Easter is entirely too much fun for kids or adults to miss out on (I mean come on, who doesn’t love a Reese’s egg?). Candy, coloring eggs, and plush bunnies aplenty, it’s a challenge for parents who want to spare their families the artificial colors and ingredients in those goodies, but don’t want them to miss out on the fun.
As it turns out, you don’t have to.
From DIY goddesses to packaged and perfectly red dye-free, there are tons of options out there for families who want to indulge, without loading little bodies up with corn syrup and artificial flavors. Whether you prefer to make it yourself or buy it from someone else, there are TONS of choices that’ll ensure your kid’s Easter basket is full of junk food — at least the kind you can live with.
Wholesome Easter Recipes
Take the world wholesome here with a grain of salt — these recipes are still indulgent and delicious, but don’t include ingredients like packaged cereals, artificial food colors, or candy-coated atrocities.
Homemade Paleo Marshmallow Peeps
That’s right — you can MAKE your own Peeps. Skip the cellophane packaged horrors at the grocery store, and give this paleo recipe a try instead.
Nothing says spring like lemons, and these bars are to die for. Perfect for families with allergies, you won’t have to miss out on the sweets this Easter with a batch of these bad boys sitting around.
When it’s time to get dinner in the oven, make sure you have some organic carrots peeled and at the ready. The kids won’t even notice they’re vegetables, I promise.
Peaches and wine — for the ham, of course. This sticky sweet recipe is a new take on an old favorite, and totally family friendly (the wine cooks off in the oven).
Homemade Reese’s Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
It turns out those soft, delectable little peanut butter eggs aren’t so hard to DIY after all! Paleo and other diet-specific recipes abound on Pinterest, but if you’re just looking to make some traditional sweets, this recipe is just what the doctor ordered.
Easter Egg Breakfast Popsicles
Perfect for babies and toddlers, these breakfast popsicles are loaded with yogurt and fresh fruit for a healthy snack that’s summer ready. If you’re still nursing a little one, make a batch with breastmilk for an even more nutritious snack!
This traditional Italian recipe is a household favorite and makes a stunning centerpiece. Have some dyed eggs on hand to make it seasonally appropriate, and don’t forget the honey butter.
Candy
Looking for candies to fill your kids’ Easter baskets with? These options are free of artificial dyes and flavors. Many of these companies also make allergy-friendly options, including vegan and nut-free candies, so do some shopping around!
Black Forest Organics Gummy Bears
Made without artificial colors, flavors, or corn syrup, these gummy bears are a classic you can feel good about stuffing into their baskets. Be on the lookout for Black Forest Organics’ Gummy Bunnies too — they’re seasonally stocked, and you might just catch them at Target this spring!
Organic Milk Chocolate Carrot from Lake Champlain Chocolates
Because the best vegetables are made of chocolate! With 100% organic ingredients and fair-trade cocoa, these carrots are perfectly delicious and ethically made.
Wholesome Organic Bunny Lollipops
Colored with organic fruit juice, these adorable lollipops are something you can feel good about passing out Easter morning (even with the inevitable sugar crash).
Those little plastic eggs at the store are all too alluring for little hands, but thankfully, someone out there is making a more sensible alternative. Made from biodegradable plant-based plastic and stuffed full or organic gummies, nobody needs to miss out (or feel guilty) this Easter.
Surf Sweets Organic Jelly Beans
Made with fruit juice and natural flavors and colors, these jelly beans are hopelessly sweet and delicious, and 100% corn syrup free. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Organic Fair-Trade Milk Chocolate Bunny
Because no Easter is complete without a giant hunk of chocolate bunny! These chocolate bunnies from The Natural Candy Store are fair-trade certified, organic, and at 5 inches, the perfect size for your kids’ Easter baskets.
What are you putting in your kids’ Easter baskets this year?