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I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing

Nov 1st 2007Suzanne Enoch
Suzanne EnochMy Life As A Plebe

candy.jpgToday, I’m going to ask for your complete honesty. This, you see, is a serious subject. Yes, we’re going to discuss…candy.

First of all, am I the only one who purchases waaaay more candy than I can possibly hand out for Halloween? I tell myself that I do this so I can give out great handfuls of the stuff to all of the cute ninjas and fairies and X-Men and piratesdead_pirate.jpg. Every year, though, as I notice that my supplies are becoming dangerously… adequate, I’ll start giving out two pieces instead of three. One piece, instead of two. I can’t run out, I tell myself. And then, every year as I judge the hour to be late enough and turn off the lights, I have candy left over.

reeses.jpgAnd then I eat it. By some strange coincidence, the greatest number of “extras”, we’ll call them, are always Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. These are closely followed by Snickers and Milky Way bars. Equally curiously, I never have any sour candies – Skittles, etc. – left. Considering that I don’t particularly like sour candies this is no great hardship, but how strange that they seem to disappear first from my supplies.

Do you regularly run out of candy, or do you seem to have extras by the end of Halloween? candybar.jpgWhich sweets always seem to be available for your eating pleasure? Or are you some of those evil people who give out toothbrushes and dental floss? And tell the truth — do you snitch from your kids’ bags of goodies?

56 Comments »

56 Responses to “I Can’t Believe I Ate the Whole Thing”

  1. Karen Rose on 01 Nov 2007 at 1:02 am #

    This year we have a whole bag of Hersheys miniatures left over - I love the Mr. Goodbars! I can’t buy the Reese’s anymore, Suzanne, because they never make it to Halloween night.

    One year DH intermitently gave out canned goods as a joke (he gave out legit candy, too). The neighborhood kids started fighting over the cans of tuna. I think that’s just weird.

    OF COURSE I SNITCH. In the old days it was under the guise of “Let me check your candy.” Then they wised up and wouldn’t let me check their candy, so I’d just wait until they went to school the next day and outright steal. Now they hide the candy well, but I’m not to be deterred… Otherwise I just get the nasty stuff they don’t want, if I leave it up to the goodness of their black little hearts.

  2. Buffie on 01 Nov 2007 at 5:35 am #

    This year we didn’t actually give out candy. We were at a fall festival at my mother-in-law’s church. But I did buy several bags of candy to use in making goodie bags for my children’s classrooms at school. And yes we seemed to have M&Ms left over. See those are the hubby’s favorite and he has eaten a few bags of them recently :) As for me, the candy doesn’t really get to me. I gave up chocolate 1 1/2 years ago, so it is not a big deal.

  3. Stacy ~ on 01 Nov 2007 at 5:41 am #

    I brought like 10 (!) bags to work, and was surprised I had any left over. But then again, there’s still today…

    I always get the good candy, and before putting it out, I make sure I take a stash for myself. No woman should ever be without chocolate..

  4. Ellen on 01 Nov 2007 at 6:51 am #

    I have a black cauldron filled to the brim with candy. I tell each child to grab as big of a handful as they can manage. This somehow erases the guilt later on when, at 9pm, I flip off the lights with half a cauldron of candy.

  5. Gannon on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:06 am #

    This year I didn’t buy any candy. Since moving to the mountains of NC—we live on 3 acres, so it’s not a real neighborhood per se–the kids go trick or treating in town. All of the businesses downtown give out candy, as do all of the mall stores. Plus, there’s a big costume contest at the mall. That’s where we ended up, and then went out to dinner with friends.

    In the past, I have always bought WAY too much candy, so there would be leftovers to eat. Strangely enough, Suzanne, my leftover candy used to be the same type as yours! I still filch candy from the kids, of course. As much as I miss the leftovers this year, my waistline does not!

  6. Patty L. on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:14 am #

    I am a snitch. I am not to proud to say that I steal all of the chocolate out of my kids bags. They don’t mind, or at least I don’t care if they do. LOL As for having candy left over, we don’t buy it. We live on a back road and we don’t get any trick or treaters.

