Saving 101 Cash for Candy — and 9 Other Ways to Use Your Halloween Loot Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) Written by Mint.com Published Nov 3, 2010 3 min read Advertising Disclosure The views expressed on this blog are those of the bloggers, and not necessarily those of Intuit. Third-party blogger may have received compensation for their time and services. Click here to read full disclosure on third-party bloggers. This blog does not provide legal, financial, accounting or tax advice. The content on this blog is "as is" and carries no warranties. Intuit does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, reliability, and completeness of the content on this blog. After 20 days, comments are closed on posts. Intuit may, but has no obligation to, monitor comments. Comments that include profanity or abusive language will not be posted. Click here to read full Terms of Service. (Photo: terren in Virginia) Had enough Halloween candy yet? It’s about this time each year that Frugal Foodie thinks that if she ever sees another Reese’s peanut butter cup (let alone eats one), it’ll be too soon. No wonder — people eat roughly 24 pounds of candy each year, most of it around Halloween, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. It’s also the top time of year for chocolates, with 90 million pounds sold, according to Nielsen. One way to ditch the excess: donate it. Through November 5, dentists around the country are collecting candy to send to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even sweeter, you’ll get $1 per pound, up to $5 total. Once you’ve reduced your Halloween haul, there are also plenty of ways to re-use and recycle candy in recipes and for other upcoming holidays. Here are nine suggestions: 1. Prepare holiday-inspired Rocky Road bars Frugal Foodie makes Nigella Lawson’s bars year round, subbing in leftovers like cinnamon hearts (Valentine’s Day) and Peeps (Easter). For Halloween, she uses chopped Snickers bars and Rolos. 2. Save them for gingerbread houses The candy is a lot easier to cement to a cardboard base than gingerbread is, says Linda Carlson of Seattle. Her kids reserve the hard candy pieces including mints and Jolly Ranchers. 3. Melt down chocolates for fondue Dip other candy into it, or go for healthier fruit options. 4. Make a wreath Fresh Home magazine suggests using yarn to tie candy to a metal wreath frame (available at craft stores). They prefer using a base of Tootsie Rolls with clusters of Lindt Lindor truffles, but anything that ties easily will work. Add a ribbon bow on top of the wreath, and tie scissors to the back with another piece of ribbon so people can snip off candy (just make sure to secure the wreath out of reach of kids). 5. Pop them in cupcakes Freeze mini candy bars and place one in the middle of each cupcake just before baking. Frugal Foodie uses 3 Musketeers and Milky Way bars in chocolate cupcakes. The candy gets just melty enough that the result is something like a more decadent Hostess cupcake. Alternately, chop the frozen bars and scatter them into cake batter before baking. 6. Sub in for cake decorations Everything from Smarties and Skittles to Hershey’s kisses and Reese’s Pieces make for great decorating tools. 7. Chop and freeze it The American Dietetic Association says the chopped, frozen bits make great ice cream toppings — and will keep for months. 8. Enjoy cookie pizza Make your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, or use store-bought dough. Spread the dough onto a greased round cookie pan so that it is roughly pizza shaped. (Go thinner if you want a crispy “pizza” or thicker if you want one that’s doughier.) Top the baked cookie with a variety of candy (your choice), as well as a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. 9. Try stained glass cookies Save Jolly Ranchers, lollipops and other hard candies to make these iconic holiday cookies. Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she’ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie. Previous Post Dining on a Dime: Halloween Freebies Next Post Can a Fixed-Rate Gas or Electricity Plan Help You Save? Written by Mint.com More from Mint.com Browse Related Articles Mint App News Intuit Credit Karma welcomes all Minters! Retirement 101 5 Things the SECURE 2.0 Act changes about retirement Home Buying 101 What Are Homeowners Association (HOA) Fees and What Do … Financial Planning What Are Tax Deductions and Credits? 20 Ways To Save on… Financial Planning What Is Income Tax and How Is It Calculated? 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