As you might expect, my family doesn’t tend to go overboard with the treats on holidays where the indulgence of everything sweet typically runs rampant in households with kids.
With yet another candy-filled holiday coming up soon, I found myself pondering how to best fill the kids’ Easter baskets with healthy treats without guaranteeing myself a house full of sniffles. Reiterating the lesson of moderation is also high on the list. I don’t think it is ever a good idea to let kids eat candy and sweets in an unrestrained manner. Letting kids eat candy and sweets at will and without limit can definitely lead to an unbalanced approach to eating as they grow older.
The goal is to choose healthy treats that are delicious, but at the same time, do not contain high fructose corn syrup, additives, chemicals, or artificial colorings/flavorings of any kind. I also favor putting just a few items in the basket even if all qualify in the “healthier” category. Why do kids need piles of candy?
Why aren’t just a few pieces enough? Those of you who have read my Valentine’s Day Rant know that this is a very tall order especially with the boatload of candy each child is likely to come home with from school!l
With these goals in mind, here are the candies I have chosen for my kids’ Easter baskets this year (of course, I will put little non-edible gifts in there too, but this blog is focusing on healthier types of treats):
Heavenly Organics Raw Honey Mint Patties
Ingredients: Raw organic honey, unsweetened chocolate, peppermint oil
These little chocolate patties blow away the corn syrup sweetened “York Peppermint Patties” by a mile. Your kids will be thrilled with them too. They taste fantastic. If your local health food store doesn’t have them, ask them to start stocking them. What a great treat for Moms and Dads too!
Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops, Gummy Bears, and Other Candies
Each pop contains organic evaporated cane juice, organic tapioca syrup or rice syrup and real fruit extracts. Of course no corn syrup, artificial flavors or colors. Many flavors to choose from including Pomegranate Pucker, Wet-Face Watermelon, and Strawberry Smash. These lollies taste terrific and the real fruit flavors are so distinctive compared with the imitation flavored Dum-dums and Blow-Pops.
The Gummy Bears make a great replacement for jelly beans, especially if you put them in little plastic eggs to decorate the basket.
Happy Easter!
Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. Her work is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.
Her work has been covered by major media including USA Today, ABC, NBC, and many others.
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Sarah, where do you purchase those items in the Tampa Bay area? I am just thrilled to find some alternatives to the garbage sold at the big chain stores for Easter candy.
We also got a few rolls of quarters and put them in the plastic eggs and hid them around the house… I think they liked that more then the candy.
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Healthfood stores should carry them (Abby's in Carrollwood has the raw honey mint patties). If not, ask them to start stocking them! Most healthfood stores are more than happy to oblige.
My husband and I have decided that we are going to give our son a game or activity and set up a scavenger hunt to find it. We bought a very small basket for him to collect the eggs with his clues. He's only eight months but we hope if we start him off right we won't have to worry about the expectation of candy. Plus we get to have fun doing the scavenger hunts until he is old enough to do them by himself.
I have found the Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops at both Abby's and Nutrition Smart which are both in Carrollwood on North Dale Mabry. They were available individually at the checkout counter in Abby's (only $.25 each – not sure if they sell them by the bag there) and definitely by the large bag at Nutrition Smart (don't remember price). Haven't checked yet for the Gummy Bears or the Mint Patties.
What great ideas for kids at easter! I also like to make Easter games and Easter coloring pages and include them as Easter treats.Easter Activities
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Great article, thank you! What would you suggest we do with the candy from Grandma’s? It seems that they always get a sugar overload there. I have considered paying them for every piece of candy that they bring home?? Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you so much!
Kyla, I’d love to see your cake recipe!
Kristina I just read this post and even though Easter has paessd I thought I’d add a comment. My issue is just the opposite: for years I filled the Easter baskets, hid the candy, got everyone off to Church, made a big meal, etc. Now MY children have grown up, moved away (too far for us to be together for just a day), and have children of their own. To say our Easter traditions have evolved is an understatement! All of our grandchildren receive Easter cards with a treat inside (money, gift cards). The Don and I now invite friends for a nice Easter dinner (with ham always the centerpiece). We still celebrate but our traditions different and that’s how life goes, I think!