Celebrate Easter: Traditions, Foods, and Fun Ideas

There are countless traditions and delicious foods associated with Easter! Read on to discover more about these customs and the joy they bring. Plus, scroll to the bottom to learn how to create Natural Dyes for your Easter eggs!

The Easter Traditions

Easter Eggs

Easter eggs have a rich history that dates back to Medieval times. They symbolize fertility, new life, and rebirth across many cultures globally. The concept of Easter egg hunts also originates from a medieval children's game. A priest would give a choir boy a hard-boiled egg. The boys would pass the egg among themselves until midnight. The boy holding the egg at that hour got to eat it!

The Easter Bunny

The Easter Bunny first appeared in written records in Germany during the 16th century. Dutch settlers later brought this delightful tradition to Pennsylvania in the 1700s.

Traditional Easter Meal

Historically, lamb was the meat of choice for Easter celebrations. However, today, ham is often the featured dish at the table. Ham gained popularity as it was typically cured in winter, making it ready to serve by springtime for Easter.

Interestingly, pretzels were once linked to Easter as well. The twisted shape of pretzels symbolizes praying.

Easter Candy

Candy sales soar during Halloween and Easter, the two biggest candy-selling seasons of the year. Recent years saw around $2.6 billion spent on Easter candy. Projections for 2023 suggest sales could climb to approximately $3.3 billion.

Although Halloween reigns as the number one candy-consuming holiday, Easter is not far behind! Approximately 90 million chocolate bunnies are sold every year just for Easter. Various surveys suggest that 60-75% of Americans bite into the ears of their chocolate bunnies first.

During Easter, Americans munch on about 1.5 million Peeps, which are the most popular non-chocolate candy of the season. These marshmallow treats can be divisive; people tend to love them or hate them! Recently, I came across a tip: dipping Peeps in melted chocolate can enhance their taste!

When Peeps first began production in the 1950s, it took over 27 hours to make one. Today, it only takes about six minutes!

Cadbury Creme Eggs, another beloved Easter chocolate, are produced at a factory in Birmingham, England. This factory churns out over 1.5 million eggs daily. Each year, nearly 500 million of these cream-filled delights are made. If you stacked them all, the stack would reach higher than Mt. Everest!

Furthermore, Americans consume more than 16 million jelly beans each Easter. Jelly beans became popular around the 1930s and remain a favorite almost a century later. The volume sold is enough to circle the globe three times!

Dyeing Easter Eggs

Egg dyeing is said to represent the blood of Christ shed during his crucifixion. Traditionally, eggs were dyed in red or yellow tones. During Lent, many people avoided eating eggs, but chickens continued to lay them. To minimize waste, these eggs were often hard-boiled and decorated at the end of Lent.

The Best and Worst Candies for Little Ones

As we approach the holidays, many parents wonder, "Can I give my child candy?" Let's explore this a bit further.

It is generally not advised to give young children, especially those under two, a significant amount of candy. Sugary treats typically lack nutrients that other snacks offer. Eating these options can lead to kids feeling full while missing out on essential nutrients.

That said, I believe there's a time and place for every food. While you may worry about your child consuming sugar, it's also vital to nurture a healthy relationship with food. This concern stems from various sources that affect our generation's understanding of food and nutrition. Moderation is key.

Best Candies for Kids:

• Chocolate: Chocolate bunnies, solid or hollow chocolate eggs, and chocolate kisses are safer choices. Since chocolate melts, it is less of a choking hazard for little ones.

• Peanut Butter Treats: Reeses Eggs can be a good option if your child has tried peanut butter before.

  
  

Worst Candies for Kids:

• Jelly Beans: These candies pose choking risks due to their small, round shape. They are sticky and do not dissolve easily.

• Hard Candies: Include Lemon Drops and Jawbreakers, which are also hard and round, presenting choking hazards.

• Peeps: These sticky marshmallows can cause choking issues.

• Chocolates with Nuts/Dried Fruits: Large chunks increase the risk of choking.

  
  

Egg-stra Special Fun on the Baby Food and Fun Shop! Check it out here!

Alternative Treat Ideas

If you're skipping candy this year, consider alternative treats for your little ones:

• Yogurt Melts: Try homemade versions! Drop spoonfuls of yogurt onto parchment and freeze them. Add beet or blueberry puree for natural coloring. Serve cold for teething relief.

• Mini Muffins: Make baby-friendly carrot muffins with grated carrot, apple, and cinnamon. Sweeten naturally with banana or applesauce.

  
  

Here’s a simple recipe for Baby-Friendly Carrot Muffins:

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup finely grated carrot (about 2 medium carrots)

• 1 medium ripe banana, mashed

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 large egg (or flax egg: 1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water)

• 1/4 cup melted butter or neutral oil (like avocado or olive oil)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

• 1 cup whole wheat flour (or oat flour)

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• Optional: 1–2 tbsp ground flaxseed or chia seed for added nutrition

  
  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a mini muffin tin.

2. In a medium bowl, mix the banana, applesauce, egg, butter/oil, and vanilla.

3. Stir in grated carrot.

4. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and optional seeds.

5. Mix dry ingredients into wet until combined.

6. Spoon batter into muffin cups.

7. Bake: Mini muffins for 12-15 minutes or regular muffins for 18-22 minutes.

8. Cool before serving. They keep in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 2-3 months.

   
   

Tips:

• Want an extra moist muffin? Add Greek yogurt to the batter.

• Avoid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup for babies under one year.

• They freeze well, making for a quick snack!

  
  

Carrot On! Magnet, Stickers, Shirts, and More Fun on the Shop!

More Fun Ideas

• Teething biscuits

• Fruit and veggie pouches

• Cute bunny-themed snack cups

• Silicone bunny teethers

• Colorful sippy cups

• DIY Easter egg shakers

• Fun stickers and pacifiers

  
  

Ideas abounding! I hope you find joy and brightness in this Easter season!

Natural Egg Dyeing

Many of us grew up using a store-bought dyeing kit. But did you know you can use natural foods and spices to dye eggs?

Here's how:

• For blue: 1 cup chopped purple cabbage + 1 cup water + 1 white egg

• For green: 1 cup chopped purple cabbage + 1 cup water + 1 brown egg

• For red: 1 cup red onion skins + 1 cup water (let sit longer)

• For lavender: 1 cup red onion skins + 1 cup water or 1 bag Red Zinger tea + 1 cup water

• For orange: 1 cup yellow onion skins + 1 cup water + 1 white egg

• For rusty red: 1 cup yellow onion skins + 1 cup water + 1 brown egg

• For pink: 1 cup shredded beets + 1 cup water + 1 white egg

• For maroon: 1 cup shredded beets + 1 cup water + 1 brown egg

• For yellow: 1 tablespoon ground turmeric + 1 cup water

• For brown: 1 cup coffee + 1 cup water

  
  

Dyeing Steps:

1. Boil water with dye materials.

2. Once boiling, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15-30 minutes.

3. Check the dye color. It should be darker than you want your egg color.

4. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

5. Strain the dye and add vinegar — 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup.

6. Submerge eggs in the dye.

7. Chill in the refrigerator until the desired color is achieved.

8. Dry, oil, and polish eggs before storage.

   
   

Advice:

• Use about four cups of dye per dozen eggs.

• The longer the dye sits, the darker the color will be.

• Repeated dips can yield more vibrant colors.

  
  

Thank you for joining us in celebrating Easter and all its joy! Here’s to baskets brimming with love and memories sweeter than jellybeans, filled with belly laughs, snuggles, and the joys of the season.

'Sippity hoppity'

Hoppy Easter from our family to yours! 🌷🐰✨

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