  7. Bumblebee on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:21 am #

    On the first day after Halloween DH tried to pawn to me:
    One Reeces Peanut Butter Cup (these were in the shape of pumpkins and too good to last).
    On the second day after Halloween DH tried to pawn to me:
    Two Hershey’s Miniatures (the crispy ones), and the Pumpkin-shaped Peanut Butter Cup.
    On the third day after Hallowen, well- the Reeces and Hershey’s are long gone, and only the Starburst Minis will remain. Those usually go off to the kitchen at work, where they join the rest of the candy graveyard of treats which are not tempting enough to eat right away, but too good to toss. Damn that candy graveyard and it’s weak, but constant siren song. It’s embarasing to admit to weight gain from a reluctant over-consumption of Nerds, Tootsie Rolls, and Smarties.
    -Emmie-is that chocolate on your face?-bee

  8. Karen Hawkins on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:37 am #

    Suzie, we are sisters. I ALWAYS do the Candy Dance which is where I buy too much candy and then, if the bowl gets low, I HIDE the Good Ones in the bottom, hoping to have a few left for — ME!

    I loooove Reeses PB Cups, too! My next fave are tiny Snickers. I don’t know why, but they taste better in the bite size and no, eating small ones does not mean I eat less. It doesn’t work that way.

    Btw, did you guys have as many trick or treaters this year? More? Less? It seemed we had less than usual, but perhaps it’s because the kids in my neighborhood are growing up.

  9. Sabrina Jeffries on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:53 am #

    This year, the trick or treaters cleaned me out! I’ve never been so disappointed in my life. They tricked me (they took that tricking thing seriously this year). A slew of them came every few minutes between 6:45 and 7:30, then nothing for 15 minutes, so I thought we were done. With half a bowl left (a many times refilled bowl, I might add). So when the doorbell rang, I told hubby (he’d just gotten home) to give them LOTS of candy. And he did. One round of trick-or-treaters and he got rid of nearly all the candy. Which wasn’t what I meant. Then we had another spate of knocks at the door, at which point, he was reduced to giving out a piece or two of candy, and we were panicking because we had no candy left, and we opened up some boxes of packs of peanut butter crackers to give out as emergency reserves (hubby puts them in his lunch). And voila. No more trick or treaters.

    For the first time EVER, our candy supply ended up matching our demand. Darn!

  10. Sabrina Jeffries on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:53 am #

    Steal candy from my child? Never! Who would do such an awful thing! What’s wrong with you people!

    :-)

  11. Kathy on 01 Nov 2007 at 7:57 am #

    The bag of chocolate didn’t make it to Halloween night, but the replacement bag of suckers, bubble gum, and hard candies made the night and leftovers.
    Seems like Halloween is falling by the wayside in my neighborhood also. Almost half of the houses dark. Hmmm

  12. Lisa H on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:03 am #

    Because I am loser with no self control, I always buy candy I don’t like (licorice, sour balls, tootsie rolls, gummy things)

    I give it out and don’t have to face temptation—untill the children come home.

    Yes, I am a theif of the worst kind, I steal their Reese’s and their Snickers intermittently. My daughter is always like, “Here mom, take what you want.” My son hides his candy!

    Suzanne, how is your neighborhood. Are the fires controlled now?

  13. Karen Rose on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:16 am #

    It’s not really stealing, Sabrina. It’s ensuring they will maintain good dental health. Yeah, that’s the ticket!

  14. Karen Rose on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:17 am #

    Okay, it’s stealing. I still don’t feel guilty. Nice try, though.

  15. DebMarlowe on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:19 am #

    The right to snitch Halloween candy is written into the Parental Code. We have to have something to compensate for those chaotic Christmas Eves.

