Hate that you have buckets of Halloween candy, but feel guilty about throwing it in the trash? Here’s some ideas for what to do with your Halloween stash.

1.  Last year I suggested you make Candy Bar Smoothies or Candy Bar Stuffed Baked Applies in Trick or treat – what to do with all that leftover candy.
2. Call your local food bank and see if they’ll take it. While we can all agree candy is hardly nutritious, everyone likes a treat once in awhile.
3. CDKitchen has some great ideas like Butterfinger Trifle
4. Squidoo’s ideas for leftover candy are Apple Candy Bar Salad, Butterfinger Layer Cake, Candy Bar Cookies, and Homemade Fudge. Can’t you feel your rear end getting bigger by the second?
5. Parenthood.com has 10 ideas of their own. I love the idea of freezing it and then saving it to use on gingerbread houses at Christmas.
6. Anyone you know hosting a birthday party? Donate it for goodie bags. Or save it for your child’s next holiday party at school.
7. Families.com suggests chopping up the candy and combining it with ice cream for an ice cream pie. Why not use the candy as a “mix in” like at those fancy ice cream shops. Make sure the ice cream is a little bit melted – zapping it in the microwave for 10 seconds helps – before trying it out.
8. Lela Davidson at HubPages suggest sending the candy to soldiers in Iraq. Have the kids send some homemade cards and pictures along with your gift. Another idea is contacting your local military base or VA hospital and ask if you can make wounded vets some candy goodie bags.
9. Bring it to work (or send it with your spouse to work). The office vultures will take care of it in no time.
10. The Portsmouth Herald has a list of suggestions and recipes. I really like this one for Milky Way Pain Au Chocolat.

Milky Way Pain Au Chocolat
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients for the pain au chocolat:

1.  2 (2.5-ounce) Milky Way bars
2. 1 container refrigerated rolls

Ingredients for the glaze:

1. ½ cup chocolate chips (use chopped up plain chocolate bars)
2. 1 tablespoon milk
3. 1 tablespoon butter

Directions for the pain au chocolate:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Chop the candy bars into ¼-inch slices.
3. Break open the crescent roll container. The dough will be in 2 halves. Unroll dough and divide on the middle partition, taking care not to tear the diagonal perforations. There will be 4 rectangles of dough.
4. Place all 4 rectangles of dough on the cookie sheet with the narrower edges toward you.
5. Sprinkle ¼ cup of chopped candy bars on top of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch border on both sides and a 1-inch border on the end furthest from you.
6. Roll up the dough like a sleeping bag, beginning with the edge closest to you. If the diagonal perforations tear when rolling, gently pinch them together.
7. Repeat with the remaining 3 rectangles.
8. Space the pains au chocolat 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, or until golden.

Directions for the glaze:

1. In a double boiler over medium heat, melt the chocolate chips, butter and milk, and stir until smooth.
2. Drizzle over the pain au chocolate and serve warm.

Per serving: 520 calories (51 percent from fat), 30 grams total fat (12 grams saturated), 14 milligrams cholesterol, 58 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 570 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Like what you see? Subscribe to My Readable Feast for updates!