By Susanne Myers
Easter is right around the corner, and that of course means plenty of
candy and treats for the kids. Not only does the Easter bunny bring
sweets in the form of chocolate bunnies and eggs and of course the
always popular marshmallow peeps, but the kids also receive plenty of
candy at school and from grandparents. As parents, we want to provide
our kids with some healthy alternatives to all this candy for Easter.
Not only is it better for our little ones, it also eliminates the
constant whining for candy, or the stack of sweets that
lasts until Halloween.
What can you do as a parent to switch out some of the sugary treats with healthier alternatives? Quite a bit and we have compiled some of our favorite ideas to get you started. Read through the suggestions below and feel free to adapt and change things around to make it work for your family.
Treasure Hunt
Start by making an Easter basket that you fill with inexpensive outdoor toys. These could include jump ropes, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, gardening tools and various balls or Frisbees. Other ideas are water bottles, bike accessories (like a basket or a new helmet) and new sandbox toys. Of course you can also include a few markers or crayons to use inside for rainy days.
Now it's time to hide the Easter basket and set up a treasure hunt for the kids. You can draw a map where x marks the spot where you hid the basket, or set up a series of hidden clues for the kids to follow. The hunt itself will be just as much fun as receiving all the fun outdoor gifts.
Egg Filler Ideas
Plastic Easter eggs that you can fill yourself are another great idea for healthy Easter treats. You can fill these eggs with small toys, a few coins or even a couple of crayons. A pack of stickers is another favorite in our house. Of course you can also fill these plastic eggs with some edible treats. Add a handful of nuts, or some dried fruit. One of our favorites is some homemade trail mix from dry cereal, nuts, dried fruits and a few M&Ms.
Party Treats
If you are having a family get together or a party this Easter, try some of these healthy Easter treats and desserts. Make some egg shaped jello jigglers using egg shaped molds that you can find at most grocery stores this time of the year. Fill Easter themed bags with plain popcorn and of course set out some baby carrots that the kids can nibble on. They'll love eating "just like bunnies".
The Easy Way Out
Even if you don't have much time to prepare homemade treats, you can keep Easter healthy by making the right choices. Even retail stores are catching on to the idea that parents want healthy treats. Our local Wal-Mart carries plastic eggs prefilled with healthy treats, along with alternatives such as matchbox cars, silly putty and bracelets. In the Easter Basket provide a stuffed animal, toy, clothing, hair clips, coloring books or other fun items that you know your child will enjoy.
Make a tradition
Ask the grandparents and other relatives who usually bring a treat, to bring an Easter-themed book instead that your kids can enjoy for years to come. Our family has a stash for both Christmas and Easter that we pull out for the designated season and the kids always look forward to it.
Of course Easter isn't the only time to eat healthy. Cook a healthy meal for your family every single day and enjoy more time with your kids instead of planning what you will cook that night. Join the Healthy Menu Mailer and receive 7 healthy dinner recipes a week with a grocery list to go along with it. We make healthy menu planning easy and save you time and money along the way.
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