I have some….shall we say, issues with candy corn.
One whiff of those syrupy-sweet kernels and most people feel sick. Me? I eat them until I get sick. My friends know this about me, so over the years they’ve given me assorted paraphernalia: candy corn stickers, candy corn earrings, candy corn socks. They think it’s funny. And I guess it is. Kind of.
As anyone with this kind of food trigger knows, it’s a drag to feel so helpless. How many times do I have to suffer through the Harvest Mix high-blood-sugar-sweats before I learn?
And like any obsessive, I have my own, ahem, “quirky” ways of eating it.
It’s yummy like this:
This tastes good too:
And these are excellent palate cleansers.
Thankfully, the good stuff—Brach’s “Made With Real Honey” corn, not the chalky generic brand—is only available about two months out of the year. It’s mid-October and I’ve only gone through two bags. This is an achievement.
If you’re looking for ways to control the candy chaos for you and your little hobgoblins, here’s my five-step, no-fail Halloween plan. It worked remarkably well last year, so I plan to follow it again.
Step 1: With the exception of my recent purchase of candy corn (which I had to buy for research purposes), I don’t pick up our trick-or-treat candy until a day or two before the big night. And I try very, very hard to buy something I don’t really enjoy (like Snickers, which I could take or leave).
Step 2: I feed my kids dinner before they go trick-or-treating so they’re not facing down a bucket of fun-size Butterfingers on an empty stomach.
Step 3: I give them free reign (oh yes, free reign) over their stash during and after trick-or-treating. So if you find a miniature Darth Vader and Yoda in wild-eyed sugar comas–with chocolate-coated chins, clutching Smarties in each sticky mitt–they belong to me and must’ve wandered away.
Step 4: When the feeding frenzy has ended, I ask them to choose 3-5 of their favorites–then leave the rest on the dining room table for the Switch Witch (who a neighbor introduced me to a few years ago). While they’re sleeping, the Witch takes their candy and replaces it with…an amazing toy! Which they love far more than a bucket of sugar.
Step 5: I pull out a few of my own faves and send the rest with my husband to his workplace.
Then I breathe a massive sigh of relief as the shelves of delicious candy corn at Target are cleared away to make room for…red and green peanut M&Ms.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the switch witch idea! Sounds like you have a Borderline Personality Disorder relationship with candy corn (“I hate you . . . Don’t leave me!”)
I too love candy corn. My favorite? Eating it with peanuts – unsalted or honey roasted for fun. DELISH if you haven’t tried it.
I am so glad to know that I am not the only one who is in love with candy korns. It’s my secret addiction this time of year.
Love it… Fantastic Switch Witch, I am brainstorming a good toy now… : ) Candy corn is a downfall in our world as well… : ) Good luck!!!
Nice to hear that other people share the random love for candy corn!
Jill: Good luck with the Switch Witch. The trick is to get the toy ahead of time so you’re not at Target at 10pm on Halloween night (like my husband was last year)!
I have the same relationship with robin eggs come Easter! I used to try to limit myself to a three robin eggs a day, but that did not usually work so instead my husband has to hide the bag and dole them out to me so I won’t make myself sick.
Also like the Switch Witch idea- very creative! Do you kids ever get bummed out when their classmates have Halloween candy in their lunch and they don’t?
That’s a good question. My son was fine with it last year (not having candy in his lunchbox). I’m sure he’ll handle any inadequacies he may feel over not having candy by boasting about his new Star Wars action figure that the Switch Witch brought him!
Sweet strategy, Sally. We got another great way to keep the neighborhood kiddos tricked out with treats this year…
SCARROTS.
They’re individual bags of baby carrots in spooky Halloween packaging, complete with jokes and glow-in-the-dark temporary tattoos. You can scare some up at Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons and other grocers nationwide. Plus there’s plenty to play with at http://www.babycarrots.com.
Happy Halloween!
Baby Carrots
I really like the switch witch idea. They still enjoy the fun of trick-or-treating, eating tons of candy, but are rewarded for giving it up too. I will have to try this when my little guy gets old enough to fully enjoy Halloween!
I love the switch witch idea!! I told my husband about it and he thought it was brilliant! We may just have to do that this year!!
While I love candy corns, by biggest problem is actually Cadburry Eggs at Easter time! I love them!
I am a massive Brach’s candy corn addict. I used to limit myself to 2 bags of clearanced bliss, and eat it in about a week or less. ICK! Doesn’t take much of that stuff now to make me feel ill. Hate to say it, but I still indulge.
It’s true, with peanuts it takes like a PayDay candy bar. I try not to consume as much by mixing it with peanuts and air popped popcorn or even some salted almonds and the bite-sized, plain Shredded Wheat.
I am with you on candy corn! I love it – but I unintentionally found a fix this year. Someone put cinnamon candy corn in with the regular stuff. I am not a fan of cinnamon and it’s a taste/smell/essence that sticks. A couple pieces of tainted candy corn and I’ve all but lost the hankering.
Love your healthy ideas for a happy holiday at home. We came up with some healthy ideas for trick or treat healthy treats to give away to help share the healthy holiday attitude with the whole ‘hood.
http://melaniescorner.com/2011/10/18/healthy-alternatives-halloween-treats/
So good to meet another candy corn addict! I also can’t stop eating those big orange marshmallows called Circus Peanuts which 99% of the population think are disgusting, but the other 1% of ours wish we could eat all of theirs!
Aviva, I love circus peanuts too!!!! We must have the same unfortunate gene mutation that leads us both to prefer this stuff. Thanks for reading!
Melanie, thanks for sharing your ideas. I love the idea of giving out coins. I think the older kids especially would be into that. Thanks for reading my blog!
I also eat myself sick on candy corn! Plus it gives me mouth ulcers, but I just can’t stop eating it.
But it’s only my second favorite holiday candy. The number one position goes to the cringey-sweet Cadbury eggs.
Robin, sadly I have eaten candy corn until I felt pretty gross as well! And I love Cadbury eggs too. We have high tolerances for sweetness, apparently. Most people find candy corn and Cadbury eggs way too sticky sweet. Thanks for the comment!
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