Hey earth muffins! I am getting pretty excited now that Halloween is just around the corner! There are plenty of (safe and sustainable) ways to celebrate this year, what are your plans? Even though I recently shared tips for creating an eco-friendly costume, I don’t have any Halloween committments… Maybe I’ll relax with my boyfriend and watch some movies! ๐ For today’s post I wanted to talk about an important topic: leftover Halloween candy.
Even if you use sustainable alternatives to traditional candy for the trick-or-treaters, you might still end up with excess candy in your house. If you bought that variety pack, we all have that one candy bar we don’t like… I recently bought my one bag of candy corn for the season and ate about 3/4 of it before I got sick of them. So, what can we do to prevent this candy from going to waste? It is safe to say that you should never throw away candy that you don’t want; this food waste can easily be solved with my suggestions below! ๐
What to do With Loose Candy
For things like my candy corn, I suggest incorporating them into your baked goods! The fall season is when I find myself baking the most, as I love the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and apple. There are definitely opportunities in these recipes to add some leftover candy inside! I recently made a batch of pumpkin chocolate swirl brownies; it would have been perfect to sprinkle some chopped up chocolate pieces or candy corn on top! If you don’t want to add the candy as a topping or incorporate into the batter, I suggest searching “leftover -insert candy’s name here-” on Pinterest.
On a similar note, use the candy in recipes for family, friends, or coworkers! I know many people are back to work, so surprise your office with a batch of cookies, brownies, etc. Make sure you are following the correct Mister Corona protocol though, as every workplace is dealing with the pandemic differently! While large gatherings are still frowned upon, I’ve seen many people hang out with friends in their Covid-free bubble. This is the perfect opportunity to bring along some snacks or dessert as well!
What to do With Leftover Packaged Candy
Because packaged candy hasn’t been germed up yet, there are a few more options compared to leftover loose candy. First, you can obviously use the packaged candy in baking as well. There are a bunch of candy bar desserts at many restaurants, so try making that Kit Kat Blizzard or Heath milkshake! ๐
Ask your family and friends what their favorite candy is. I bet your least favorite might be one they actually love! It seems like I often forget that just because I don’t like something I assume others don’t like it as well… But, we all have unique tastes. I remember in my trick-or-treating days I would trade candy with my family members so that everyone was happy with what they got!
Another great option is to donate your excess candy to Operation Gratitude! This program has been running since 2007 and allows you to gift your candy to military members or first responders. While you probably won’t be able to fill a whole care package yourself, I bet you could with the leftover candy from family and friends as well! The registration deadline to sign up for donating is 10/31, so make sure you decide early if this is what you want to do. โค๏ธ If you want your candy to stay local, I suggest looking up candy drives from nonprofits/churches in your area.
On a similar note, use extra candy to fill a care package for someone who is far away. Mister Corona has truly kept families apart this year, so an extra special gift in the mail is always a pleasant surprise. My mom sent my boyfriend and I a care package this week, and it definitely made our day! ๐
You can also freeze the candy for later! I had never thought to do this until I was visiting my grandparent’s house a few years back. My grandpa was looking for something sweet and got a full jar of candy from his freezer! The expiration date for candy is many years because of how processed it is; so, keeping it in the freezer is a great way to save all of the excess from Halloween for a time when candy isn’t as common in the house. This is my personal favorite when avoiding the food waste of excess candy!
Lastly, if you must get rid of the candy try composting it instead of throwing it in the trash! Make sure you know what type of composting you are using, as some bins might not break down candy. I personally use a composting service, which would take the candy if needed (but come on, I’m definitely freezing it for later haha). What will you be doing with your leftover Halloween candy this year??
Love,
Jenna โฅ