What to do with all that Halloween candy!

Unless you live in an area that got snow this Halloween (!!), you're probably overstocked with chocolate and other candy that rots teeth and destroys children's temperaments.  Here are some ideas for recycling the sweet stuff so you don't overdo it in November:

• Freeze it.  Dole out one or two pieces a day, when the child earns a treat.
• Crunch it.  Bits of candy that has been ground in a food processor make great additions to cookies and cakes during the holiday season.
• Donate it.  Some local communities collect candy to distribute to the troops overseas.  
• Sell it.  Some dentists participate in Operation Gratitude, which also sends candy to the troops, but the dentists add a twist - they pay the kids a minimal amount for their candy per pound.
• Save it. Freeze and save it for decorating this year's Gingerbread House or in the pockets of an Advent Calendar.

Or better yet... throw out a piece of candy every once in a while so your kids won't notice the change and will eventually have less to ingest.  Don't feel badly about discarding perfectly good candy.  (You don''t feel badly about tossing out fat from the George Foreman grill do you?)  Caution ... some kids know exactly what's in their goody bag!  In that case, simply ask what piece you can have every once in a while, then instead of eating it, discard it furtively ;-)

Above all, remember that the candy belongs to your children.  Don't toss, donate, freeze, sell, or save it without discussing your plan with your children first.

Happy Parenting!