This is an anti-diet Easter post. Despite what you read and see on social media, you don’t have to stop giving kids candy in their Easter baskets. If you celebrate Easter, what are your favorite memories of the holiday? What were your favorite things to find in your Easter basket or in plastic eggs at Easter egg hunts? Were you allowed to enjoy your candy? Or was there a lot of diet talk around it?
How did you navigate Easter candy last year? If Easter candy feels stressful, take a moment to reflect on your own experience with Easter candy and food on other holidays. And know that navigating candy doesn’t have to be stressful. It’s ok for kids to enjoy candy and for you to enjoy it, too.
Diet culture and its impact on Easter
Parents are told time and time again that sugar is “bad” and left feeling like they’re being “bad” parents if they give their kids sugary foods. Diet culture has taken things so far that the messaging now is you’re the best possible parent if you fill your kid’s Easter basket with the “perfect gifts,” defined as anything that’s not candy.
Diet culture’s pervasive influence can take the fun out of any holiday for the whole family, unfortunately. Instead of creating fun memories and traditions, diet culture’s influence leads to feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety.
Ditch diet culture
Imagine if you ditched the guilt and other negative feelings about candy. You don’t have to let diet culture dictate what’s “healthy.” What’s actually healthy is giving your kids opportunities to navigate and enjoy foods diet culture deems “forbidden.” And creating a safe space from diet culture.
Easter egg hunts, where kids get to run around and find candy-filled eggs, are so much fun. It’s one of my family’s Easter traditions, and I love it more than seeing my kids look through their Easter baskets first thing Easter morning.
Focus on the fun of the day. And if friends or relatives make comments about “too much” candy or diet-fueled comments about any food or bodies, have a plan in place to change the subject or ask them not to talk about food and bodies that way in front of your child.
Expert Tips from a Registered Dietitian to navigate Easter candy
- Buy Easter candy early and put it in your child’s lunch or offer it with snack or other meals. Your kids will still enjoy getting candy in their Easter baskets. They just won’t be overly excited because they’re used to having candy.
- Ditch the guilt and enjoy candy with your kids. Modeling your own enjoyment of candy is a great way for your kids to learn about a healthy relationship with food
- Practice not making negative comments about candy.
- Allow kids to sort, share, and enjoy their candy.
- We treat Easter candy like candy at Halloween. Allow your kids to enjoy their candy anytime during the first day or so.
- If you’re interested in more information about navigating candy and other foods during holidays, you may find these blog posts and podcast episodes helpful: Handling Halloween: A Step-by-Step Parent Guide, What About Dessert?, Podcast Ep.92: The Scariest Thing About Halloween Isn’t the Sugar, Podcast Ep. 93: Navigating Diet Culture During the Holidays.
Favorite Easter Basket Ideas for Kids (and Adults)
Any candy or candy with an Easter theme makes a great addition to Easter baskets. Here are some fun ideas for candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, Peeps, Robin’s Egg Malted Milk Balls, and Cadbury Mini Eggs. The options for Easter-themed candy seem endless.
What are your favorite Easter candies? My favorite is Cadbury Candy Eggs. When I was a kid, it was Peeps and Robin’s Egg Malted Milk Balls. And I’ve grown into one of those adults who loves licorice jelly beans.
If you want to go with a minimalist Easter basket this year, how about giving candy along with a book, a little stuffed animal, or a small toy? If you’d like to add non-candy items, I’ve shared some of my favorite Easter gifts below.
*Note that it’s important to avoid candy that may be a choking hazard for young children. More tips for a safe Easter holiday.
More Easter basket gifts for toddlers & preschoolers
- Easter-themed board books always make great gifts.
- New bath toys
- Bubbles
- Crayons or other art supplies
- A small Easter Duplos set
Easy Easter basket gifts for elementary-aged kids
- Small gifts like fidget toys or art supplies work well for Easter baskets.
- A large plastic egg (or multiple small eggs) filled with surprises like stickers or a small wind-up toy is always a big hit.
- Bubble makers are a fun and exciting Easter basket. Kids have a great time running around outside, blowing bubbles.
- Easter-themed Legos or puzzles would also be fun.
More Easter basket gifts for older kids and teens
- Tweens and teens still enjoy a visit from the Easter Bunny. As Easter basket fillers, they might like cool gifts like temporary tattoos or art supplies in addition to candy.
- A jump rope, a fun outdoor game, or an Easter-themed puzzle.
- Bath bombs or nail polish also make a fun addition to kids’ Easter baskets.
- A new book or gift card to purchase a new book.
More blog posts and podcast episodes
We’re Elizabeth & Anna!
It’s great to have you here. We’re registered dietitians and we share tips to support you in raising kids with a healthy relationship with food.