  16. PJ on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:31 am #

    I have no kiddies to snitch from so I always buy more than I need. Hey, you never know when you might actually need it, right? Well, this year I really did. Drat! Last year we only had 40 kids, down from close to 100 the year before. I think a lot of parents took their kids to the events in town. This year’s bowl had a bag of mini Hershey’s with almonds at the bottom that I was looking forward to “quality testing” afterwards. When I finally turned off the lights at 8:45 there were three rolls of smarties in the bowl. That’s it! They cleaned me out! I even had to pull the “safety valve” bag of Hershey’s out of the freezer! I had 65 trick-or-treaters when I had expected about 30. Oh well, we had a great time, lots of cute kids in creative costumes, very polite, not a single smart aleck in the bunch. They all loved my M&M costume though one little boy wanted to know where the fortune teller was (my 2005 costume). Guess he’d been saving up new questions for her. (wink)

  17. twolilhahas on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:48 am #

    I took my girls to a fall festival/trunk-or-treat thing at a local church last night. We had a great time. They got their little faces painted, got tons of candy and played lots of games.

    And, of course, I fully intend to have some of their candy. Preferably the chocolate kind. :) My girls are still young enough that they like sharing with me. I’m hoping they don’t grow out of that stage. hehe

  18. Julia London on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:49 am #

    Suzie, I am a Reese’s PB cup lover, too! Last night we took little kids around the block–along with thousands of other little kids. And by the time we got back, said goodnight and sent everyone on their way, the whole thing was over. We didn’t have a single trick or treater, so now I have an entire bowl of candy sitting right on my desk.

    I had to move it in case the dogs knocked it over.

  19. Karen Hawkins on 01 Nov 2007 at 9:07 am #

    You know, I could be wrong, but I think that stolen candy from your child’s trick or treat bag tastes BETTER than candy you buy yourself from the store. I don’t know why that is, but it certainly seems so to me!

  20. Caren Crane on 01 Nov 2007 at 9:27 am #

    Of course there are leftovers! First of all, I don’t even pretend to be trying not to eat it, so I only buy my favorites. Okay, sometimes I’ll buy my kids’ favorites, too, but I’m more concerned about me. Second, yes, I snitch from the kids. But this is only after a few days or a week, when our extra candy has run out and I’m suffering Reese’s peanut butter cup DTs.

    Karen H, you have a perfectly valid point. Snitched candy does taste better. I think it’s the taste of the forbidden–yummo!

  21. Caren Crane on 01 Nov 2007 at 9:29 am #

    Twolilhahas, I’m sorry to report that as the kids get older, they will only offer you things they don’t like. Fortunately, I have weird tastes and they throw me things I like: peanut butter chews that pose a threat to fillings and caps; dark chocolate of any kind; hot cinnamon hard candies; tri-colored candy corn; Almond Joys and Mounds. Oh, man, I drooled on my keyboard!

  22. claudia dain on 01 Nov 2007 at 9:30 am #

    After years of trying I still haven’t mastered the ratio of kids to candy. I either have too much or too little. Last night, we had maybe 15 kids come by and now I have a big bowl of candy sitting here, staring at me.

    At least I didn’t run out. I ran out one year and don’t think I’ll ever get over the horror of it. I felt like the worst mommy on the planet, turning candy-seeking kids away from my door. Call Social Services!

  23. claudia dain on 01 Nov 2007 at 9:32 am #

    Candy corn, Caren Crane? Who doesn’t like candy corn? I eat it in tiny bites, one color at a time. I’ve been conducting taste tests for years in this way and I’m pretty sure that each color has a slightly different flavor. The testing must continue, naturally. Scientific accuracy and all that.

  24. Megan on 01 Nov 2007 at 10:03 am #

    Last year was our first year in our house and I ran out of candy. Eek! So this year I went a little overboard, and had hardly any trick-or-treaters. :( I don’t know if it was the weather (it was really cold last night) or what but we had about 1/3 the number of kids as last year. So now I have a huge bowl of candy left and two emergency bags that didn’t get opened.

  25. Caren Crane on 01 Nov 2007 at 10:12 am #

    Claudia, I eat candy corn the same way! I, too, am convinced each color has its own unique flavor. I prefer the orange, brown and white to the orange, yellow and white. I never can decide if the orange or brown part is my favorite. Definitely not the white–it’s just sweet. *g* Hey, maybe we just like candy corn because it has our favorite colors (well, except that pesky white..).

