Every time I’m compelled to buy marshmallows to put in my hot cocoa, without fail I’m always left with far too many—and everyone knows that marshmallows are not the most forgiving! Marshmallows tend to dry up quite quickly once opened, so instead of throwing these little guys out, I’ve found 10 unconventional ways to use up leftover marshmallows. And they don’t just entail throwing them into a bowl to make some sugary cereal treat!
1. Prevent a sticky mess
Surprisingly marshmallows are the perfect weapon for fighting against ice cream cone sogginess and the sticky drip-drops that inevitably follow! Perfect for kids’ parties where ice cream cones are on the dessert menu, simply push a marshmallow to the bottom of the cone so that the fragile tip is sealed off from the melting ice cream and voila! No more sticky, dripping ice cream cone mess!
2. Extend brown sugar’s shelf life
This one is perfect for extending the quality and shelf life of brown sugar! Let’s face it–everyone has it in their pantry, but by the time they get to use it, it’s usually clumpy or rock hard! To prevent your sugar from sticking together, simply place a couple of marshmallows into the bag before sealing. The marshmallows absorb any extra moisture and keep your sugar clump-free!
3. Make frosting
A great way to use your leftover marshmallows—and save some money on baking—is by turning them into frosting! Simply place the marshmallows in a bowl over boiling water, whisk, and watch them melt into fluffy, gooey frosting goodness!
4. Get the perfect pedicure
A rather funny but ingenious way of using marshmallows is to place them between your toes as pedicure aids! Working just like the real foam separator pads, they make nail polish application that much easier! (Just please don’t eat them after use!)
5. Catch wax
Hands up—who hates candle wax landing on your beautiful birthday cake every year!? Then your life is about to change! Marshmallows are the perfect consistency for spearing candles through to form a protective base that acts to catch the wax as your candles melt, plus they look great on cakes!
6. Protect cake
How many times have you slaved over a hot oven and frosted a gorgeous cake, only to realize the anxiety and trauma you’re about to endure in transporting it to your child’s school bake sale?! A simple solution to stop a cake’s frosting from sticking to its container is to place a border of marshmallows around the inside of the container. They’ll then act as a springy barrier between your cake and its container!
7. Replace “ammunition”
This one is perfect for kids, especially if the have any slingshot-like toys and have run out of the plastic pellets they came with! Marshmallows can often be used as replacement “ammunition” and are often safer due to their softer consistency, as well as being edible and non-toxic!
8. Create your own luck
If you aren’t lucky enough to live in a country where Lucky Charms are available in your local supermarket, or you just want to save money, you can make your very own! The thing that makes Lucky Charms so lucky are the crunchy, dried marshmallow bits! To make your own, simply place your marshmallows in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until they swell and look like they are about to pop; let them cool, and soon you’ll find that they have shrivelled up into something resembling Lucky Charms, but probably in a different, more interesting shape!
9. Form strong bonds
Marshmallows are made of gelatin and sugar which can form strong cohesive bonds to many typical cake decorations like candies or flowers! Simply melt the marshmallows, place a dollop on your decoration, then position onto cake and allow to cool. The cooling process allows the sugars to bond, and your decorations will be sitting pretty!
10. Attract fish
Lastly, and perhaps the most interesting use for leftover marshmallows, is to take them to the pond with you! If you’re an avid fisherman, you may already know of this secret bait, but if you’re like me and know nothing about fishing, you might be surprised to hear that marshmallows have been known to be very successful in attracting and catching Bream and Trout species in particular! Their buoyant nature also means that they can be attached to other types of bait to prevent them from ending up at the bottom of the lake!
Not sure I’ll ever be able to look at a marshmallow the same way again!
This is a guest post by Josephine from Sydney, Australia.
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