Baskets from the Bunny – How to Avoid the Sugar Rush… and CRASH!
By: Ashley
I have great memories of Easter as a child… and one of those memories truly is begging for candy from my Easter basket. Unfortunately, I also remember nearly getting sick one Easter because I kept sneaking candy without my parents knowing! I was a child who loved to share though… and I shared with the dog. Poor dog. She ended up sicker than I did. She liked Peeps… I didn’t.
ANYWAY… now that I have a little one of my own… a little one who doesn’t really know the wonders of candy and chocolate… I’ve had to make a few decisions. The first was whether or not we were even going to do an Easter basket. My husband and I decided that done within reason (no crazy elaborate baskets filled with 80 pounds of candy and 32 new toys), an Easter basket was an okay thing to do. It’s a great time to help little ones realize how happy they can be with simple things and a great way to welcome in spring!
That said, here are some ideas on how to keep an Easter basket low in sugar, calories, and cost.
- $1 Toys – We stopped in the handy dollar section at Target and picked up 1 (yes O-N-E) toy to add to the basket. It’s a little zippy car. No logos, no characters… just a car. They also had toys geared towards little girls, but the point is, one and done! Both one dollar and one toy. =)
- Bubbles! – Bubbles are the toy that everyone loves. Big and small, bubbles are a great way to get outdoors and have some fun! 
- Multi-purpose “Basket” – First of all, don’t feel the need to spend money on an elaborate basket. Look for a multi-purpose, inexpensive goody holder. We actually found a cute frog bucket made out of felt. It says “spring” but also says $1.50 on the price tag. Even better is that once Easter is over, it still looks cute out holding toys during the spring and summer.
- Non-Candy Treats – Yes, there will be a few sweet treats in the Easter basket, but there will also be Rainbow Goldfish! It’s something he loves… and they’re not too bad for you! Pirate booty, cute shaped pretzels, dried fruit… whatever floats your non-candy boat. 
- Plastic Eggs – USE THEM! Instead of putting an entire anything of food in the basket, put 2 or 3 of something in each egg. This limits how much candy you need to buy and limits how much will get eaten. =) This year, I heard the Easter Bunny is going to put a few M&Ms in 5 or 6 plastic eggs for Atticus. In the others, there is going to be a few colorful Goldfish crackers. (At least that’s what I’ve heard! 
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Do you have any good ideas for Easter baskets that you’d like to share? Leave a comment. We’d love to hear what you have to say!
Happy Easter!
About Ashley: Ashley is a mom, wife, sister, daughter, friend, and former teacher working to navigate through the mysterious world of Mommyia. Read more about her adventures at www.Momicles.com.
Trim the bottom curves of the cakes slightly to help them sit flat, then turn the cakes upright, as shown. (Tip: If necessary, wrap the cakes in plastic and chill in the freezer to make them firmer. Also, two drinking straws stuck through the four layers of cake will help keep them together.)
