
6. Reduce and Reuse
After the kids have gone to bed, sort out the Halloween-themed packaged candy and store the non-themed candy at the bottom of the freezer. You can use this stash as special treats or future gifts, fill the pinata at your next party, or even use it in your holiday baking! Most kids won’t notice the missing packaging, and we’re confident they’ll still have plenty of candy left over!
7. Toss It
As much as we don’t advocate for food waste, sometimes it’s just not worth the effort when it comes to Halloween candy. Remember, mom and dad; if the excess candy in your house is causing fights, meltdowns, or stress, it’s okay to throw it away! Your job is to do what’s best for your family, which sometimes means putting stuff in the trash.
Halloween is a time of sweet and spooky fun, but we all know too much sweet (and too much spook) isn’t always the best for our kids. So we hope these suggestions help keep your holiday just the right amount of sweet and your dentist bills low!