  26. cail on 01 Nov 2007 at 10:18 am #

    as a kid, directly after trick or treating, my brother and i sorted our candy and set up trades. he always got all the butterfingers and i got all the mounds bars. we then each put about 1/3 of our candy into a bag for our neighbor to bring to the childrens cancer ward at the hosiptal that our neighbor worked at.

    after that, my parents would go through our ‘reject piles’ to see which they wanted.

    Neither of us liked Mary Janes.

    (i’ve just eatten about 15 mini milky ways, from the bag of left overs from my party this weekend, my coworker expressed his astonishment that I am thin.)

    (candy corn is one of the best creations ever. i made a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting (orange via food coloring) then decorated it with candy corn in the shape of a carved pumpkin.)

  27. Margaret on 01 Nov 2007 at 10:41 am #

    You all are cracking me up today. My kids used to get together with a few friends apres T&T. They would spread their hauls all over the den floor and commence to trading. You think a horse trader is sharp? Try kids trading Halloween candy.

    Did anyone notice Buffie say she gave up chocolate some time back? Is this legal? If it is, I say it behooves the rest of us to eat more chocolate to make up for her deficit.

    BTW, I live about 30 minutes (or less if I speed) from Heshey and the chcolate factory. Who needs Willie Wonka?

  28. Suzanne Enoch on 01 Nov 2007 at 10:52 am #

    Yes, I saw the Buffie giving-up-chocolate comment. I figured she must be playing a trick on us. *g*

    Lisa H, the fires are all nearly contained now — thanks for asking. Of course the Santa Ana’s are supposed to kick up again tomorrow, so everybody’s got their fingers crossed.

    I am so hung-over from chocolate. My 5-year-old nephew actually said to me, “Aunt Suz, I got two Reese’s. One of them is for you.” I did tell him he didn’t need to do that, but omg it was good. *gg*

  29. Buffie on 01 Nov 2007 at 11:44 am #

    Sorry ladies, no trick — I did give up chocolate. Actually, I gave up all caffeine. It was a health related decision. I have to say that I was one of those people who didn’t go a day without chocolate, who thought people who didn’t eat it were crazy. But my mind was changed for me. So now I’ll eat just about anything with peanut butter and/or bananas.

  30. colinfirthfan on 01 Nov 2007 at 12:17 pm #

    I bought 2 giant bags of candy and there is more that half still left over. Normally I give out a big handful each. This year my DH just offered the bowl to the kids and most of them just took 1 or 2 and left. I actually called a kid back and told him to take a few more milk duds. :-)

    I am taking all the left over candy to donate to my nieces and nephews when I go visit my brother and sister :-)

    I picked through the kids candy and put all the ones that they’d eat into ziploc bags. I was left with Reese, Mr Goodbar (I love them) and M & M peanuts (love them too) Reeses went back into the candy to donate and I kept the Goodbars and peanut M & Ms (which I finished last night)

  31. Laura on 01 Nov 2007 at 12:21 pm #

    But chocolate, especially *dark* chocolate is ***good*** for you!

  32. Karen Hawkins on 01 Nov 2007 at 12:24 pm #

    (in Homer Simpson voice) Reeses . . . uhmmmmmmmm!

  33. twolilhahas on 01 Nov 2007 at 12:55 pm #

    Chocolate is good for me! lol Nothing stops PMS psycho moments like a chocolate bar.

  34. Ann in IL on 01 Nov 2007 at 1:28 pm #

    I have waaaayyy too much candy left. Only 8 kids came last night. A record low for my area.

    Luckily, my boss told us if we had any leftover candy to leave it on his desk. He’s in for a BIG shock tomorrow because we are going to cover his desk.

    I buy candy that I would never consider eating, that way I behave.

  35. Lisa H on 01 Nov 2007 at 1:34 pm #

    I heard the funniest comment on the Today Show yesterday. They were talking about an upcoming segment which would discuss the amount of calories in a “Fun Size” Bar, which is what the kids generally receive.

