Lighten up your Easter egg hunt

These Easter egg hunt ideas are healthier, but just as fun as sugar-filled treats.

Jellybeans, chocolate bunnies, peanut-butter-filled eggs… Easter treats tend to be sugary. Maybe too sugary, if you’re trying to limit your kids’ intake to the recommended 6 teaspoons per day. Here’s how you can lighten up your next Easter egg hunt, without losing any of the fun.

Healthier Easter egg hunt ideas

Sugar can add up fast during a traditional egg hunt or in a typical Easter basket.

How fast?

Believe it or not, there’s a full teaspoon of sugar in just four jellybeans. It can be easy to go overboard with sugar on Easter morning. So, here are some ideas that still allow for celebrating and having some treats during your upcoming Easter Egg hunts. These include lightened-up and non-food choices — all of which have been kid-tested and approved.

Lightened-up Easter egg and basket fillers:

Animal crackers
Cheese crackers
Air popped popcorn
Mini marshmallows
Trail mix
Raisins
Pretzels
String and beads to make a bracelet
Coins
Small toys
Rings
Stickers
Erasers
Puzzle pieces to put together once all collected

Another idea for an egg hunt? Hide pieces of paper that have value attributed to them and add up to a larger prize. These can include things like jump ropes, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, bracelets or glow sticks.

And remember, it’s still okay to have some sweet treats in the Easter eggs and baskets. Including some of the lighter and non-food choices can make the celebration just as fun and special, while helping you keep the sugary foods to a healthier level.