The Easter Bunny is often synonymous with chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, and sticky-sweet jelly beans. That’s not exactly the healthiest reputation, but there are still plenty of ways to have a happy basket of goodies while also skipping the mid-morning sugar spike. This year, the Bunny can deliver some healthier alternatives that are still just as fun (yes, there’s even chocolate).
Bunny Treats
Eating healthy should still be delicious.
We’re not taking the fun out of the basket. We’re just making the choices better.
Dried fruit
Banana chips, dried pineapple slices, dried mango pieces and more are naturally sweet treats the Bunny can bring. Look for no-sugar-added options. Mango is vibrantly colorful, as is pineapple.
Sweet treats
Let kids satisfy their sweet tooth with Kind Kid’s Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars ($3 for 6, target.com), which boast healthy ingredients like whole grain oats. Bare’s Fuji and Red Apple Chips ($7 for 7, target.com) make for a naturally sweet snack kids will love—and they’re even more delicious dunked in peanut butter.
Crackers and chips
Annie’s Organic Cheddar Bunnies ($3, Target stores or $17/box of 4, amazon.com) are a clever option for Easter, but we also like Plum Organics Mighty Dinos ($4, jet.com) and Horizon Organic Dairy Snack Crackers ($4, amazon.com) for their cleaner ingredient list and adorable shapes.
Fruit leather
Make your own fruit leather, roll it in beautiful parchment paper, and tie with ribbon for a healthy treat. You can buy your own, like Trader Joe’s, or you can make a homemade version. Try our One-Ingredient Apple Fruit Leather.
Lollipops and gummies
Don’t even try to skip the sweet treats. Holidays are so fun precisely because they’re the occasional time to splurge on goodies you only get to have once a year. We prefer treats that use natural juices for flavor and color, including YumEarth Organic Gummy Fruits ($3.50/ 5 pouches, amazon.com), Trader Joe’s Organic Pops ($3, amazon.com), Surf Sweets Organic Jelly Beans ($9, amazon.com), and Black Forest Organic Gummy Bears ($7, amazon.com).
Fun & Games
Just because the basket won’t be full of candy doesn’t mean the basket won’t be full. The Easter bunny can bring an assortment of non-edible options that encourage everyone to play a game or get outside and run around once the baskets have been explored.
Board games
Quite adorable and perfectly themed for the day, Count Your Chickens! Board Game ($12, target.com) is a fun option. For slightly older kids, Hasbro’s Speak Out Game is sure to cause lots and lots of laughs. ($11, amazon.com), but the popular Pie Face Showdown is worth a look for any family who has a competitive streak ($16, amazon.com).
Delicious reads
Introduce a young reader to a fun read with books like Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ($8, amazon.com), E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web ($5, amazon.com), or Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle ($6, amazon.com).
Family games
Once the baskets have been opened, and you’ve all had a serving of 2-Ingredient Sweet Potato Pancakes, head outdoors to enjoy the beautiful day. The Easter Bunny can gift games like this classic Toss & Catch game ($5, amazon.com), Wooden Yard Dominoes ($60, amazon.com), or Lasso Golf Game ($36, amazon.com). You can also decorate your drives with holiday art with Easter egg-shaped chalk ($10, worldmarket.com).
Beyond the basket
Instead of a one-time-use basket, let the Bunny deliver the goodies in a bag that can be reused again and again. Is the lunch tote you bought in August looking a little worn? Now’s a great time for a new one. We love Sunnylife’s Kids Lunch Tote ($18, sunnylife.com). Another great idea, a new overnight bag ($35, amazon.com) for nights away at grandma’s house.
Bunnies and chicks
No Easter basket is complete without an adorable stuffed animal or two. In this case, we picked up this adorable Stuffed Bunny ($14, amazon.com) and these Easter-themed plastic tumblers (starts at $15, amazon.com). This Easter Chick Child’s Mug ($9, amazon.com) can be a special occasion treat you can use for many Easters to come.
Easter Basket Ideas for Older Kids (and Adults!)
Young bunnies aren’t the only one getting a basket Easter morning. Sometimes older kids (and adults, too) are visited by the happy hopper. The basket can still be packed with plenty of sweet treats, but we’re sneaking in a few other great items for the gym, kitchen, or school/office.
Splurge-worthy candy
Instead of filling the basket with cheap candy pieces, make a bit of a splurge with good chocolate that’s worth every bite. We love Justin’s Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups ($5, thrivemarket.com), Askinosie Chocolate’s 62% Dark Milk Chocolate + Fleur De Sel Sea Salt Bar ($8, Askinosie.com) and barkTHINS Dark Chocolate Coconut with Almonds ($9, amazon.com).
Cute kitchen tools
An older kid might not be excited by a stuffed bunny, but an adorable bunny towel for their kitchen adventures or cute bunny-decorated spatulas may excite them entirely. The Easter Bunny Kitchen Towels ($13 for 4, amazon.com) and Easter Bunny Spatulas ($24 for set of 3, williams-sonoma.com) are worth a spot in the basket.
Creative kits
Coloring, painting, and designing are a great way to encourage creativity and downtime. Coloring kits by eeBoo ($17, shop.eeboo.com) are whimsical without being too immature. If you’ve ever thought about knitting or cross stitching, kits like the ones from RedBear Design (starting at $21, etsy.com) are a fun way to try a different skill and make something adorable in the process.
Healthy living accessories
Instead of a basket, pack the Bunny’s offerings in a new yoga or gym bag. The LUKAYA Yoga Mat Bag ($35, amazon.com) that says “I’m here to torch some calories!” Is your water bottle looking a little beaten up? Send it to the recycling center and let the Bunny bring you a new one, like Hydro Flask’s Stainless Steel Water Bottle ($35, amazon.com).
Drink and dine
S’well’s 25 oz. Stainless Steel Water Bottle ($43, amazon.com) keeps cold drinks chilled (and can hold an entire bottle of wine too!). For a fun pop of color, Lilly Pulitzer’s Tumbler with Straw is a fun gift ($16, lillypulitzer.com) Stop using throw-away plastic containers, and ask the Easter Bunny for SunnyLife’s Eco Flamingo Lunch Box ($19, sunnylife.com). The eco-friendly box is 100% food safe and dishwasher safe. It’s great for salads and grain bowls (but not microwave safe).
Get comfy
Lounge around on Easter morning in this cute Hooded Bunny Bathrobe ($30, amazon.com) and snuggle up to a movie in the evening with this plush Easter-themed Plush Blanket ($18, amazon.com).These Fuzzy Bunny Socks ($11, amazon.com) will keep your feet nice and warm when it’s chilly out.
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