So Valentine’s is officially over and you’ve spent the better part of the weekend engorging yourself on the chocolate and other candy that you know you didn’t need. And then you turn your head and there it is staring at you, even more candy. So what do you do with the leftovers? Here are my sure-fire ways to get rid of the goodies without simply just throwing it away.
Repurposed Desserts
One of the simplest ways to use the chocolate is to add it to some of your favorite desserts. I have been known to throw some chopped up candy bars in brownies or cookies in the past. The following are just a sampling of what can be done with that leftover holiday goodness.
- Candy Bar Brownies – Jamielyn over at I Heart Naptime has a recipe that will make you want to add candy to your brownies every time.
- Candylicious Cookies – Lil Luna shares her amazing recipe for adding that leftover chocolate to make a new sweet treat.
- Granola – Megan from Pip and Ebby has come up with a semi-healthy option for your Valentine’s leftovers.
- Monster Cookie Dough Ball – Jessica with Together as a Family has come up with an amazing way to give that store-bought candy a “sweet, second life”.
- Poke Cake – This has to be one of my absolute favorite ways to use leftover candy. Regardless of what holiday it is leftover from, you can crunch the chocolate up and use it as a topping on a basic poke cake. The wonderful lady behind Kitchen Fun With My Three Sons, Jill, shared a great Heath Bar Poke Cake that I have used as the base many times over and simply changed the candy on top.
Unconventional Ideas
Now, this is the area where we discuss the out of the box ideas for what to do with that leftover candy. There are a few terrific ideas if it is individually wrapped or the package has yet to be opened. Here are my top suggestions if you are wanting to give that extra away and it hasn’t been opened yet:
- Food Banks & Homeless Shelters – Your local food bank or homeless shelter will always be open to donations of non-perishable food, even if it’s candy. These little extras can help more than you know.
- Care Packages – Care Packages for members of the military are a perfect way to give that candy a better purpose. The smallest pieces of candy can be seen as a reminder of home for our men and women serving overseas.
- Classroom Rewards – For this one, you may want to send a quick message to your child’s teacher before just sending the candy along. I do speak from experience when I say that candy can be a great incentive or reward for learning in the classroom.
- Science Projects – Admittedly this idea will only work with a select few types of candy, but it is definitely worth a shot if you happen to have the needed ingredients. I also really have to say I am excited to try the Conversation Heart experiments from Coffee Cups and Crayons.
- When all else fails, I say simply take it to work. Sharing your Valentine candy will not only get it out of your house, but it will also help to lighten everyone’s mood at the office.
So there you have it, ten ideas on what to do with that leftover Valentine’s candy. This list is just scratching the surface of what can be done with your unwanted candy, but it is also a good place to start.
Do you have any ideas not mentioned above that would be a great use for your excess holiday goodies? If so, drop your thoughts in the comments down below.
