I have mounds of Halloween candy stashed in the cupboards from our kids’ trick-or-treating efforts tonight.
We let them choose one treat at the evening’s end (Avelyn fished out the one full-sized Coffee Crisp bar and wolfed it down before I could reason with her) and then put the rest of the booty away. We’ll let them have another treat after dinner tomorrow and slowly work their way through it until it’s gone (aka: until I have pilfered all the good chocolate bars and all that’s left is crusty lollipops) in an exercise of moderation. We don’t shy away from treats in this house, but there is plenty of talk about how our bodies need good, healthy foods first and foremost and that treats are just little extras we get every now and again once we’ve fueled up with wholesome things.
I’m wondering how you deal with the 47 pounds of Halloween candy that surely made its way into your home tonight. When we were growing up, my mom hated the thought of us picking away at candy for months on end so she gave us free reign of it for two days (seriously, free reign meant we could eat as much as we wanted) then told us whatever was left after those two days would get thrown out in the trash.
How do you dole out the treats? Do you let them pick their favourites then toss the rest? Do you let them keep it in their rooms or do you make sure it’s somewhere that’s in your control? Do you steal pieces of it after they’ve gone to bed? What are your favourite treats? (Mine include: Wunderbar, m&m’s and gummi bears.)
well, the dentists do say go for it hard and fast…better for the teeth. the girls voluntarily share with us (and we secretly pilfer as well!) wunderbars are wunderful! peanut butter cups are my kryptonite. i’ll do anything for one of those!
I’m still trying to work out how best to dole it out. It’s always, “pleeeeeeeease? Just ONE more…” I figure it only comes once a year. And I eat PLENTY of it anyway – though I’m pretty happy when it’s all gone. Oy.
Glad your girls had a blast, lady!!
We’re also doling them out slowly. A few a day. After a proper meal. Honestly, I hate this aspect of Halloween.
We handle the candy the same way you do, Amanda. My kids each have a treat bucket, into which goes all of their Halloween/Christmas/Valentine’s Day/Easter candy and they work their way through it with a treat a day or every couple of days until it’s gone. I don’t think either of their buckets have ever been empty – even after I’ve eaten all the good chocolate bars.
We got home from trick or treating and then handed out the treats he got to the next kids that came…I know this trick will only last a year or so more but he LOVED doling it all out.
Like you – I kept the good chocolate bars…and the chips…and his fave lolly’s…and the rest went to other kids.
We also got playdoh and bubbles and glow bracelets! Awesome!
The kids get to pick and eat 2 treats once they get home.
Then 1 treat a day in their lunch bag for a week.
The rest goes to church as a donation or the kid’s school for fun fair prizes.
The church rewards the kids with “Promiseland” money when the kids listen well or participate and then the kids can use their money to buy treats at the church “store”. So, Halloween candy donations really come in handy for them.
I’ve also seen lots of people freecycling Halloween candy. So, that is another option.