Yesterday we went to a Trunk-or-Treat and the amount of candy my son received is already too much and we still have a week of events to go before Halloween! If I’m being honest, I probably still have some candy that needs to be thrown away from last year that stayed in the abyss of the back of the cabinet. That said, I made this list for you with simple experiments using the candies we tend to get most of and other ideas on what to do with so much leftover.
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This list includes a local candy buy back and a couple of simple ways to add candy to cookies or treats. The kids can help too!
🍭 EXPERIMENTS 🍬
Dissolving lollipops and using the liquid to practice color mixing and combination flavor tasting experimentation.
Create colorful layers while teaching kids about density using everyday Skittles! All you need is a bag of the fruity candies, a plastic pipette, and a few cups for this engaging science experiment.
Understanding osmosis by growing gummy bears!
These are that dreaded candy we all know and don’t all love but oddly, they’re iconic. Check out this fun way to put them to use.
If candy experiments aren’t your jam, check out this awesome Macaroni article 9 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Halloween Candy!
Your kids can learn about three different types of rocks with this sweet candy experiment.
More water dissolving findings using M&M’s.
Young scientists will predict whether different candies sink or float in water, putting their hypotheses to the test. This hands-on experiment transforms surplus sweets into learning tools.
💰 CANDY BUY BACK 💰
Did you know there’s places in Houston that do candy buy backs, and ways to donate your Halloween candy? I hope you’re thinking like I am, here's a verified local resource on how to do just that! Others require you pay shipping and send and I prefer a drop-off option such as this:
11/1 - 11/8
📍Smiles for Kids Pediatric Dentistry
Have your kids bring their leftover Halloween candy to our office and trade it in for $1 per pound (up to $5). The candy, along with toothbrushes, will be donated to our troops overseas through Troopathon!
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🍪 RECIPES 🍫
Create some post Halloween candy-inspired treats or save the sweets and use them for family Christmas cookie baking or exchanges. Transform both chocolate chip cookies and Rice Krispies Treats with candy!
For Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix-ins (per standard batch of cookie dough):
- Replace 1 cup of chocolate chips with:
- 1 cup chopped Snickers (adds caramel and peanuts for extra chewiness)
- 1 cup M&Ms (use Halloween colors for festive flair)
- ¾ cup chopped Reese's Cups + ¼ cup extra chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped Twix bars (adds buttery shortbread crunch)
- Mix of ½ cup Butterfinger pieces + ½ cup chocolate chips (creates toffee notes)
For Halloween Rice Krispies Treats (for a 9x13 pan):
- Standard recipe, plus add:
- 1 cup chopped Reese's Pieces (adds peanut butter flavor)
- ¾ cup crushed Oreos + orange food coloring in the marshmallow mix
- 1 cup chopped Kit Kats (adds chocolate wafer crunch)
- Mix in ½ cup candy corn just before setting (adds honey notes)
Pro tips:
- Freeze candy bars before chopping for cleaner cuts
- For cookies, chill dough 30 minutes after adding candy to prevent excessive spreading
- For Rice Krispies, add candy while mixture is still warm but not hot to prevent melting
👻 🎃 💀
Trick or treating has only REALLY started for me and I’ve got about 11 years to go so I found this list helpful and I hope you did too!
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