If you’ve hit the abundant Halloween clearance sales around town, you’ve most likely picked up a mound of clearance candy. After all, it can be hard to resist dirt cheap prices on super cheap candy!
Clearance Halloween candy is usually a pretty great deal. You can put it out to give guests something to nibble on before and after Thanksgiving dinner. If the packaging is “holiday neutral”, meaning no skeletons or ghosty faces, super cheap candy also makes great stocking stuffers and even – dare I say it? – Easter candy!
If you plan to use your sweet bounty throughout the year, though, you’ll need to store candy properly.
Check the Sell By Date
When you buy super cheap clearance candy, make sure you check the sell by date or best by date. This is the date that stores must stop selling the candy or the date when the quality of the candy may begin to decline. If the date isn’t as far into the future as you want, never fear! Chances are your goodies will last several months after this date, and if you store candy properly it will still taste as delicious as the day you brought it home. Most candy will store for a year or more with no ill effects.
Store Candy in a Cool Dry Place
Two of candy’s worst enemies are heat and moisture. Heat can cause chocolate to melt, and moisture can break down the candy. Make sure you store candy in a cool dry place for the long term storage. It’s not recommended to store candy in the refrigerator or freezer. It really won’t prolong the life of the candy much, and the humidity can degrade the quality of the candy.
Use a Vacuum Sealer
I’ve heard about some people who actually store candy by vacuum sealing it in heavy duty mason jars. I’m sure this does help some candies last for years and years, but who are we kidding? Unless I’m adding it to your apocalypse prepper stash, there’s no way candy will be safe in my house for years! If you want to use this method to store candy, though, leave it in its original package and use a vacuum sealer. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can use a large resealable plastic bag and suck the air out through a small opening with a straw before sealing.
Hide It!
Out of sight, out of mind! If you have a specific purpose for your clearance sweets, make sure you store it out of the way. If it’s out in the open, it’s easily seen and more often than not the candy will be gobbled up before the next holiday. The top shelf on a closet, under the bed, or with your Christmas supplies are all decent places to store candy. If you’re worried about critters getting into your stash in the basement or attic, seal them in a heavy duty plastic tub before storage.
