The Best Way To Keep Your Leftover Halloween Candy From Going Stale

The spookiest time of year is a cause for celebration. Tricks, treats, and plenty of scares are in the air as everyone makes the transition into the cozy autumn season. But perhaps one of the biggest things to look forward to isn't the costumes or the pumpkin carvings, but the onslaught of candy. From chocolate varieties to fruity confections, Halloween is home to plenty of popular candies. Sour Patch Kids, Snickers, and candy corn are all tasty options, but when it comes to the top rankings, Reese's takes the lead in the United States, with Skittles and M&M's following close behind, per KEVN.

While it's tempting to devour everything in a candy bucket, our stomach eventually becomes stuffed with sugary treats (typically up to three cups worth, especially for kids, according to Insider). This begs the question: What should you do with the leftover Halloween candy? Throw it away? Give it away? Keep chomping at each piece relentlessly until Christmas? How about a fourth option: Store the candy so it won't become stale? Here's the best way to do so.

Luckily, many types of Halloween candy can be safely stored in a sealed container for several months, per Always a Treat. The source explains that the container should be airtight and stowed away in a cool part of a pantry for optimum candy longevity. Hard candies, gum, jellied candies, and candy corn follow the above rule, but other types need some extra care. Dark chocolate, for instance, should be wrapped in foil before being tucked away in a pantry-like environment. Taffies, caramels, and nougats are prone to dampness and have the best shelf-life when wrapped with clear cellophane (it's best to wrap each piece rather than bunching them together). And be sure not to mix together candies with varying moisture contents.

The shelf-life for each type of candy varies, but in general, the range is between 6-12 months, per Still Tasty. Peanut butter cups and candy corn, for instance, can last between 6-8 months while hard candies can last up to one year. Freezing Halloween candy is also an option, though it doesn't seem to extend the shelf-life by much, if at all. Still, if you'd like to go this route, Life Savvy suggests placing your candy (without fruits or nuts) in a freezer bag, an airtight container, or within heavy-duty freezer wrap and then freezing it. It may also be helpful to write the current date on the bag or container as well as the expiration date and the type(s) of candy inside.