FINDS

Empty Calories

The perfect hiding place for post-Easter candy loot could be these cake and pie boxes from Loose Ends. True, they’re intended to hold notes, but shouldn’t something that looks gooey and delicious contain something sweet?

$16 to $45, at Noteworthy in Santa Monica and at the Beverly Center. Or call Pam Lumpkin and Associates at (800) 390-9979.

Another Candle

On the birthday cake for a very special person, try counting the years with the hand-dipped “Ripples” candles from Wax Poetic by the Karen Alweil Studio in New Mexico. The cake itself deserves a fine birthday platter; artist Rebecca Wood created the pictured plate in her Athens, Ga., studio from red clay.

Candles $1.25 each at “Candlelight And . . .” in Beverly Hills and Zero Minus Plus in Santa Monica. Platter is $80 at New Stone Age in Los Angeles and Barneys, Beverly Hills.

Smart Packages

Canned chicken broth is swell, but what do you do with the inevitable leftover liquid after stirring your risotto? Among the possible solutions--leak-proof plastic bags, old jars or just dumping the remainder--the can itself is rarely used for storing. But with the introduction of Swanson’s resealable broth in a box, the original package makes a convenient storage container. Of course, as Swanson brains are surely aware, this means you’ll see the bright Swanson logo every time you open your refrigerator. Is this what they mean by shelf life?

Available at supermarkets.

Krispy Crunch

We’ve been making Rice Krispies squares for years at home, but it’s Cap’n Crunch that packaged the marshmallow snack idea in a candy bar-like wrapper. What’s the difference between a Rice Krispies marshmallow treat and a Cap’n Crunch bar? It’s a subtle matter of puffiness, really, with the Cap ‘N Crunch slightly fluffier. And, of course, Rice Krispies don’t come flavored with Crunch Berries.

Available in supermarkets.