It's that time of year again. The season of mass Halloween candy rush has ended (until next time). The parties have stopped. And the pile of sugar earned from a hard night's work of Trick or Treating never seems to end. What is one to do with all that left over candy???
I definitely don't recommend eating a little at a time throughout the year. That's a good way to set yourself up with candy and chocolate that does actually go bad when you least expect it. I will never forget feeling so proud of myself because my giant Halloween candy stash was stretched out to last the whole year… and yes by late summer, it did make me sick. Yes, I cringed at the amount left that I needed to throw away. As my husband says, “Youth is wasted on the young” (quote by George Bernard Shaw).
So, what can you do with all that candy???
Too much Halloween candy? Reuse it, recycle it, or donate it! Here are some clever ideas!Eat it.
This option honestly makes me cringe, and is honestly why the only “candy” I eat anymore is of the organic dark chocolate variety. I do not miss the “sugar overload” feeling in the least, which was a major push for me to go mostly sugar-free in 2013 (no refined sugar or artificial sugar). After you've gone sugar-free for a while, much of any sugar wreaks havoc on your digestive system.
If you're like me in my younger years, and indulge in a bit (or a lot) too much sugar, don't worry.. we have your back!! A drop or two of the DiGize essential oil blend diluted in a tea-spoon (approximately 5ml) of a carrier oil like sweet almond or coconut oil rubbed on the belly helps quickly with that nauseating angry-sugar-stomach feeling.
A carrier oil can be any cold-pressed, seed-based oil (ideally organic and unrefined). This includes most cooking oil, like coconut oil, avocado oil, and olive oil. Personally, we LOVE using sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil, and the V6 Carrier oil (made by Young Living). This is the best way to dilute your essential oils for topical use.
DiGize essential oil blend is made with Tarragon, Ginger, Peppermint, Juniper, Lemongrass, Anise, and Patchouli essential oils. It's the perfect oil for angry bubble-guts that come with eating too many sweets… definitely something worth keeping on hand for all holidays and events centered around food and over-eating delicious culinary creations.
Please, if you do decide to eat all your Halloween candy, don't make my young/dumb mistake of eating old candy more than a couple months old. It's not good for your gut, let alone body… plus, is much better shared instead of hoarded.
Eat too much Halloween candy? There's an essential oil that can help! Just a few drops rubbed on your woeful belly to stop the bubbling chaosGive it away
I'm no stranger with sending my husband to work with the giant candy bowl full of left overs from not having enough Trick or Treeters. Often they complain about there being too much because everyone else ends up bringing in candy too, but lo and behold the candy is usually gone well before Thanksgiving. There are a few places you can take or send your candy to outside of pawning it off on coworkers…
Dentist Buy Back Program
Many local dentist offices offer treat trade where kids can trade in candy for a toy… check out the Halloween Buy Back Website to find participating locations near you.
Supporting The Troops
Operation Gratitude uses donated Halloween candy to send to troops deployed overseas.
Gift Baskets
Put together some gift baskets or candy bouquets for a local nursing home residents.. or donate to the Ronald McDonald House or to your local food bank.
Instead of hoarding the Halloween candy, do something good with it... like sharing through donations. Shared joy is double the joy!Use it as ingredients
- Use chocolates to flavor and sweeten coffee
- Use chocolates to turn into hot chocolate
- Infuse candy your own vodka
- Infuse gummy bears into sangria
- Use chocolates to create a chocolate sauce for your homemade pancakes or waffles
There are many recipes on Pinterest that are simple to follow along. Cookies, cakes, muffins… tons of ways to reuse candy into fun homemade treats.
Reuse for crafts
Admittedly, this one is my absolute favorite… and my sons are always quick to want to make a mess, so it is perfect. With all the crazy new studies about sugar citing some crazy health problems, we don't have our sons eat any candy that we don't make from scratch to know it isn't going to overload them on sweets. So… we have fun with crafting instead. They still have fun… it doesn't clutter the house… and it allows them to participate in neighborhood fun without feeling left out.
- Turn skittles into paint (this is my 5 year old's favorite)
- Create framed art with left over candy
- Use as gingerbread house decorations
What do you do with your excess candy or chocolates? Do you send them somewhere, give them away, or repurpose them in your baking? Let us know in the comments!
Did you find this post helpful? If you enjoyed this post, please comment below and share.
Nicole
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PPS: DiGize is an exclusive Young Living essential oil blend, and is in our Premium Starter Kit as one of the featured essential oil blends. This kit is perfect for both new and experienced oil users, providing 11 of the most common essential oils and blends recommended for maximizing wellness. See our Membership Page for more information about how you can join our membership program to receive a lifetime 24% discount, access to our favorite resources, individual and group essential oil and healthy lifestyle coaching, and continued support!