    Al Roker said, “My idea of a fun size is a 5lb bar!”

    I’m with you Al!

  36. goddess2574 on 01 Nov 2007 at 1:58 pm #

    I LOVE the Snickers. I ate 4 fun size when I got home from work. What a bump I am today!!! I promise myself I will do good every year and every year I let myself down. I am just so bad about picking at the candy dish as I go by it.

  37. Ronlyn on 01 Nov 2007 at 1:59 pm #

    I buy candy that I don’t like for this very reason. so, this year I handed out peanut M&Ms and ORANGE (yes, orange) kit kats. I typically like kit kats, but I refuse to eat something that is neon orange.

  38. Sabrina Jeffries on 01 Nov 2007 at 2:02 pm #

    Ann, I had 8 kids come AT ONE TIME last night. I would swear we got 40 or 50 trick-or-treaters at least.

    I used to sort my son’s candy for him–he didn’t like anything back then but straight chocolate, so I took all the Reese’s, Almond Joys, Mounds, Mr. Goodbars … anything that had nuts and wasn’t straight chocolate. He still doesn’t eat nuts (and if something has nuts in it, he will SUCK OFF ALL THE CHOCOLATE, leaving the sucked nuts lying everywhere–yuck), so I still can take those, but he’s broadened his other candy likes, and eats just about anything that either straight hard candy or straight chocolate.

  39. Sabrina Jeffries on 01 Nov 2007 at 2:05 pm #

    But actually, now he’s really too big to trick or treat. I let him go with his caregiver until he was 18 because a) he didn’t go at all when he was young–he didn’t understand that he wasn’t supposed to enter people’s houses when they opened the doors, and b) in his head he was still 5. But even though he’s still about 10 in his head, I feel a little funny about sending a bearded 300 lb., 6-ft. 19-year-old around in a costume to trick-or-treat, even if it IS obvious to people that he’s mentally and developmentally disabled. So no more candy for him. Or me. Sigh.

    He sure looked cute in his costume, though–he had chaps he wore over black shirt and pants, a silver sheriff’s star, and a cowboy hat (that’s the most costume he’ll tolerate). SOOO cute! Especially with the beard. :-)

  40. twolilhahas on 01 Nov 2007 at 3:27 pm #

    You know, I keep walking around all day saying, “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.” Just like in the commercial. It’s totally stuck in my head. lol Thanks.

  41. Santa on 01 Nov 2007 at 3:30 pm #

    Of course I buy too much candy and then ration it out to the little darlings. Between that stash and the candy my cherubs bring in we are up to our necks in candy. Chocolate for my DH and junk candy for me. Oh, and two or three pieces each for the cherubs. That’s fair, don’t you think?

    Truthfully, a majority of the candy goes to my husband’s office to the community candy dish.

    And for the past two years our school has been collecting any hard candy for a program called ‘Treats for Troops’. They send over the hard candy kids have gotten for Halloween to troops all over the world. We live right across the river from West Point and the fife and drum band there promised to play in the Spring for the kids if they surpass the amount collected last year (495 lbs.). I cheated this year and bought one of those huge bags of Jolly Ranchers (one of my favs) so we can up the ante!

  42. colinfirthfan on 01 Nov 2007 at 3:41 pm #

    I have already planned on what I am eating tonight. 1 Mr. Goodbar and 1 Almond joy.
    Hopefully I will stop with that.

  43. Judy F on 01 Nov 2007 at 3:50 pm #

    I never have any trick or treaters. I used to go over my sisters but her kids are all too old now. But I had those kids trained. I would come over during Halloween and they would save me my favorites. Are they great kids or what…

  44. Suzanne Enoch on 01 Nov 2007 at 4:23 pm #

    In my attempt to be good this year, I even gave out candy to the teenagers who showed up at the door without a costume on — just a pillow case begging to be fed. And I STILL have candy left over.

    Hey, I think the UPS guy’s coming today. I’ll give him some. Not the Reese’s, though.

  45. Chantal on 01 Nov 2007 at 5:02 pm #

    We handed out mini play doh and mars bars.
    I never eat the chocolate because I am allergic. I do steal all of the fuzzy peaches though. Mmmm
    We don’t get many kids. Many 10 or so.

