Jill A. Chafin
Hiding an Easter basket is an exciting tradition to do with your kids. However, from the fake grass to the fake eggs, traditional Easter baskets are usually full of plastic. Reduce your eco-footprint this year by trying some of these greener options!
Reusable Baskets
Invest in a durable basket or tote bag your child can use year after year. She can leave it out the night before Easter, so the Easter Bunny can fill it up with lots of goodies. It’s similar to leaving out some milk and cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.
A sturdy tote bag is easy to fold up and store away until next year. A nice wicker basket will likely last at least several years. Plus, you can use it the rest of the year to hold fruits, veggies, or flowers.
Grow Your Own Grass
All that shredded plastic grass is quite wasteful. Why not grow your own, instead? Get the kids involved in this project about a week before Easter. They can even grow it right in their baskets!
Worried about giving up the mystery of Easter? Just tell your kids they have to create the perfect environment for the Easter Bunny to store his treats. If you make it part of the yearly tradition, your kids will happily go along with it.
There are some easy grass kits out there. Alternatively, you can buy a potted plant that’s small enough to fit inside your kid’s basket. You can also fill baskets with scarves, shredded paper, or anything fluffy and green!
If growing your own grass sounds like too much effort (or you’re sure your cat will eat it all), you can always use natural grass fillers, like crinkle cut shredded paper or wood fiber “moss”, to fill baskets.
Use Wooden Eggs
Although these adorable wooden eggs aren’t cheap, they’re sturdy and durable. This means you can use them for many years to come. You can even paint them so they’re more vibrant and colorful.
In the end, though, it’s what’s inside that counts. Your child won’t care about the vestibule, as long as it’s filled with something yummy!
Make Your Own Treats
Avoid extra waste and make your own treats! Obviously, this is a bit challenging if you’re trying to maintain the Easter Bunny illusion. However, you can always make them after the kids go to bed.
Wrap these yummy treats in reusable beeswax wraps, and then put them in zippered snack bags or small tins.
Here are some delicious recipes you can try:
- Strawberry Fruit Leather
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rabbits
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs
- Easter Hugs Pretzel Snaps
- Easter Bunny Chow
Save Everything for Next Year
If you or your kids are attached to the fake Easter grass and/or the colorful plastic eggs, that’s okay! Just buy the highest quality stuff, so it will last for several years.
When Easter is over, pack everything away in sturdy, sealed ziplock bags to keep out the dust.
You’ll be surprised how long that plastic stuff can last! After all, if it manages to hang out in landfills and the ocean for decades, it’ll likely last indefinitely stored under ideal conditions in your home.
And if you keep it all long enough, it’ll make a fun, retro Easter for your grandkids!
Your kids are more interested in the goodies inside their Easter baskets. So, don’t stress too much about the decorative fluff. Switching to just one greener method can make a huge difference. And don’t forget to keep reusing the materials—even plastic grass can last at least several seasons.
