Americans purchase 120 million pounds of Easter candy every year. That’s the weight equivalent of over 9,000 male elephants in the form of Easter baskets filled with processed sugar!

Of course, candy is a fun way to celebrate and a guaranteed way to gain the favor of children (until that dreaded sugar crash, of course), but this year we feel challenged to swap the weight of processed junk for better things. Choose real this Easter with naturally sweet alternatives and longer-lasting entertainment. They won’t even miss the artificial dyes and processed sugar. Plus, they’ll feel better too.

Check out these fun and easy ways to turn the focus of Easter away from candy while still celebrating appropriately!

1. Make your own natural treat

Make it a family affair with these quick & easy homemade fruit snacks made with raw honey that require only 20 minutes of prep time! Tie them up in a cute Easter baggie with a ribbon (or simply put them in a sandwich bag) and voila!

Homemade gummies are a great way to cut back on processed sugar

2. No-mess Honey Packets

Still want a sweet treat but don’t have time to make something homemade? These raw and unfiltered honey packets will brighten up the kids’ baskets but won’t cause the huge high and crash like processed sugar. Plus, they’re convenient enough to put in their lunch box post-Easter!

3. Activity Sheet + Crayons

After all the Easter egg hunt hoopla, it can be hard to get the little ones to settle back down for naptime, snack time and bath-time routine. To ease the transition we created these fun, free printable Easter themed coloring sheets to keep the festivities rolling in a wind-down way. Plus, bonus perk! You now have another fun candy alternative for your Easter basket. I mean who doesn’t like a new set of crayons?!

4. Something you’d buy anyway

Two birds, one shopping trip

You don’t have to spend extra money on Easter. Buy the things your kids will use later and stuff them in their Easter basket! Get them ready for pool season by including flip flops. Need a new Disney Princess toothbrush? Check! Out of their favorite after-school snack? Can’t find any of the crayons except cerulean? Congrats, your Easter basket is now full of things that won’t be thrown away tomorrow.

5. Museum or park pass

Use this simple site to figure out where the nearest children’s museum is, or add family hiking to your bucket list and gift a state park pass or junior ranger program admission. This will make the kids excited for things to come and motivate you to get your family out and doing things together! Candy could never compare to that.

Get out and have fun as a group this Easter holiday

What did we miss?

Share the ways you Choose Real this Easter on social media with the hashtag #choosereal.