As much as I love Halloween, as someone who works with kids, I’ve been worried about this day. And so have many parents of the children I work with. It’s a day so full of excitement, anticipation, creativity and joy… and then it’s over. And there you are with a sugar high kiddo, bouncing off the walls, and a bag (pillowcase, plastic pumpkin, whatever) full of a 6-year old’s version of crack. So I decided to do some research and post some ideas on what to do with all that candy that you wish you could simply make disappear (much to the dismay of your superhero, fairy princess or your little ladybug).

So here are some alternatives to eating all that candy that will still leave you with happy little goblins:

Cash 4 Candy– Dentists around the country are putting together programs where they actually buy back kids’ Halloween candy, thereby sending it to troops in the Middle East. If you are in Boulder, you can check out http://www.bouldercountysmiles.com/specials/cash-4-candy/

Donate it to the hungry– Brainstorm with your kids who may need food and sustenance even more than they do. Then, drop it off at a food bank or put it in little bags to give to those in need who are asking for handouts. I know it’s not getting the candy fully off the streets–but it does get it out of your house and satisfies a hungry belly that might not get a lot of sweetness.

Prepare for Gingerbread House season– Put aside a stash of candy corn, red hots, gummy bears, and kisses to use in your gingerbread house projects for the holidays. Or better yet- make a practice gingerbread house now and use up double the candy!

*Candy wrapper art– This is my personal favorite. Convince your kiddos to ditch the candy so that you can use the wrappers to do all sorts of cool art projects. These are fun activities to do as a family and will give them far more lasting results than the crash and burn of a Butterfinger. A collage, doll dresses, book covers are just a few possibilities. For some fun ideas check out this link on Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewart.com/search/apachesolr_search/candy%20wrapper

Bake and send it to the office– There are endless recipes for candy baked goods online. Whip up some treats, save a couple for yourselves, then send a batch to the office with daddy or mommy. Everyone’s happy!