  46. Marie on 01 Nov 2007 at 5:51 pm #

    Suzanne I officially hate you. If I ate all my left over candy I would turn into a blimp. We have a lot of candy left. A lot. Chocolate, suckers and such. Now this wouldn’t usually be a problem, but I am working on Nano and what self-deserving author can resist candy when it is at arms length and you don’t have time for actual food.

    I hate deadlines. That is the only good thing about not being published yet.

  47. Ann in IL on 01 Nov 2007 at 5:56 pm #

    My sister called to tell me that 30 kids in her area went to the hospital last night. They all had Pop Rock candy that was laced with crystal meth. Lord! Trick or Treating in the 21st century !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  48. Suzanne Enoch on 01 Nov 2007 at 6:07 pm #

    Marie, don’t hate me — I’m just the messenger, bringing the serious issue of leftover candy to everyone’s attention. *g*

    And Ann, that’s awful! I can’t fathom the people who would do something like that.

  49. Aspen on 01 Nov 2007 at 8:52 pm #

    Suzanne E
    I am sorry to learn you live by one of the many areas effected by the fires. I hope you and your loved ones are doing well. I’ll keep you and everyone effected by those fires in my prayers.
    Candy? What candy?
    I had to bring the leftovers (which there were tons) to classes today. Sugar always makes a boring lecture sweeter.
    Love,
    Aspen

  50. doglady on 01 Nov 2007 at 11:57 pm #

    Sabrina, I don’t have any children but I feel that God only gives a wonderful child like your son to people who have a deep appreciation of joy. The difficulties are there, I’m sure, but the sight of your son, even at his age, enjoying Halloween would bring me great joy. It would make me smile. I firmly believe that is his purpose, to remind world-weary people of the wonders of childhood, the profound depths of love and the magic in this world that can be seen and experienced through the eyes of someone whose vision is uncluttered by the learned complications of adulthood. He can trick or treat in my neighborhood anytime.

    Actually, he would get quite a haul here. I buy candy like I live in the suburbs. I actually live on five acres in the middle of nowhere. There are about a dozen kids in the area who know where I live AND they know I only buy the good stuff - Reese’s Cups, Milky Ways, Three Musketeers, Hershey Kisses, etc. Once those kids have come by the house and seen Frodo in his

  51. doglady on 01 Nov 2007 at 11:58 pm #

    pirate costume (my chihuahua) and Adelaide in her princess costume (my dachshund) then all of the leftover candy is MINE! MINE! MINE!!!

  52. Laurie G on 02 Nov 2007 at 5:30 am #

    I buy M&M’s snack size. I swear I could eat them all day long. We had tons of kids this year. Surprising as it was very windy with the threat of rain! Lot’s of parents were dressed up too. I never run out because I get ALL the extras and I make sure that I buy plenty!!

  53. SuzyQ on 02 Nov 2007 at 8:02 am #

    I always buy way to much candy and this year was no different. I had about half the kids I had last year so you can imagine what’s left. I only buy the candy I like too - Reeses and Mounds. BTW they are great in the refridgerator!

  54. Debbie on 05 Nov 2007 at 1:06 am #

    We only get my 3 grandchildren and 3 nieces. No other kids. Then why did I buy 4 bags of candy? So the dh and I could eat it…plus I bought a ton of half price candy the next day and froze it. I am in serious trouble…;-)

  55. EllenElyse on 05 Nov 2007 at 8:55 pm #

    hahahaha!! :) I love this topic! :) I’m terrible. I actually leave a little bit in each bag for my husband and I to eat! I justify it by thinking that, “We don’t get to trick or treat anymore.” :) Then, I hit the after halloween sales. :) I’m really bad. Just got two bags today for 75 cents. :) heehee! All chocloate of course! :)

  56. EllenElyse on 05 Nov 2007 at 8:57 pm #

    P.S… this on top of the two bags I got yesterday. :) And the leftover candy from Halloween :) Ummmm….