FitSugar

Don't Put Just Eggs in That Basket! 11 More Ideas

Susannah Chen — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 05:00:00 PDT

Why should kids have all the fun? This Sunday, offer your loved ones a creative, up-to-the-moment take on the classic children's Easter basket - only this time, make sure it has a grown-up twist. From champagne flutes and bubbly to handmade marshmallows and beyond, this assortment will take your handmade Easter basket to a sophisticated level. Click through for more ideas, then be sure to watch our how-to video for even more tips.

Get Egg-cited Over These Items For a Healthier Easter Basket

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:47:53 PDT

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.

How to Create a Chic and Unique Easter Basket

Susannah Chen — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 10:23:21 PDT

Why should kids have all the fun? This Easter, surprise your nearest and dearest with a sophisticated twist on the traditional Easter basket. For a grown-up twist, swap out those plastic eggs and cellophane grass in favor of a few handcrafted marshmallows, a rainbow of macarons, and an elegant bottle of bubbly. Watch the video to learn how to dress up a basket of your own.

How Would You . . .

CasaSugar — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 05:26:55 PDT

Happy Easter! Did someone in your family or circle of friends receive a cute basket from the Easter Bunny today? If so, I bet all of you eco-savvy Casa readers aren't going to just throw that basket out. Instead, think about how you could reuse it!

For this latest How Would You post, I'd like you to think outside the home-decorating box and find some creative ways to repurpose a woven Easter basket. How would you use it in your home? In what room? For what purpose? Would you use it for holding bath products? For craft projects? For jewelry? Add anything to it? Repaint or refinish? Leave a comment below and let me know how you'd fit a woven Easter basket in your home.

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A Healthier Easter Basket

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:30:00 PDT

You've seen the Easter Candy breakdown. You cast your vote for your favorite Easter Candy over on YumSugar...and now you're thinking maybe I should make a healthy Easter Basket. Well you know I am going to second that option. I am going to go so far as to give you some suggestions.

Carrots - The Easter Bunny likes to share
Fresh fruit
Homemade cookies that are filled with healthy ingredients like oats, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips

Bars of Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate covered peanuts, pretzels, or raisins
Mini banana bread muffins
An exercise DVD
A scented candle
Hand soap shaped like bird's eggs (my girls love these)
A jar of all fruit jam
Granola bars
A potted plant
Small picture frames
Herbal teas and a mug
A CD of relaxing music
Silly Putty - it comes in its own egg
For kids: a coloring book, colored pencils, puzzles, small toys, stuffed bunnies, stickers, play-doh, magnets, disposable cameras, packets of seeds and gardening tools, plastic eggs filled with coins, beads, and books about Easter.

Fit's Tips: I don't believe in denying yourself anything, especially during special family and holiday times. Make sure you do enjoy yourself (and the treats), and try the things you love, just don't go overboard and eat the ENTIRE 12 inch chocolate bunny in one sitting.

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10 Non-Candy Easter Basket Ideas For Kids of All Ages

LilSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:03:27 PDT

Avoid a sugar overload this Easter by infusing your tots' baskets with plenty of nonsweet treats. From baby to big kid, we've rounded up 10 fun finds for lil ones of all ages. Get creative, Easter bunny, and switch up this year's stash of goodies with treats that'll last them a lot longer than candy and cookies.

"Egg"-cellent! 5 Personalized Easter Baskets to Order Now

Kate Stahl — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:22:53 PDT

Easter is right around the corner, and if you want your lil one to celebrate with a supercute personalized basket, now's the time to order. We've rounded up five of our favorites from Etsy - some a little modern, one totally preppy, and some just plain adorable - waiting to be emblazoned with your lil Easter egg hunter's name and filled with candy and goodies.

This Easter, Don't Leave That Basket Unattended!

Sara Yoo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:00:00 PDT

Easter Sunday is the perfect day to spend with family and loved ones (of both the human and pet kind!), but if you have furry ones roaming the house and yard, perils lurk in even the most innocuous of Easter baskets. Do a quick tally of your Easter gear, and keep these items well out of reach of animals!

Source: Thinkstock

5 Egg-cellent Easter Basket Treats That Leave Sweets Far Behind

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 14:06:09 PDT

Chocolate and marshmallows are the hallmarks of Easter, but they don't have to dominate lil one's baskets. When tots wake on Sunday morning, surprise them with a few treats that carry on the holiday's egg theme without adding more sugar to their day. Check out five fun picks I've found below.

Clockwise from top left: Lego Easter Basket ($9), Play-Doh-Filled Easter Bunny ($10), Dinosaur Train Hatchers Kit ($5), HEXBUG Nano Bunny ($5), Weebles Spring Basket ($15).

5 Eating Tips For a Guilt-Free Easter

Anna Monette Roberts — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 04:06:08 PDT

Easter is a day of celebration and indulgence in wine, red meats, and sugary sweets. While it's easy to go overboard in the Easter feast, it's all about balance. Yes, you are allowed your Cadbury Eggs, but use these tips to keep you from completely falling off your diet plan.

Start with the real breakfast of champions: You may not be able to control what's served at the brunch table, but you certainly can control what you eat when you wake up. Make a giant green smoothie or green juice, so you load up on nutrients and filling fiber.
Drink plenty of water: Place thin cucumber and lemon slices in your water glass for a liver-detoxing and digestion-aiding beverage.
Fill up on greens: Before you dive into the cheese plate or Easter basket full of candy, munch on a plate full of veggie sticks or salad. The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff.
Remember your serving sizes: Serve half of the plate with veggies, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with protein. If you prefer stricter measurements, forget the cups and teaspoons, and use your hand as a measuring cup. Two fingers equals one serving of cheese. An open palm equals one serving of meat. A closed fist is one serving of fruit or vegetables. A cupped hand is one serving of grains.
Enjoy bread and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jellybeans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.