What Are We Supposed To Do With All This Candy… And How Long Will It Last?

One of the funny quirks about my son is that he really doesn't like to eat, well, anything. I don't mean fruits and vegetables (although he won't eat them either), but he won't even eat cake, donuts, cookies, candy... you name it.

This makes for a kind of weird sugar-limbo on Halloween. Of course, being six years old, he wants to go trick or treating with the neighborhood kids and collect all the candy he can. At the same time, we are never sure what to do with his pretty massive candy haul.

Sure, dad will eat most some of it, but dad is old and probably shouldn't consume four metric tons of sugar if he wants to see his 50th birthday. Throwing it out seems irrational, and we don't really have anyone else in mind to give it to outside of the vultures here at work (I mean that in a good way, coworkers... you guys are COOL vultures).

It seems like every year I hear second-hand rumors about various dentists and doctors who will take your candy, but I don't think I've ever actually seen it advertised directly, it's always been word-of-mouth based.

HOW LONG WILL IT LAST? 

As it turns out, the candy itself can last for a long time on the shelf according to the New York Post.

Chocolate (wrapped) - up to a year or two years for dark chocolate.

Candy Corn - 3-6 months at room temperature, with an unopened package lasting nine months.

Gummy Candy - 6 months to a year in a cool, dry place.

Sour candy - Up to a year if unopened

Hard Candy - anywhere from a year to FOREVER, depending who you ask.