5 Easter Basket Ideas Without Candy

Govani Dental
April 1, 2020

Easter Basket Ideas Without Candy

Healthy Easter baskets

According to the National Retail Federations annual Easter survey, Americans on average spend up to $2.4 billion dollars on candy. With all the money being spent on candy, it may leave your child at risk for tooth decay and cavities. The good news is that you, as a parent, can control what goes inside your child’s Easter basket and it doesn’t have to be candy. Consider making healthy Easter baskets and trying these 5 Easter basket ideas without candy to ensure a cavity free holiday.

5 Easter basket ideas without candy

Healthy treats

Healthy snacks are a great alternative to candy. You could put fresh fruit or cheddar and graham cracker bunnies in their basket. Even consider putting a carrot with the greens still attached in the basket, it acts like a natural toothbrush and is the Easter Bunny’s favorite food.

Here are some other fun treats to help you make a healthy Easter basket for your kids!

Consider fun toys

Toys are always a great option! With spring right around the corner, consider putting in toys that your child can use while outside. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and yo-yos are a great way to keep your kids mind off candy.

Photo source: https://finandvince.com/blogs/news/easter-guide-courtney-cooper?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=Social

A book or puzzle are fantastic items to put in your child’s Easter basket. Putting in a dental or oral health themed book is even better! Classics like The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist is a great read and shows children that the dentist is not scary.

Picking a theme

You have endless possibilities on how to fill your child’s Easter basket. Some examples would include summer vacation, sports, or even art.

With summer being right around the corner, you can easily fill the basket with flip flops, sunglasses, water toys and goggles, or even a new bathing suit!

If your child loves a sport, you could fill the basket with their favorite team’s memorabilia. A team hat, a jersey, tickets to a game, or even a pack of cards as options.

Photo source: https://www.thecurriculumcorner.com/thecurriculumcornerfamily/2015/04/02/vacation-fun-easter-basket/

Keep the kids busy with some art supplies! Crayons, color pencils, playdough, paint and brushes create an activity that will help keep the kids entertained this holiday. Check out some of these coloring book pages from the American Dental Association® (ADA).

Toothbrush

Putting a fun toothbrush into your child’s Easter basket is a great way to educate your child on the importance of oral health. Pick a toothbrush with their favorite Disney princess or comic book hero.

Or consider an electric toothbrush that plays music for two minutes and encourages longer brushing. Your child’s oral health is important, make sure they are brushing twice a day and flossing regularly.

Candies

If you can’t resist putting candy in your kid’s Easter basket, consider choosing a dark chocolate. It melts quickly in your child’s mouth and is a healthier alternative to milk chocolate. You can use the plastic eggs as a way to control how much candy your child eats.

Try avoiding sticky or hard candies because they do the most harm to your child’s teeth. Candies like Peeps or gummy bears stick to teeth and make it harder for saliva to break down the candy. This increases the risk of tooth decay.

Be sure to have your child rinse their mouth with water after consuming any candy. This helps reduce the amount of sugar left on the teeth.

Easter Basket Ideas:

Make Easter fun without the candy

Toss the sweets this year and consider one of these Easter basket ideas without candy. Practicing good homecare and visiting the dentist regularly is essential for a cavity free holiday. If your child is overdue for their next appointment with our office, call the office at 920-231-1955 to schedule.

If you want to learn more on how to prevent cavities after eating candy, check out our Halloween blog.