Healthy Easter Basket Goodies

By Johann Erickson

Easter baskets filled with marshmallow peeps, jelly beans and chocolate Easter bunnies are sure to have the kids bouncing off the walls for days to come. It seems that just about every holiday encourages candy consumption.

By the time the Halloween candy is gone, Christmas arrives, then Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day brings green cupcakes and other goodies and now, Easter is just around the corner! What’s a responsible parent to do?

Fill the basket with hard boiled Easter eggs.
Stuff plastic Easter eggs with stickers and other small items.
Depending on the age of the child, consider placing earrings or bracelets inside the eggs.
Fill out the remainder of the basket with sports trading cards, bubble solution and a fun new bubble blower, colorful pencils and erasers, a packet of flower seeds to plant and perhaps a deck of playing cards like UNO or Old Maid.
Origami kits and art supplies are festive and at the same time provide an activity to do later in the day.
For younger kids, instead of Marshmallow peeps, put in a few finger puppets and special bathtub tints.
For special treats, consider carob, chocolate or yogurt dipped pretzels.
Chocolate dipped fruit such as strawberries or orange slices are pretty, healthy and delicious.
Sugar free gum, packages of cheese in fun shapes, teddy bear shaped graham crackers, and fruit leather or fruit rollups all make a nice addition to the basket.

Be creative with an eye towards both fun and health and fill the basket with alternatives to the standard drug store Easter offerings. The kids won’t even miss the junk.

Source: Johann Erickson, OnlineDiscountMart.com