Hop into a Healthy Easter with Eggcellent Ideas from Dietitian Peyton Gorman

Spring is in the air and along with blue skies, pastel blooms and warm weather, families delight in celebrating Easter. Children, especially, look forward to lavish Easter baskets filled to the brim with their favorite chocolate and candy treats. 

While families should enjoy all the festivities of this holiday, there are numerous ways to celebrate and create lasting memories without overloading children on sugar, sugar and more sugar. 

Here are ideas for filling the most eggstravant Easter basket.  

1. Consider filling the basket with smaller easter eggs. The goal is to allow children to enjoy their favorite candy without going over board. Refraining from restrictions while emphasizing enjoyment in moderation will help children learn good habits for a lifetime of holidays.
2. When thinking of candy to include in the basket, choose one or two servings of chocolate and select healthier options. Consider dark chocolate or chocolate covered nuts.
3. Children love jellybeans and other gelatin candies. Delicious options are available that infuse healthy ingredients. Consider the Smash-mallow Egg Hunt Pack or YumEarth Candy. These candies exclude artificial ingredients and non-genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
4. While most children love candy, they also enjoy toys, books, puzzles and more, so feel free to fill baskets with these goodies. Here are a few ideas:
   • Coloring books
   • Coloring tools (paints, crayons, markers, pens)
   • Reading books
   • Clothes  
   • Legos
   • Action figures or mini toy cars  
   • Trading cards
   • Playdough
   • Outside items, such as bubbles, chalk, jump ropes, balls and frisbees
   • Gift cards
   • Tickets to an event: play, show, sports game
   • Favorite beauty/hygiene products- lip balms, shampoo/conditioner/soap and hair clips/ties
   • Stuffed animals
   • Water bottles
   • Sports equipment, including football tees, transportable lacrosse nets and mini basketball hoops
   • Sports accessories, such as eye black, stickers, baseball gloves, dance/gymnastics leotards and socks
   • Spring/summer accessories, such as sunglasses, bathing suits, pool toys and gardening tools

What's Easter family fun without a solid scavenger or Easter egg hunt? 

While many fill plastic eggs with candy, there are numerous kid-approved alternatives. Here are some to consider:

1. “Bunny bait": This recipe can fill up several eggs. Blend five cups of popcorn, three cups of pretzels, five cups of Cheerios, two to three cups pf peanuts and one bag of pastel-colored M&Ms.
2. Trail mix made of nuts, seeds, dried fruit and Easter M&Ms
3. Coins or small bills
4. Tokens: These can be redeemed for one skip-it chore or a family experience, to include going to the park, attending an event/activity, visiting the museum or sitting outside for a picnic.
5. Pieces to a puzzle
   • Print a picture of a location or activity that you can do as a family.
   • Cut it up into pieces/a puzzle.
   • Place puzzle pieces in the eggs to build the clue!
6. Letters that spell out a word of a location or prize
7. “Golden tickets” for big prizes, such as a family trip

Many families attend religious services for Easter and follow with an indulgent Easter meal. 

Regardless of cuisine or style of food, balance is key. All foods can fit, even on holidays. Half of the plate should be non-starchy vegetables and fruit. One quarter should be whole grains and the other quarter should be proteins. 

Here are some fun ideas for yummy proteins that are healthy too. 

• Baked turkey, fish, chicken and ham
• Tofu, beans and lentils
• Eggs in a nest. Simply use fun cookie cutter shapes to pour the egg into. Then bake.

Appetizers are a welcome party favorite to get friends and family chatting.  

Here are some fun ideas: 

• Deviled eggs: Base of egg yolk mixture can be avocado with mustard or Greek yogurt with mustard.
• Easter bunny vegetable tray: This would include hummus dip and Greek yogurt ranch dip (16 ounces of plain low-fat Greek yogurt with ranch seasoning packet)
• French onion dip made with 16 ounces of low-fat Greek yogurt and French onion soup mix
• Mini “carrot” stuffed peppers: Take orange bell peppers and fill them with homemade Greek yogurt herb mix. The stuffing blends 16 ounces of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt, one ranch packet seasoning, fresh dill and herbs.
• Cucumber smoked salmon bites: Slice cucumber. Cover with a dollop of low-fat Greek yogurt OR low-fat cream cheese. Add a slice of smoked salmon. Garnish with green onions and dill.
• Chicken sausage bites (similar to calabaza sausage)
• Cowboy caviar, which includes bell peppers, onions, cilantro, avocado, black beans, cannellini beans and garbanzo beans
• Chicken meatballs: First, shred carrots, green onion, cilantro. Next ground chicken, one egg, shredded vegetables, garlic powder and onion powder. Roll into balls and back in the oven on 350 degrees Fahrenheit until done.

Mocktails and more make the holidays refreshing. 

Besides guzzling down plenty of water, here are fun beverage ideas:

• Refreshing Strawberry-Mint Lemonade by Burrata and Bubbles
• Easy Watermelon Smoothie by Well Plated
• Lavender Lemonade by Cookie Rookie

Adult beverages are recommended in moderation by the CDC. This means two drinks or fewer in a day for a man or one drink or less in a day for a woman. One drink consists of one of the following:

• 12 ounces of beer (five percent alcohol)
• Five ounces of wine (12 percent alcohol)
• 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits (40 percent alcohol)

Options for Easter side dishes are plentiful. 

Here are a few worth trying:

• Glazed and roasted carrots
• Honey glazed carrots and parsnips
• Squash casserole
• Baked garlic green beans
• Roasted fingerling potatoes
• Sweet potato bites
• Roasted sweet potato
• Strawberry arugula salad or strawberry spinach salad
• Roasted cauliflower
• Broccoli salad
• Cauliflower gratin
• Roasted root vegetables with pecan crumble
• Three bean salad 

It's okay to enjoy dessert too. 

Consider these sweet treats that are also healthy!

• “Carrot” chocolate covered strawberries – orange food coloring in white chocolate
• Dark chocolate covered dates
• Chocolate covered apple, peanut and date bites
• Oatmeal Carrot Cake by Eating Bird Food

And, when it comes to rich dessert favorites, simply enjoy a single, small slice. 

Remember to spend time together with fun activities.

Don't let food be the central focus of your holiday. Get up and get moving together. Here are some ideas to try this year: 

• Bunny trot
• Family walk, bike ride or hike
• A day at the park
• A family obstacle course
• Pickleball, tennis, soccer or any group sport
• Easter egg coloring
• Family gardening
• Easter crafts, such as making center pieces, cards and an egg tree

Make this Easter one to remember. Hop into a weekend overflowing with fun, food and family!

 

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About Peyton Gorman, MDN, RD, LDN

Peyton Gorman is a registered dietitian with clinical interests in pediatric nutrition, healthy weight gain in infants and toddlers, malnutrition and nutrition-specific interventions in complex conditions. She earned her bachelor's degree in nutrition science from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC and received her master’s in dietetics and nutrition science at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH.

When working with her youth patients and their families, Gorman instills confidence to establish healthy dietary and lifestyle habits that they can carry into their future. She is passionate about guiding others to fuel their bodies with quality nutrition and achieve their goals.

When she is not working, Gorman enjoys teaching group fitness yoga classes, running and spending time with family and friends.