After the trick-or-treating has come to an end and the costumes have been shed, it's time to dive into the trove of delectable candies everyone has brought home. Americans spend roughly $2.5 billion on candy during October, and you can bet that most of it goes un-devoured for weeks after Halloween comes to an end. 

Instead of letting your leftover trick-or-treat rewards gather dust in the pantry, and instead of letting your kids mindlessly stuff their faces with sweets, here are a few ways you can get rid of excess candy without waste. 

1. Find a candy buyback program. Many dentists, doctor offices, and other local businesses have signed up to participate in an organized candy buyback event. Just take your candy to one of the partners and they'll give you $1 for every pound you donate. They then take the unwanted treats and send them to troops overseas via a Veteran's Organization. To find a buyback station near you, click here. 

2. Donate the candy to charity. There are always others who will appreciate the candy you don't want. You can give to Operation Gratitude, an organization that packs and sends care packages of candy to soldiers overseas. The Ronald McDonald House also gives unopened candy to families with severely ill children. 

3. Bake the candy into something new. Candy brownie trifle, Halloween candy cake, trash bark... The possibilities are endless. Click here for some Halloween candy baking inspiration. 


What do you plan to do with your leftover Halloween candy? Let us know in the comment section!