Eco-Easter

I loved Easter as a child less for the candy and more for the money wrapped eggs my parents would hide around the house for me.  I milked that until I was probably 20, and I am clearly not ashamed to admit it. Easter tends to be full of bad habits most of which are purchasing wasteful items, over indulging and teaching kids rabbits will leave you ginormous baskets full of a billion calories while hiding colored eggs that most people wind up throwing out or forgetting where they hid them in the first place. I am still confused as to where the Easter Bunny and Jesus met and decided this was how to handle the holiday but neither are around to ask so I guess we just have to deal with it. Being the responsible greenie I am and knowing you are as well here are some obvious ways to make your Easter go Eco!

1. Make your own baskets out of newspaper ,magazines or old fabric you have laying around. Make your children work for that candy! You can decorate them and use them for multiple years or donate them when you are finished. Best case if your basket is made out of newspaper or magazines recycle it!

2. You can also make your own eggs. Paper mache is always fun or I see alot of people purchasing wooden eggs
to color as well. I am a fan of the do-it-yourself options so find materials around the house that will be able to be recycled when you are finished. The best part is if all of the eggs don’t get found you won’t have a stinky mess on your hands. I have read you can knit your own eggs from bits of random yarn and wool you have lying around the house which I really think is a great idea and a skill everyone should possess.

3. Don’t purchase your children candy make it! If you make your own Easter treats you have a say to what and how much goes into the treats. Most of the Easter candy you see is gross and normally you wouldn’t let your children eat it so why let them on Easter. It can be sending a confusing message. My parents (probably because I was a chubby kid) would fill my basket with other things besides food that would last longer and I would appreciate more like outside games or Bath and Beauty stuff. Petit Appetit: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Easy, Organic Snacks, Beverages, and Party Foods for Kids of All Ages

4. Have a family or friend get together full of activities and good food. I have a huge family and although they still purchase tons of eggs they make a family event out Easter. We hide plastic eggs (that can be recycled or if you have made your own) filled with small amounts of chocolate around for the children to find. We have the children decorate things like cookies (which you can make organic and healthy and use things like fruits and veggies to decorate with) to keep everyone occupied. You leave only with that you make and left overs from the afternoons feast. This way there are no messy baskets full of plastic grass, no overdose on sweets and everyone gets their exercise and creativity flowing instead of sitting around pigging out. My family event could definitely be greened up but it is a little better.
5. If you must have real eggs use fruit, veggie and flower dyes to dye your eggs. You can learn alot and save money because the items you don’t use you can eat. Also plan the meals you will make with the eggs afterwards and only purchase enough eggs to fulfill those needs. You can make tie-died deviled eggs, egg salad, rainbow cobb salad or just eat the hard boiled eggs whole. If you poke a pin hole in the bottom of the eggs the dye can get in and color the actual egg. If you use the store bought kind you might not want to do this but since these eggs should be green the fruit, flower and veggie dyes are ok to eat. Eco-Eggs Easter Egg Coloring Kit

6. If you have old baskets you are determined to use baskets be conscious of what you put in them. Don’t buy plastic grass they make paper grass or if you have fun shaped hole punches and a paper shredder make your own grass which is way more fun. You can even decorate the grass anyway you want. Color it or put nail polish on it and make it your own. Why waste money when you have everything you need at home. Easter Grass Kit is super fun and a great new way to get easter grass.

7. Easter Meals, make the food look fun. Children get picky over things that look weird. Most of the time taste has nothing to do with it. If something looks or feels gross they won’t go near it. If you teach children early who fun being healthy can be they will grow up with this in mind and take it with them. If you use a little creativity it can go a long way and they might not even miss the candy.
The Artichoke Trail: A Guide to Vegetarian Restaurants, Organic Food Stores & Farmers’ Markets in the Us (Hunter Travel Guides) or Feeding the Whole Family: Whole Foods Recipes for Babies, Young Children and Their Parents