What to do with all that Halloween Candy

I know it hasn't happened yet, but if you have kids who trick-or-treat, you're going to have a stash of candy come this evening. Believe it or not, we are not big candy eaters, so inevitably, by Easter, we still have a bucketful of candy. You know, mostly the less desirable stuff, like Tootsie Rolls and those nasty, pasty Bit-O-Honeys. Looking for more ingenious ways to deal with the candy, while also teaching your kid a thing or two?

You can let your kids stuff themselves to the point of feeling sick, or you can try these other options:

• Set up shop. Offer each child 10 cents for each piece of candy they want to give up. Do this right on Halloween night. Since you are running a business. tomorrow's rate will be 9 cents and so on. The longer they wait, the less cash they'll get. You might as well teach them something while you have their attention. Plus, you should get at least a few pieces for yourself out of it to enjoy later...when the kids are in bed.
  

• Portion out the candy. Let them keep 20 (or 15 or 10) pieces, and that is supposed to last them through next week. This will teach them, hopefully, to show restraint and how to portion things out (let's say, not more than x candies a day). When it's gone it's gone. Do they want more now? Sorry, they have to wait until the next replenishment next week.

• Practice counting and sorting. Keep the candy stash out of reach and out of sight. Everyday, sit down and do some simple counting exercises, adding and subtracting candy, so they get some good practice in. You can also sort by type, shape and color. For the older ones, if they got a lot of candy, you can even do a Venn Diagram.
  

• See if any of your stash made the top 10 list. I mean the top worst non-candy items to get for Halloween and the top worst candies and treats handed out. You'll confirm which neighbors know kids and which don't have a clue.

• Do the candy fairy thing. This works great for the little ones who can't count yet. Have them pick out a few candies to keep. The rest get put outside their bedroom door Halloween night and are replaced with a few inexpensive toy items from the dollar store.
  

• Make unique wrapping paper. This only works if no one in your house is a candy eater, so I hesitate to even include this in the list! But, if you want to do something unusual, use plain butcher paper or solid color wrapping paper, and wrap your gift. Now you are going to hot glue candies all over the package!

• Take it to work. If you just have too much candy and don't want to deal with portioning it out in the next few weeks and months, depending on your candy consumption rate, put it in a bowl and take it to work.

What do you do with all your candy, besides eat it?