It’s not hard to end up with way too much candy on Halloween. It’s fun to eat for a little after Halloween, but after the spooky season is over the candy always ends up getting set aside. However, there are many things you can do with your candy so you don’t have to waste it. 

If you’re getting tired of the taste of candy, but don’t want to get rid of it all, recipes are a great way to recycle your candy! 

One of the easiest ways to recycle your candy is to simply crush it up and mix it with desserts. All you have to do is grab your favorite ice cream and let it soften for around 20 minutes. Cut up your favorite candy and fold it in the ice cream. Then all you have to do next is refreeze it and add any toppings you want! You can also get pre-made cookies and stick them in the dough before cooking. It’s a very easy way to add flavor to a basic dish. 

While this dessert takes more time, layered chocolate M&M bars are a great option to use some of your candy. You’re going to need 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 2 sticks (8 ounces) cold unsalted butter(cubed), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 1 1/3 cups chopped toffee bits (8 ounces). Place the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor with the blade attached. Combine. Add the butter and vanilla. Continue mixing until the mixture comes together in large balls and sticks when pressed together. Transfer the dough to the baking pan with aluminum foil—even it out on the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In the meantime, reheat your oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. While waiting for it to cool down, start cutting up any chocolate bars you have. Microwave the cut-up chocolate in 20-second bursts. When the shortbread is cooled, pour the chocolate over it and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with M&M’s. Cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place the baking pan in the refrigerator and chill for an hour or until firm. Cut into squares before serving. 

If you want to pass time with a fun activity, making starburst slime is a fun recipe that you can also play with. Pour water into a spot until the water level is 2″ deep. Place unwrapped Starbursts into a stovetop-safe container. Place the container in the pot of water and put the stovetop over medium-low heat. Slowly stir Starburst mixture as it melts. After fully melted, turn the boiler off and wait 2 minutes. Remove the container from water using oven mitts. Do not touch the container – it will be very hot. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a flat surface and sprinkle 1/2 cup powdered sugar on it. Grease your silicone spatula with cooking oil. Using the spatula, pour the Starburst mixture onto parchment paper. Let cool for around 3 minutes. Check consistency every minute. If it stretches too easily then it’s too hot. Slowly add in your sugar until firm enough. Knead until it no longer sticks to your hands. 

If your candy has been sitting there and you are completely done with sweets, donating is the best way to get rid of extra candy in my opinion. While you can drop your candy off at most schools, churches, and fire/police stations, there are also many organizations that focus on donating the candy to people in need. These organizations include Treats for Troops, Halloween Candy Buyback, Operation Shoebox, Ronald McDonald House Charities, etc. Just do a quick google search to find one near you and you mail it over.

Last but not least: save it! If you put your leftover candy in the freezer, it can be saved for a longer date. Any air-tight container or zip sealed bag works. Some chocolate candy bars and hard candies can last up to a year, but peanut butter cups or caramel only lasts up to 9 months maximum.