Easter baskets can be so much fun to put together for the kiddos. And while the Easter Bunny is not going to fill up a basket with broccoli and Brussels sprouts, there’s no reason for the basket to be loaded with sugar either.
Sugary candies may be easy to buy, but did you know that one prefilled plastic egg can contain more than 30 grams of sugar? That is the same amount of sugar as what’s in two ice cream sandwiches. By adding toys, coins and books to the mix, the Easter Bunny can dial back the sugar – and amp up the fun.
In fact, the sugar consumption during the Easter season can even compete with Halloween when you take into account all of the sugary treats collected from egg hunts, baskets and school parties, not to mention Easter family gatherings.
Keith Kantor, a Norcross, Georgia, nutritionist and CEO of the Nutritional Addiction Mitigation Eating and Drinking program (NAMED), suggested focusing on toys that promote exercise like jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, Frisbees, pool toys and sunglasses. Another idea, he said, is to consider skipping several little toys and treats for one big item like a basketball hoop or train set or membership to a zoo, aquarium or other attraction.
He also recommends avoiding popular, mass-produced and almost pure sugar candies like jelly beans and marshmallow candies, as well steering clear of milk chocolate bunnies with processed sugars like high-fructose corn syrup or trans fatty acids in the form of hydrogenated oils. (His favorite Easter treat alternatives include Annie’s organic fruit snacks, Lake Champion organic dark chocolate Easter bunnies, and Sjaak’s, which has vegan and almond butter Easter candy options.)