Throwing candy away

[aspenleaves]

So I have read in several threads about how others 'do' candy at Halloween or at other times. It is so interesting to read about others ways. I always learn so much.

Anyway, I am trying not to be too judgemental in any of my friendships and acquaintences but one friend recently told me that she allows her children to eat all the candy they want on Halloween night and then they throw it away.

I found myself being so irritated by this. Like why even trick or treat? Why wouldn't you let your children (ages 11 - 5) eat more of the candy on a different day?

What do you think?

[Peony]

We don't throw it away the next day but we do keep it in the house for a couple days and then it disappears to Dh's office. The kids don't miss it, and they get of fun of trick or treating.

[JL83]

I think it's horrible to throw out the candy. I think it teaches children a very bad message about it being OK to be greedy and then just discard.

It makes me so mad when people do that. If you don't want your kids to have alot of candy, then don't let them go out trick-or-treating. It's really not hard.

[aprons_and_acorns]

I don't understand throwing it in the garbage. I imagine most people know someone who would enjoy having it. I've heard of some people letting their children eat as much as they want on Halloween night and then having them put the rest out to be swapped in the night for a little non-candy gift. Tooth-fairy style. But I don't think they threw the leftovers in the trash can, I assumed they gave it away to someone.

We just eat the candy over here. We pretty much love candy, especially me

[just_lily]

I think it is really rude to the people who paid good money to give out candy to trick or treaters to have it only go into the garbage. Some people have to scrimp in other areas to pay for candy to give out (where I used to live we would get 200 kids!) and to have it just go into the garbage is such a waste.

[momoftworedheads]

Originally Posted by aspenleaves

So I have read in several threads about how others 'do' candy at Halloween or at other times. It is so interesting to read about others ways. I always learn so much.

Anyway, I am trying not to be too judgemental in any of my friendships and acquaintences but one friend recently told me that she allows her children to eat all the candy they want on Halloween night and then they throw it away.

I found myself being so irritated by this. Like why even trick or treat? Why wouldn't you let your children (ages 11 - 5) eat more of the candy on a different day?

What do you think?

I think this is just sad. Give the candy away or give it to those who will eat it. Throwing it away is just teaching them such negative things. Like it is ok to be greedy and wasteful. My kids eat some of their candy and then Daddy takes the rest to work to eat.

take care!

[OGirlieMama]

That's really wasteful and sad. I wonder how they've managed to not have the kids rebel, too. I'd probably have taken it out of the trash in the middle of the night!

The past 2 years my kids were young enough that they ate some candy that night and forgot all about it afterwards. But no way did we toss it. Well, actually, my husband and I tossed most of it - in our mouths. This year I imagine will be a different story, and I think it's a great opportunity to teach them about moderation. A little binge on Halloween night for sure, and then 1-2 pieces as a treat here and there until it's gone.

[JL83]

Originally Posted by OGirlieMama

That's really wasteful and sad. I wonder how they've managed to not have the kids rebel, too. I'd probably have taken it out of the trash in the middle of the night!

I had a good friend in grade 7 who only took home about 1/2 her candy. She knew her mom was going to make her get rid of 1/2 of what she took home. Then I took the other half to school the next day and she kept it there until it was gone.

[shepremiers]

I have a 5 year old and now a 10 month old. We will pig out on Halloween night and then use the rest as treats for lunch boxes and after school snacks. With me around it won't last too long anyway!

[lolar2]

OMG Why isn't she sending it to me?????

[kcstar]

I've known several coworkers who bring it in to the office a day or a few after Halloween.

I know my parents would always have us throw away the candy cigarettes. There might have been one or two other things they were absolutely opposed to, but not much. We'd always sort out and toss the ones where the wrappers weren't secure, but that's mostly due to urban legends.

I'm sort of in the "wasteful" camp, except it does remind me of the cafeteria on campus: dessert portions would be way more than I wanted/needed, so I learned to take a few bites, and when I was full toss the rest. But I didn't have any way to "take out" or save those. Candy's different, it doesn't really go bad.

[Drummer's Wife]

I can't imagine getting that much extra candy! Maybe we don't trick or treat for long enough, but we never have, like, pillowcases full.

ETA: I would say on average, our Halloween candy lasts 2 weeks, if that.

[Tigerchild]

It doesn't bother me.

When I hand out candy, to be honest, as long as it's not illegal I really couldn't care less about what people do with it. I just love to see all the sweet kiddos in their costumes. If throwing out the candy after allowing a pig out is the compromise the parents have come to (vs. not allowing their children to go at all!) then that's fine with me.

I think most multinational corporation candy is already pretty much a waste anyway.

Will some kids rebel? Of course. Some kids always rebel in all situations. Some of these kids might decide that their children will receive NO candy and hand out broccoli at Halloween. Some kid who never got to T&T might grow up to become the CEO of Nestle or Hershey's.

