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Charlie & Debbie

National Candy Day And What’s Most Popular In The Carolinas

Author Debbie Nance

National Candy Day is November 4th this year. What’s your favorite candy, and how does it compare to the most popular treats in the Carolinas? Well, let’s take a look at the history of the day and what we love to snack on.

National Candy Day

According to nationaldaycalendar.com, Middle English first used the word ‘candy’ in the late 13th century. The word has old French and Persian roots borrowed from ‘cane sugar.’ And, today we use it to describe any number of sugary confections.

But, because sugar was not always available in the early days, candies of yesteryear were often made with honey. And, the first candies were medicinal for digestion or sore throats. But, typically you only found them in candy dishes of the wealthy. So, I guess if your grandmother had those Werther’s or the strawberry wrapped hard candies, she was doing ok. LOL.

One of my favorite notable candy dates in history was in 1897 when, reportedly, William Morrison and John C. Wharton invented the first cotton candy machine. However, they called it ‘Fairy Floss.’ And, that leads us into some of the most popular candy inventions.

M&M’s, which are one of South Carolina most popular candies as we celebrate National Candy Day, have been around since just after the Spanish Civil War. And, they were given to American soldiers serving in WWII as part of their rations.

And, another of the most unforgettable candies as we look back on National Candy Day, is the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. Along with Snickers, Reese’s tops the list of favorites in North Carolina. Hershey’s first made these delightful treats in 1928. I can’t imagine a world where Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups didn’t exist. It’s the most perfect combination.

So, if you have some leftover Halloween candy, celebrate National Candy Day. Or, pick up a snack at the grocery register!

Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.

Leftover Halloween Candy-What To Do With It

Leftover Halloween candy…what to do with it. You can certainly freeze chocolate treats to use at Thanksgiving or Christmas. But, there has to be a creative way to “upcycle” it for future uses. Despite all the trick-or-treating, Halloween is just one of the holidays we spend the most on seasonal chocolate. Also near the top is Easter. However, the day of the year with the most over all candy sales is October 28. And, the top 5 candy selling days are in October. And, according to stats I found, candy corn is a top seller. It’s hard to believe since I hear a lot of candy corn bashing. Maybe people buy it to use decoratively or to give to people as a gag gift.  Regardless, I am one of the few who actually like candy corn.  I said what I said.  LOL.  Other top sellers include Reese’s, Snickers, Kit Kat and M&M’s.  I didn’t see Twix on that list.  But I’ll go out on a limb it’s a big seller, too.  That being said, it’s certain we end up with buckets of  leftover Halloween candy, and here’s what to do with it after the big day. I did some digging and found countless sources for ideas. Any number of social media platforms or websites offer creative ways to give your Halloween candy new life. This list comes from a combo of different places, including my own head. But, to save you the time of searching, I am highlighting a few of those and adding how-to videos as well.  And, maybe some of these will spark your imagination to come up with some of your own!

  • Trash Brownies

    I found a bunch of ways to incorporate a melange of leftover candies in brownies.  They had names like “Trash Brownies” or “Garbage Brownies,” due to the nature of just throwing a bunch of stuff in.  It really depends on your taste and what candy you have left in your buckets after Halloween. You can either make your brownies from scratch or just use the box mix. It’s quite simple to just mix it up as directed, add in whatever chopped up candies you like and bake. But, I ran across this one that throws it all in a crockpot and dishes it up with some ice cream. The thought of the slightly gooey, warm finished product with a scoop of vanilla sold me.

  • Giant Reese's Stuffed Skillet Cookie

    With Reese’s being one of the favorite candies among just about everyone, we’re sure to  have a lot of it around our house.  This recipe I found uses a combination of the cups and Reese’s Pieces to make an amazing looking stuffed skillet cookie.  Imagine this warm out of the oven.  Again, it would be great with a scoop of ice cream and the drizzle of melted peanut butter and chocolate.  You could make a cookie from scratch as the video shows.  Or, I might just buy a peanut butter cookie mix or pre-made dough at the store.  Then, you can create your magic with all the candies. Who could pass this up?

  • Halloween Candy Trail Mix

    Maybe you don’t want to bake.  Instead, you can opt for a quick trail mix that just requires assembly.  And, it gives your palette a little relief from sugar on top of sugar.  The trail mix might include some salty nuts and crunchy cereals.  You may even throw in some of those raisins a few trick-or-treat houses give out.  Use whatever you like.  Plus, it makes a great snack to toss into a baggie and carry with you on the go.

  • Halloween Candy Milkshake

    Maybe you want something cold and creamy.  You can put just about anything into a milkshake, right?  I would say you can make this less sinful by using yogurt.  But, you’re putting candy into it.  So, who are we kidding?  If you want a milkshake,  have a milkshake.  Anyway, this would be a quick way to use up some candy and enjoy a delicious dessert.

     

     

  • Turkey Cupcakes

    The next big holiday is right around the corner.  Why not let the kids use some leftover Halloween candy to make treats for Thanksgiving Day?  With some M&M’s or Reese’s Pieces, pretzels and candy googly eyes, you can transform store-bought or homemade chocolate cupcakes into cute little turkeys.  I couldn’t find the cupcakes I wanted to use in the bakery section of the grocery store.  So, I just got some prepackaged Hostess snack cakes.  I added ready made frosting, and boom.  Done.

  • Gingerbread House Decorating

    If you still have some candy hanging around after Thanksgiving, use it to decorate your gingerbread house.  I always just bought kits or already assembled houses when our son was little.  I’ve seen people also use graham crackers to make the house.  However you make your house, the fun part is the decorating.  Halloween candy provides endless creative opportunities for sprucing up the house!  Pour it into dishes and let the kids go to work.

  • Halloween Candy Bar Cheesecake

    I love a good cheesecake.  Another creative use for some of those little chocolate bars left from Halloween is to throw them into a decadent cheesecake!  The base is easy to make.  The ingredients you add depends on what candies you like and what you have left.  Similar to a blank sheet of paper, cheesecake is a blank canvas for your hopes and dreams.  I’m channeling my inner Michael Scott from Dunder Mifflin paper company.  This would be good for your holiday dessert table or office potluck.

  • Holiday Decorations

    It is possible to recycle the leftovers into something decorative rather than a food item.  The dreaded candy corn carries over to Thanksgiving with its orange and yellow color scheme.  It can be used to fill jars to hold candles or flower arrangements.  Or, attach to candles with a glue gun for a decorative table decoration.  I might even use it as a bed in a pretty dish to display other treats like cookies or cupcakes on.

  • Stuff A Pinata

    Do you have a child with a birthday coming up?  How about using leftover candy from Halloween to stuff the pinata for the birthday party?  That way you can spread the candy love among party guests without consuming all yourself!  It’s easy to do with a store bought pinata.  Most of them have a hole for filling already cut.  So, it’s self explanatory.  But, if you have one without a hole, here are some tips for cutting the hole for stuffing.

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