The costumes are ready and the kids can’t wait to get their Halloween treats! Here are my tricks for managing tomorrow’s candy stash.

1. Sort it out. When the kids get back from trick-or-treating, sort though all of the candy and get rid of the ones that are opened, unwrapped or look a little sketchy.

2. Decide on a reasonable limit. If you have young kids, perhaps 1- 2 small treats is a fair amount to enjoy and celebrate the evening. Even better, offer the treats with a glass of milk or hot chocolate. For older kids and tweens, a more realistic amount might be 3-4 small treats that evening. Remind them to floss and brush before bedtime too.

3. Ration out the treats. Talk to your kids about how much and how often they can enjoy the remaining treats. You might tuck in one small treat in their lunchbox a few times next week, or offer a small treat after dinner. Always try to offer the Halloween treat as part of a healthy snack or meal.

4. Be creative with the extras. Use leftover candies for baking or for your kids’ crafts. Donate the extra candy or look for a local agency or dentist’s office that may “buy back” the candy from you. After a couple of weeks when the excitement settles, hide the candy – out of sight, out of mind! If you have preschool boys, throw a coloured candy in the toilet and let them use it for target practice during toilet training! (Blue Smarties worked for us!)

5. Get in some good family time. Carve the pumpkin together. Scoop out the pumpkin seeds and bake them with a sprinkle of salt. Don an awesome Halloween costume and head outside for some fresh air with your kids. It’s a great chance to meet and greet your neighbours.

Happy Halloween!