If you are like me, the thought of your kids bringing a bag full of artificially colored and flavored sugar bombs into your house on Halloween makes you cringe!
Never fear.
You don't have to let them eat all that sickly, cavity-causing, hyperactivity-inducing glop. And you don't have to get guilted into it just because all the other parents are telling you
It's just once a year! Don't take away all their fun!
Well, you don't have to take away the fun with the Halloween candy!
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You can also implement this idea without making your kids whine about how mean a parent you are! Think of that! You're kids won't be stuffing themselves with candy AND they won't call you the meanest mom in the world. (Well, not for this, at least!)
First up, my very, very favorite idea for what to do with your kids' Halloween candy:
Save the Halloween candy for your holiday gingerbread house!
Brilliant, right? I wish it was my original idea, but a friend suggested it to me. I felt it was my duty to pass it on to you.
We've done this every year for the last six or seven years and it has been great! Our gingerbread houses are the craziest ones out there and the kids love the idea that the candy will not go straight into the garbage.
But how, you are wondering, are you going to get your kids to save their Halloween candy instead of eating it? Just follow this easy 3 step plan.
Halloween Candy 101
Try this three step plan!
Step 1: Be Upfront
No Surprises. Don't suddenly spring it on them after they get home that they won't be eating their candy. The results will not be pretty. Explain that the fun part of trick or treating is going around the neighborhood with friends, not scarfing down the candy afterwards. Fortunately, I have already successfully indoctrinated taught my kids that artificially colored and flavored sugar bombs rot their brains are not good for growing bodies. If you plan to save it for a gingerbread house, let them in on the secret.
Step 2: Trade the Stash for a Coveted Toy
If you wonder how you might convince your kids to forgo eating their trick-or-treat treasure trove I will tell you that for the past several years I have been trading the boys their bag of candy for a toy they have been coveting. I solicit their opinions on which toy, book or game they would like to receive when they willingly hand over the sugar goods.
I make sure to that the item they choose available on Halloween so they don't have to wait for it. Waiting=Whining. One year they each asked for $10 instead. Sold.
I've heard others use the idea of a " Switch Witch," to get their kids to give up their candy. The "Switch Witch" is a sort of an Tooth Fairy type creature who enters the house by stealth in the middle of the night and switches the candy for a toy. However, I find that my kids prefer immediate results and do not want to wait until morning. You may prefer to hire the Switch Witch to perform the task for you, especially if your kids appreciate a little magic in their lives.
Step 3. Have a Sweet Treat Substitute
Just before Halloween I purchase an organic candy with no added artificial colors like Sundrops (an M&M imposter) and YumEarth Organic Lollipops. Candy without artificial colors are much less likely to cause ADHD-like symptoms in children who are sensitive to the coloring chemicals.
I deal out a little candy each day for five days so that when their friends are happily gobbling down Halloween candy in front of them, they don't feel left out of the fun.
But what if your children are used to eating as much candy as they want?
If your kids have been gorging on Halloween candy for years, you might have to do some extra work convincing your kids of the value of this plan, but don't let others convince you that you are sucking all the joy and fun out of your kids' childhoods just because you're teaching them to resist the allure of florescent lime green flavored sugar squares. And if you (or your mother in law) need convincing, take a look at these articles:
When Food Dyes Color Our Children's Behaviors
What Goes Into Natural and Artificial Flavors
Candy Coated Chemical Additives
No child ever expired because they had fun on Halloween without gorging on candy. Focus on the costumes, the parades, the bobbing for apples and the scares. Their brains and your sanity will reap the rewards.
Renee C. says
I love the idea of keeping the candy for a gingerbread house. I may have to use that one! We limit how much candy they can have at one time and eventually they just forget about it and move in. In fact, just last week we found last year's Halloween candy stash and there was still candy in it!
Mom and Kiddo says
Yes, I find my kids soon forget about it, too.
Janelle @ Brimful Curiosities says
My kids get to enjoy a few of their favorites but we definitely believe in limits. We always save the hard candies and unappealing treats from Halloween for our gingerbread (or in our case graham cracker) holiday houses. The left-over good chocolate goes to my husband's office.
Mom and Kiddo says
I'm really looking forward to keeping the candy for the houses. I can't believe I never thought of it myself! I also sent the chocolates in with my husband, but I suspect he ate them all himself! LOL.
Shannon says
Mmmmmm, flourescent green candy squares..... 😉 Love them.
Sorry, I know I scandalize you. 😉 I'm not good about banning candy and sweets. They only get 1 small treat a day, but I do let them have it. Their Halloween (and Xmas, and Valentine's, and May Day, and....) candy lasts for many months. They don't mind! They love it. And unlike other people's kids, mine do NOT forget about it! 😉
Mom and Kiddo says
Shannon, you don't scandalize me at all! 🙂 I know you feed your kids homemade healthful food!
Jen says
We went trick-o-treating for the first time ever tonight with a group of friends from my older boy's school (it's not that common in Australia). Because it was a warm night the most popular house was the one giving out bottles of chilled water - it almost caused a riot among the crowd of sweaty batmans and tinkerbells desperate to get their hands on something cold and wet!
Mom and Kiddo says
What a great story! Kid preferring water over candy. I love it.
Natalie says
I am with Shannon - Anna is allowed to pick and eat her candy (one piece a day), but usually she goes for dark chocolate. She likes trying all those "candy coated chemicals", but I am of the opinion that a very moderate usage of those doesn't hurt her.
Rachel says
Thank you for sharing this! I've been trying to figure out what to do. My daughter is three and this is our first year of really trick or treating. I've been wanting to start things off with exchanging the candy but been unsure of some specific ideas. I love the idea of an immediate payoff for the candy and a long term thing to look forward took thanks again!
Erica MomandKiddo says
I'm glad you found it helpful, Rachel. I think it really helps my boys to know up front that they will be trading in their candy, that way they are not taken by surprise.
Miri. says
I love it! basically what we do, but great to see it in words.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Glad I'm not the only one!
Fletcher @ HCS says
Great idea! I'm my home town, a dentist hosts a candy but back. She weighs the candy and pays them per pound...she sends the candy to troops!
Katie says
I love the idea of replacing the bucket of junk with a toy and some healthier and more natural sweets. I'm definitely going to remember these techniques for the future. Thanks for another great post!
Megan Brewer says
Ummm, honestly, I eat a lot of the candy myself.
Erica MomandKiddo says
Hahaha!
Mary Lynne Foster says
The idea sounds good, but don't then eat the gingerbread houses? When my children were young, I'd let them eat some of their favorites that night, then the bags went up on top of the fridge and in a day or so they were forgotten. The thing that appalls me is how many other places are now doling out candy by the handful. It's not just Halloween night anymore, it's the whole month of October. And then there are places like churches and school that do Trunk-or-Treat activities before Halloween!
Erica says
They actually don't eat the gingerbread house.