What to do with all that Halloween Candy?

Wow!  That was a ton of fun last night!  I volunteer at my daughter’s school every Thursday in the morning and it just so happened it fell on Halloween this year.  I loved to see all the kids dressed up and they were so excited they could barely sit still in their seats!  Last night,  we couldn’t find the plastic Halloween pumpkin my daughter usually uses to go trick-or-treating, so my husband grabbed a pillowcase.  You know, what we used as kids! She thought it was cool to do the “old school” way!  But what to do with all that candy?  Here are some ideas on what to do with the candy that could help others in need (including yourself by not having it in the house to tempt you) and even earn you some cash!

Donate the Candy:

There are shelters, food pantries and even churches who will accept your Halloween candy.  Make sure to contact them first before you drop the candy off to confirm that they can use it.  Even check with your local hospital to see if they are accepting candy for their patients.

Donate to our Troops:

You can box up your candy (minus chocolate as it melts) and send it to Operation Gratitude that is headquartered in California who in turn will ship it out to our troops abroad.  You can have your kids write a nice note or draw a picture that you can include in your box.  And if you donate $15, it helps to cover the costs of shipping the treats to the troops.

Contact Your Local Dentist:

We did this last year as their was a local dentist who was sending the candy abroad and would pay cash for donated candy.  I believe he paid us a dollar for every pound brought in.  If you check out the  Halloween Candy Buyback website you can find a local dentist who might be participating in your area. My daughter loved getting money for the candy that she could spend as she wanted at Toys R Us!  You usually get a new toothbrush as well from the dentist.   The dentists then send it to Operation Gratitude themselves.

Contact Local Toy Retailers:

Contact some local toy retailers to see if they are offering a program like Magic  Beans in Boston.  They will donate the candy to local charities and in return offer you a discount on anything in the store.

Leave it for the Halloween Fairy:

I love this idea that my good friend Janie and her husband do each year with their children.  They explain to their kids that that Halloween Fairy will stop by to pick up the candy they leave out for her ( they are able to pick out some of their favorite pieces though) and she will hand it out to other kids who might not have been able to go trick-or-treating.  It teaches them about giving to others and helping those in need.  In return, the Halloween Fairy leaves them each a little gift to say thank you.  You could then send this candy to Operation Gratitude or drop it off at your local food bank.

However you decide to donate the candy, do make sure to pick out some of your favorites to enjoy!

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