How to Make a Healthy Easter Basket

Easter is coming up, and for some of us that means a big brunch followed by a helping of candy — think Cadbury Creme Eggs, Peeps, and lots of jelly beans. While a few Easter treats are OK, weighing your basket down with chocolate, caramel eggs, and jelly beans can be the gateway to mindlessly snacking on candy for the rest of the week. Whether you're making a basket for a friend or the little one in your life, keep reading for some healthy ideas to sneak in amongst the candy.

Photo: Jenny Sugar

• Healthy homemade desserts like these pumpkin-carrot bars with cream cheese frosting or vegan peanut butter patties.
• Decorated hard-boiled eggs to use later in one of these healthy hard-boiled egg recipes.
• Spring flowers like tulips, dahlias, or lilies.
• If you're going to put a little chocolate in your basket, choose antioxidant-rich dark chocolate that's organic or fair trade.
• Health and fitness magazines, small gadgets, or DVDs.
• Carrots — they're the Easter Bunny's favorite snack, after all!
• Our selections of pastel-colored fitness gear like headbands, socks, or workout tanks.
• Especially for kids: puzzles, small toys, stuffed bunnies, stickers, magnets, disposable cameras, packets of seeds and gardening tools, plastic eggs filled with coins or beads, Silly Putty (it even comes in its own egg), pastel-colored socks.
• Need a healthier alternative to jelly beans? Try energizing sports chews like Clif Shot Bloks or Jelly Belly Sports Beans.