Most people I know only allow the kids to keep half, or only keep it around for a few days and then take it to an office, or have the 'halloween fairy' take all of the candy that night (except for the handpicked selection, to fill a cup or something small, that the child decides to keep) and leaves a toy or a book in the place of it.

For a long time DH didn't work at an office and I was a SAHM with lot of young non-schooled children--I dumped the candy because I am a compulsive overeater and I didn't want to deal with a huge binge and then all the shredding of myself that I do when that happens. My kids didn't really care, they lost interest after the first 3 days anyway.

[Pkutniewski]

I'll be the lone dissenter here.

Originally Posted by JL83

I think it's horrible to throw out the candy. I think it teaches children a very bad message about it being OK to be greedy and then just discard.

It makes me so mad when people do that. If you don't want your kids to have alot of candy, then don't let them go out trick-or-treating. It's really not hard.

So our kids who can't have a lot of candy should go without trick-or-treating, is that what you are saying? I think that keeping my kids from enjoying a fun day that most of their friends enjoy would be far more cruel than just tossing most of the candy when they aren't looking. I toss it because, realistically, WHO am I supposed to give it to? None of the people I hang out with eat anything that has HFCS or artificial anything in it and I don't have the time to drop off a few pounds of candy at a shelter. I do not even know if they would take loose candy such as it is. My DS is quite sensitive to food containing artificial colorings and flavorings so we absolutely must keep his consumption down or he is an absolute wreck. I see nothing at all wrong in letting him enjoy dressing up and going door-to-door. As for the PP who spoke of paying good money for candy why does it matter to you what is done with it after you have GIVEN IT AWAY? Honestly, it makes no sense to be insulted by something that you have given to a child to do with as they please. they may dislike the kind of candy given to them and throw it out anyway. Would that be any different?

[JL83]

Originally Posted by Pkutniewski

So our kids who can't have a lot of candy should go without trick-or-treating, is that what you are saying?

Yes.

There are plenty of non-candy alternatives for celebrating Halloween. Many neighborhoods or communities have parties. You can throw a party with limited candy.

Your kid can go out trick-or-treating and simply not have a pillow but still have a blast with his friends.

Taking candy knowing you are going to throw it away is greedy and wasteful.

[AbbieB]

Are we seriously saying that it is wasteful to throw out candy? How exactly is candy something that is useful?

I would say at least half of our Halloween candy gets tossed. Some because DD opens it, tastes it, and spits it out. Some because there is no way I want her eating it. And the rest because it's been a few weeks and we really don't need all this candy in the house. Plus all the good stuff gets gobbled up pretty fast so why clutter up the kitchen with the stuff no one really likes.

I also find that DD's ability to carry and interest in trick-or-treating seems to equal a reasonable haul anyway.

[Vermillion]

Yikes! I can't believe people actually do this. Not only do I feel like it's greedy and wasteful as others have mentioned, but the whole eat as much as you want on one night only seems like setting kids up to have issues with binge eating.

[Pkutniewski]

Originally Posted by JL83

Yes.

There are plenty of non-candy alternatives for celebrating Halloween. Many neighborhoods or communities have parties. You can throw a party with limited candy.

Your kid can go out trick-or-treating and simply not have a pillow but still have a blast with his friends.

Taking candy knowing you are going to throw it away is greedy and wasteful.

Wow. I can't imagine telling a 5 year old "here honey, let's go door-to-door and say trick or treat and NOT take their stuff"! As for being greedy and wasteful what exactly are we wasting here? It's junk food. Not steak. There is no "starving kids who would love to have it" guilt attached to junk food. I don't know a single person who isn't wasteful with most things. Anyone who produces more than that one tiny bag of garbage that couple made a documentary of, is wasteful to an nth degree comparatively speaking. Those that don't recycle are wasteful, those that do not reuse what they can are wasteful but throwing out junk food to me, is not wasteful. Nor is it greed. We don't go to to other neighborhoods to see how much candy we can get. We stay in our 24 house development and see our own neighbors. I see no greed whatsoever about it.

[sunshadow]

My daughter is only 2 so we haven't faced this yet, but I've heard of saving some of the candy in the freezer and then using it in Christmas cookies.

Growing up I had full control of my candy and I pretty much ate it all in a day or two. I have always been healthy and never had any weight issues, so I don't know why it's that terrible to just let them have their candy. I don't know if in reality I could let my child down a bag full of candy though, but that's because I don't want to deal with her sugar crash!

*eta* I kind of think it's wasteful to throw it out too, but only because I really could have eaten all those kit kats I handed out myself! (but that's the inner child talking!)

[lilyka]

actually reading stuff like this on mothering for the last few years is why I don't give anything out. candy is bad. trinkets are bad. good grief...why bother if every little gift is just going to go in the garbage?