I’ll be honest – my kids love candy! I do too! And my husband feeds into our candy addiction by buying us all our favorite candies on a pretty regular basis. But, we all get clean bills of health from the dentist, and my kids are great eaters for the most part, so a little candy here and there won’t ruin us! Yes…I’m a Pediatrician, and I said it! Just keeping it real!
But, in an effort to slow down on our candy consumption, especially on a day that’s been warped into a candy-giving celebration, I’ve decided this year to focus on healthy alternatives for my kids’ Easter Baskets. I used to just purchase pre-made Easter baskets for years, but realized how much of a waste it was when my kids never used anything in the baskets (except the candy of course!). So, for the past few years, I’ve been making their baskets myself – it sounds complicated and time-consuming, but it honestly isn’t, as long as you have a plan. It has also worked out to be cheaper for me!
So, to hone in on my healthy MD side – here are a few ideas for making a healthy Easter basket possible, as alternatives to all the Peeps and Jelly Beans.
Try themed baskets
First, if your child is into a specific activity, it would be awesome (and easy!) to create a basket centered around it. Here are some examples:
Swimming
if your child loves the beach or pool, you can include a new bathing suit/swimming trunks, beach towel, sun screen, goggles, diving toys, pool toys, beach toys, floaties (that haven’t been inflated!), or water balloons.
Movies
A basket with a variety of movies that your child may be interested in could be a welcomed surprise. Maybe the Marvel or Star Wars series as an example. Movie tickets/gift cards to a local movie theater is another idea. You could also include popcorn and other snacks to eat while they’re watching the movies.
Movies can be great gifts and also a great way to spend time with your kids. If you’re a busy mom, grab my FREE Nourishment Planner for 60 more simple ways to nurture your relationship with your kids, your husband, and yourself!
Gardening
My daughters have a new-found interest in gardening! Things such as seeds, a flower pot, gloves, gardening tools, and a wide-brimmed hat can be helpful.
Outdoor Fun/Sports
If your child loves to play outside, items such as bubbles, a jump rope, balls (for a particular sport), headbands, and small sports equipment will get them excited.
Arts and crafts
Another thing my girls are in love with nowadays! This basket can be all-encompassing, with things like crayons, markers, colored pencils, construction paper, glue, scissors, Play-doh, molding clay, paint, paintbrushes, etc. Anything they need to get in touch with their inner artists!
Instead of candy, try these!
- Nuts/trail mix (these can even be placed in plastic eggs instead of candy)
- Dried fruit
- Granola bars
- Apples, Bananas, Oranges (or any other fruit that’s safe to put in the basket)
- Water
- Fruit snacks
- Goldfish/cheddar bunnies
For older kids/teens:
- Lip balm (my oldest daughter is already asking me for her Easter EOS!)
- Hair accessories
- Gift cards
- Ear buds
- Phone accessories
- Books
- Nail polish
- Lip gloss
- Wallet
For toddlers/younger kids:
- Stuffed animals
- Small toys
- Books
- Bath toys
- Clothes
For The Hubby
You could even come up with a basket for your hubby, with things that he loves. My hubby is doing an awesome job going to the gym and setting an example for healthy eating. So new gym clothes, personal care items, gift cards to healthy stores/restaurants (subway, Panera, sweet tomatoes, etc) are examples of things I could put in his basket. My 5-day Wifey Challenge is another great way to show your hubby some love and strengthen your marriage. You can join the Wifey Challenge HERE.
If these ideas were helpful, check out my Resource Library for more awesome ideas and help with balancing it all!
Do you have any fun/creative ideas for Easter Baskets? Share them below! Also, in the Easter Spirit, check out this post about Our Family Easter Traditions.
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