Candy Calculation?

duluth_bishop Nov 01, 2010 21 Comments

Lundgren has published at length on Return On Investment when considering package liquor, beer and transportation and I believe I recently saw some discussion on variables to consider when putting a Halloween costume together. Has anybody come up with an algorithm, equation or model for predicting how much Halloween candy to stage for distribution? Last year, I had to recycle the stuff the kids brought home and based this year’s purchase off that. Now we are stuck with seven pounds of Reese’s [at least we predicted there would be left overs]. Anybody identified trends or tricks used with this annual purchase?

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21 Comments

Mel S

about 12 years ago 

We let the kids pick their own candy, and almost all of them chose the non-chocolate: starburst, skittles, nerds. My theory, which was upheld throughout the nite by "kids who are too old to trick-or-treat" is that little kids like the more sugary stuff, and as our taste for sugar wanes with age, we head more for the chocolate.

Bad Cat!

about 12 years ago 

Because I love Halloween, and am a nerd, I keep a spreadsheet totaling trick-or-treaters by hour, as well as potential factors, such as weather. However, I still failed last night by getting 25% more kids than my estimate. Thankfully, I have a bunch of non-candy stuff on hand (Halloween stickers & toys) that I can give away, then store until the next year.

Paul Lundgren

about 12 years ago 

One factor that needs to be considered is the level to which your neighbors honor Halloween. Last year, the two houses on either side of mine had the lights off on Halloween night, so kids skipped my entire block and there was a grand total of zero trick-or-treaters at my house.

This year, I had new neighbors on both sides, each of which were handing out candy and one of which had some good decorations. I ran out of candy in about an hour and had to shut my own lights off.

wildgoose

about 12 years ago 

Drat!  I just pecked out a breezy post but my email was wrong so it got swallowed by the PDD filter.  

I'll cut to the chase this time.  I'm thinking about making a sign for houses. or even a neighborhood map for folks that ARE accepting trick or treaters to use.  Paul is right about the participation factor, it breeds more activity, but we found that light on does not necessarily mean they are giving out candy.  


By the way, in my much-maligned neighborhood we actually found probably the best trick or treating in town and great Holiday spirit.  So much for stereotypes.

woodtick

about 12 years ago 

The further from the maddening throngs of bums and witches, the fewer sugar-fueled miscreants, and hence -- the more mini-Snickers I get to snack on watching the World Series at the end of it all.  Last night we had two little fellas stop by.  Yay!

Kerc

about 12 years ago 

Just give out the less desireable (to you) candy first. Then when you have several bags leftover, eat it all.

Piglet

about 12 years ago 

Lakeside Dental is buying excess candy from kids for $1 per pound up to 5 pounds, today only. 

Bought candy for 50+ kids and had 18. I wonder if Doc Hanson would give me a credit towards my next appt. in Dec.?

digit3

about 12 years ago 

We had 250+ kids last night!

The Friendly Old Knifey

about 12 years ago 

I had a grand total of two trick-or-treaters. Now I have a giant bag of candy.

Paul Lundgren

about 12 years ago 

You can't really lose!

TopOfTheHillMan

about 12 years ago 

There is a dentist in Lakeside who is collecting all unwanted candy and shipping it to troops in Iran & Iraq. From these posts they would get a lot of candy from you all.

adam

about 12 years ago 

"Because I love Halloween, and am a nerd, I keep a spreadsheet totaling trick-or-treaters by hour, as well as potential factors, such as weather." This is why I love PDD.

Lundgren: your neighbor lady passed away?

AnnaBanana

about 12 years ago 

On Chambersburg Drive in the Piedmont neighborhood of Duluth - several homes had signs in the window of a ghost and it said "You've Been Booed" or something to that effect. Seems that was an indicator of houses that were open for trick-or-treaters. Most homes on that street were very clearly "open" or "closed" though.

Paul Lundgren

about 12 years ago 

Adam, yes, one of my neighbors passed away, but the one you are thinking of is still alive. She had to move to a care facility, though. That's why I have two new neighbors.

zra

about 12 years ago 

Some trick or treaters in Kennewick, WA were given books instead of candy.

Claire

about 12 years ago 

Zra, I should have done that! Damn, missed my chance to edjicate some children!

I was surprised when I lived in Philadelphia, we were *besieged* with trick-or-treaters. Here? Naw, not so much.

zra

about 12 years ago 

I was thinking that it'd be a good way to thin the herd, as it were, though I'm not certain how parents would react to their child getting a Danielle Steele novel instead of a fistful of Kit Kat bars.

Jadiaz

about 12 years ago 

We normally have a decent amount of candy left over when the trick or treaters start slowing down. When we feel we may only get one or two more groups we reward the next person/group by giving them all the left over candy and then turning out the light. It always makes us happy to see that Kid who was willing to push on after dark light up with surprise and joy. Plus I like to think it gives them an awesome story to tell their friends.

Claire

about 12 years ago 

Zra, no kid coming by my house would be given a Danielle Steele, that's for sure.

adam

about 12 years ago 

Giving books away on Halloween is a good way for your house to get egged.

George

about 12 years ago 

We have young kids, so this won't work for everyone, but...

We went out early and treated until they had their fill of showing off costumes and their bags were too heavy.  Then we raced home for dinner, and let the kids have two pieces each as dessert.  Then, as we'd agreed on in advance, they traded us all their candy for a small toy of their choice that we'd purchased the day before.

All their candy went into the bowl as our doorbell started ringing, so we didn't need to buy any candy (although we did buy the toys).  Reduce reuse recycle.  The kids had about as much fun handing out the candy as they did collecting it earlier in the evening.

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