Now that Halloween has come and gone, many parents are left wondering what to do with the plethora of candy that their children brought home. With a little bit of creativity, you can make sure all those sweets get utilized. Below are our childcare professionals’ 6 ways to use leftover Halloween candy in a responsible manner.
Try A New Halloween Candy Recipe:
Cooking and baking with your children can teach them a variety of lessons, such as teamwork, timing and measuring skills. Kids that are involved during the cooking process are also likelier to try new foods, and be less picky eaters.
M&M Oat Bars Recipe:
This quick, easy-to-make recipe calls for 20-minutes of preparation time and 10-minutes of baking, plus some additional time for cooling. It features healthy ingredients, such as chopped walnuts and quick-cooking oats, as well as some items on the sweeter side, like miniature semisweet chocolate chips and plain M&M’s. For more information on the two-step direction process, visit Taste of Home.
Candy Corn and Pretzel Bark:
From start to finish, this recipe takes 90-minutes. The ingredients are minimal (white chocolate, miniature pretzels, candy corn, and dried cranberries), and a short four-step baking process. Much of the 90-minutes is spent waiting for the items to chill until firm! For more information on this recipe, visit Real Simple.
Keep Some in Your Purse:
There are many variations to the DIY trail mix recipe. Many parents enjoy having this easy-to-make item on hand because it is the perfect blend of protein and carbohydrates to give kids an energy boost during the day. Preparation time is five-minutes because of its’ simple ingredients: 1 cups raisins, 2 cups peanuts, 1 cups chocolate coated candy, and 1 cup shelled sunflower seeds. Babble also has a great recipe for Halloween Candy Snack Mix here.
Freeze the Candy:
Freezing chocolate is never a bad idea! Parents can turn frozen miniature chocolate bars into hot chocolate, or as a flavorful addition to their coffee in the morning. Just add milk and heat in a saucepan and stir. You can also make s’mores, decorate cupcakes or birthday cakes with leftover pieces, or stir into ice cream.
Bring Treats into Work:
Depending on your office environment, you can bring in leftover candy and drop it off at the kitchen. It will be gone before lunchtime!
Donate Candy Those in Need:
Get into the spirit of giving by donating your unused Halloween treats. Operation Shoebox is accepting leftover, unwrapped candy. Another organization that will take back your unused candy is Soldier’s Angels Treats for Troops Program. They will ship it to deployed service members around the world or distribute to veterans in VA Hospitals.
Educational Purposes of Halloween Candy:
The Scientific Method
Are you looking to get your child more interested in science? Use their leftover candy! These ten scientific, entertaining methods will be sure to put all of your children’s Halloween candy to good use. One candy that has amassed a group of fans in the scientific community is M&M’s, and they’re not just for eating anymore!
Candy Letter Recognition
Halloween candy is the perfect opportunity for your little one to practice his or her reading skills! Oftentimes a child will come home, dump out their candy, and debate which ones to eat first. Before they get started on their treats, why not engage in an educational, fun game with them? All you need are index cards and Halloween sweets. First, label the index cards in alphabetical order and then lay them out. Next, sort the candy by letter by placing the candy bars under the letter card that correspond to the first letter of the candy. This game can quickly turn into a math exercise as well, because you’ll get to discuss which letters had the most candy underneath.
Contact the Nanny Authority Today!
Our Pinterest boards offer a variety of crafts and educational-themed activities as well. At the end of the day, the holiday season is about creating memories with our loved ones. For more information on how our nannies can help your children use up their leftover candy or engage in other crafts-related activities, contact a placement specialist at 973-466-2669 or via e-mail today!