The holidays are over. The decorations have been packed away, the relatives have all gone home, and your kids are content to play with all of their new stuff. But the one lingering reminder of all of that fun and merriment is the large collection of candy you now possess.
And if you're trying to abide by your New Year's resolutions, then having a big bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups sitting around is probably not the best way to stay on track.
Here are some ways to use your candy stash before it becomes a midnight snack.
1. Craft with it
If you're trying not to eat the candy that made it through the holidays, then making it into something pretty to look at might just be your best bet. Just make sure your kids and pets know it is not for eating.
Candy ornaments. Heather from the Chickabug blog compiled a list of six different ornaments you can make just out of candy.
Serving trays. These adorable, festive holiday serving trays not only use up some of that unwanted candy, but they can also be used to give away holiday cookies or display treats at parties.
Starburst sculptures. These sweet sculptures are a great cold weather craft when the kids are stuck inside for days on end. All you need is your hands and a bag of unopened Starbursts and you have an activity that will keep your kids happy and engaged for hours.
2. Freeze it
If you want the option of keeping your candy for a later time, then putting it in the freezer might be a good option. Just make sure to thaw it out a little before taking a big bite. You can't enjoy your candy if you don't have any teeth.
Ice cream toppings. Ice cream shops always have those wonderfully colorful jars and containers of all sorts of candies you can mix into your frozen treat. Maybe now you can skip the shop and make your own mix-ins at home.
Valentine's Day treats. It won't be long before you're having to come up with cute Valentines for your child's class party. Wouldn't it be nice to have some candy on hand?
3. Educate with it
What could be more exciting to a child than getting to play with their food? Candy is a great manipulative that can be used a variety of ways.
Math games. This mom, from www.learnplayimagine.com, used M&Ms to help her son learn how to skip count.
Pixy Stix Games. Another mom, from housingaforest.com, used Pixy Stix to not only create a fun pick-up sticks-type game, but she also used the sugary substance inside the colorful tubes to do a science experiment with magnets.
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Jessa is the Editor-in-Chief of Hooray for Family and the mom of three energetic children. She has a BA in Mass Communication/Journalism from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, and is a long-time resident of Central Texas. When she isn't writing and editing, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, teaching Sunday school and channeling her creativity into craft projects.
