Tag: sugar free

“Egg-cellent” Non Sugar Alternatives for this Easter

“Egg-cellent” Non Sugar Alternatives for this Easter

It’s a few days before easter, and as most families will be rushing out to stock pile their chocolate eggs and bunnies, take a moment to think, do I really need ALL of this sugar?

Last year I probably gained about 3 kilograms over the Easter period. I kid you not. We had some friends over on Easter Sunday for a lunch and of course the kids had an egg hunt, the week prior my mum and dad had visited and of course, we had another egg hunt. In addition to the dozens of chocolates the boys received from those activities, my husband is a serial egg addict. It would not be “Easter” without at least two boxes of marshmallow eggs being consumed and at least half a dozen of the white candy chocolate ones. SUGAR OVERLOAD!

So this year, I’m mixing it up.

I’m expecting the boys to receive chocolate from my mum and dad, that’s a given and every grandparents right 🙂 I also do have our iconic Lindt Bunnies adorning the tables, it just wouldnt be easter without them. This year for the boys however, apart from one or two hidden eggs for the hunt, we are largely going sugar free.

This year for our “hunt” I’m going back to old school. We get so caught up in the consumer trap and we wonder why our kids end up with diabetes, obesity and other diseases. The excessive lifestyle just gets worse every year. I always notice if the boys eat too many sugary treats that we often end up sick afterward. Sugar = Inflamation so I like to mix it up a bit.

 

Here are my top tips to do Easter, sugar free:

For our table decorations/activity/egg hunt I’m using good old hard boiled eggs. Soaking them in vinegar and painting our own little creations. What a perfect way to keep kids entertained. I’ll be hiding some of those in the garden too. Remember, the reward of the hunt is not “sugar”. Kids LOVE a treasure hunt regardless of what the treasure is! Its about the adventure, the challenge. Im also giving out cute little “carrot” playdoughs that I made up (using playdough and small piping bags). They make a gorgeous addition to the table and keep the kids entertained at the same time.

The base of our hunt is going to be the plastic eggs that are easily available at Westpack Lifestyle or Plastic land. They range from R3 to R12 per egg dependent on the size.  We also use these for sensory play and to make musical instruments so they dont get wasted at all!

I’m filling these with a number of “candy free” options, such as:

1.Hair clips/ties

2.Stickers

3.Slime (homemade or store bought)

4.Coins (as in money) – My boys are obsessed with money, the joy on their faces if they were to find eggs with actual money in would be second to none.

5.Mini erasers

6.Mini “Tickets” – You can create vouchers such as “Trip to the Zoo” or “Movie night”

7.Finger puppets

8.Lip Balm

9.Mini soldiers/ cars

10.Arts and Crafts Supplies

11.Seeds (if you had a mini gardener), the kits from my ecosprout are a great idea!

12.Bouncy Balls

13.Spin tops

14.Little Pet Shop toys

15.Lego

16.Magic grow animals

17.Magic grow beans

18.Bath fizz bombs, we made our own here

19.Dried fruit

20.Marbles

 

 

 

As you can see the possibilities are endless, a perfect way to eliminate some of the unnecessary chocolate and candy, although we need a little, in moderation of course 🙂 If you have a child with allergies, this list is invaluable ! All of these items are available from the local China Mall/ Dollar store.

What other non candy/chocolate idea’s would you do?