Halloween has been  a major holiday in the U.S for decades, and it is nowhere near slowing down with Americans spending nearly 12.2 billion dollars on the seasonal candy, decor, costumes, and greeting cards this year alone. The average American household is estimated to spend 31.93$ on candy alone every year. 

Most houses generally give away 3-4 pieces of candy to each visitor, but this amount is greatly multiplied when you consider the many houses that a child typically visits. According to the National Retail Federation, it is said that 3 cups of sugar is consumed by each child on Halloween, 16 times the daily recommended amount. While this amount consumed every day is bad for your health, once a year doesn’t typically affect people long term.

Despite this, keeping the many candies around after Halloween can eventually lead to cavities and health problems. This is because excess candy around the house acts as an incentive for people to consume more sugar on a daily basis. However, instead of just throwing out the extra candy, there are other options to benefit the community. For example, some local dentists have been said to exchange money for Halloween treats. Many families also donate their candy to Treats for Troops, an organization that gives candy to people serving in the military. Additionally, people can use the chocolate to bake cookies, or other unique treats. Such recipes can be found on google, social media, and in cookbooks. Overall, while the large sums of candies your family may have collected this year may seem daunting, there are many options regarding its disposal.