How to have an Eco-friendly Easter [Week 13]

Posted On March 31, 2021

Easter is sacred celebration. Let’s make it friendly on the Earth as well.

Amanda Drews, 5 minute read

• Ideas for a greener Easter basket
• What to use as Easter basket filler
• What to put into your Easter basket and eggs
• Easter Eggs

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If you celebrate Easter, here’s some tips on how to make it a little more eco-friendly while still having fun.

Let’s focus on creating memories with our families. On my mom’s side of the family we all used to do an indoor basket hunt after church. On my dad’s side, you participated in the outdoor egg hunt until you had kids to replace yourself! Whatever your family decides to do, keep in mind where you can reduce, reuse or make greener choices when it comes to your Easter decor and activities.

This year might still be a little different before everyone gets their Covid-19 vaccines. I know I miss getting together with the entire family but I also know it’s safer for the people I love to keep it small again this year. Make it extra special for your kids at home if you are unable to see your loved ones this year.

Ideas for a greener Easter basket

• If you can, reuse an old basket. I still have the same Easter basket that I used as a kid!
• Check out thrift or antique stores to look for used baskets and decor. You can even ask online to see if anyone has an extra basket that they won’t need anymore.
• If you have to buy a new basket, find one made out of natural materials such as wicker or jute.
• Consider finding a Fair Trade basket that will benefit a community.

• Find another object you could use to put goodies in such as a beach pail, watering can, planter or wagon. Pretty sure there are no rules that says it has to be a basket. You could also use bags. Try a colorful one out of an old gift bag!
• If your kid has their heart set on a themed basket, use stickers or ribbons to theme out a more plain basket. A PJ Mask or Pokemon Easter basket may only last a year or two before your kid moves on to some other obsession. Or pick a timeless character that isn’t just a fad.

What to use for Easter basket filler

• If you already have plastic basket grass, go ahead and reuse that unless you are concerned with it blowing away outside. Again, my mom still has plastic Easter grass that she used for our baskets over 30 years ago!
• You can buy paper grass. Look for 100% recycled paper and keep the outside packaging in mind when choosing. Paper grass will not be recyclable on it’s own in your curbside recycling (if you remember the rules for recycling, it’s too small). However, you may be able to put it into a large used sealed envelope or you can compost it.

• I bought this edible Easter grass this year for fun, we’ll see how it tastes. Update: it tastes like pure nothing, but the kids like eating it! It does come in a plastic bag.

• Make your own grass! Use tissue paper you’ve saved from a gift you received or strips of fabric from a cloth that’s no longer usable. Do you save your kids artwork? If you don’t want to store all those papers, take pictures of them for looking back on in the future, then shred up those colorful construction sheets covered in paint that aren’t actually good for recycling anyways. Make sure that’s not going to be something that breaks your kids heart though if they find out!
• Grow some real grass! This will require a bit of planning ahead. Line the bottom with something that will prevent it from leaking. Throw some soil and seed in there and watch it grow.

What to put inside your Easter baskets and eggs

• Find items throughout the year that you might give your kid anyways or will be helpful for the up coming warmer weather such as sun hats, sunglasses, sandals.
• Encourage creativity with paint sets, chalk, crayons and markers.
• Bake some homemade treats instead of packing it with candy.
• Have a book exchange with your neighbors so each kid gets a used book.
• Try something different inside your eggs. At my Grandma’s house, we all had to find one purple egg each because that one had money in it! Think about what your kid really likes. I’m sure my 2 year old will be just as happy if she finds croutons in her eggs instead of candy!
• If you are going for candy, choose one of the more greener brands such as Endangered Animal bars, Tony Chocoloney bars and Altereco truffles.

Easter Eggs

• If you are going to use real eggs in your Easter baskets, try to buy them from a local source that lets their chickens have access to pasture. Use the USDA National Farmer’s Market Directory to find your local farmer’s market. Have a plan for if you are going to hard boil the eggs or blow them out. Plan out some recipes so you don’t waste any eggs.
• We use the plastic eggs that open up so you can place treats inside because we already had them. Might as well use them as many times as possible. If you are buying new, look for ones made out of recycled materials. If you have decided you are done with your plastic eggs, donate them.

• Having an Easter celebration with adults? We’ve done hidden mini bottles before. Although as far as sustainability goes, you may want to choose beer cans instead. Or a bottle of champagne per couple! Sunday mimosas anyone?
• Although I haven’t bought any, there are a growing number of new egg alternatives out there to choose from made out of wood or cardboard. You could even have your kid color in or draw eggs and practice cutting them out and then have to go find them hidden.
• Count the number of eggs you put out so if you are missing some at the end, you can go out and get it so animals don’t get into them.

• Use different foods to dye your eggs. Experiment using different foods like beets, red onion, red cabbage, onion skin, fruit juice, raspberries blueberries, cherries, colorful flowers, tea, spices basil and spinach to dye your eggs beautiful colors. Basically anything that might be colorful! Time some recipes with these foods. You can also use flowers to make patterns on your eggs.

Easter Outfits

As with the rest of our wardrobes, your kid’s Easter outfit does not have to be brand new to look adorable. They are likely going to wear it only a few times before they outgrow it if you are dressing them in something fancy. Spruce up an outfit with accessories like floral crowns, pins or plan out outfits that may look like Easter-y colors but can easily be worn the rest of the year as well. Check out thrift stores to see what they have or look in your online communities.

Rabbits can be nice pets but don’t buy animals just for Easter

Enjoy your Easter, but please do not buy a rabbit just to have around for Easter if your family wasn’t discussing getting one before. Rabbits take a lot of time, training and space. Not mention they eat like little piggies! I’ve known a few sassy rabbits in my day and I would not say they are for the novice pet owner. They are not a critter you can just put in a cage and look at. They need a veterinarian, daily exercise and interaction. If you were already planning on bringing a rabbit into your home, just wait a bit after Easter to adopt one that was an impulse buy bunny and the owners had no idea what they were getting into.

1. Celebrate Easter in a safe way.
2. Make a storage bin and label it so you know exactly where to store everything for upcoming years.
3. Learn about how to help migrating birds this spring in Week 14.