When you think of Easter, you probably think of pastel Easter baskets filled with colorful plastic grass, candy-coated eggs, and chocolate bunnies. It’s no secret that this holiday is full of sugary treats trying to sabotage your healthy diet. Even your weekly trip to the grocery store is bombarded with Easter graduation hats around every corner.
Despite the sweet temptations that try to sneak into your diet, there are many ways to celebrate Easter in a healthy way. With some fun activities, nutritious recipes and gift basket sharing, you and your family can create lasting holiday memories that promote health and wellness.
Here are five ways to have a happy and healthy Easter.
1. Get an alternative
If you have a sweet tooth, it’s a smart idea to make your own Easter candy. Our low carb recipe Peanut butter cups contains only six useful ingredients. It’s fun to bring these little treats to life, so let your hunting bunny or little ones help. We use a number six muffin tin to hold the cups in place, but any size muffin tray will do. You can also pop the filling in the fridge to harden, then shape it into Easter eggs before dipping it in melted chocolate. If you’re not a fan of peanut butter, you can easily swap in another nut butter you like. There are many options such as almond butter, sunflower seed butter or cashew butter. Click here for nine nut butters for your low-carb kitchen. >:
2. A better basket
Now that you’re living a healthier lifestyle, your family can benefit from your smarter choices. Instead of an Easter basket filled to the brim with candy, you can find small toys to bring Easter joy. Hit the seasonal bins at the dollar store or local market to make this a smart one. You can also fill baskets with healthy snacks like raisins, nuts, seeds, popcorn and protein bars.
Get creative and design themed baskets based on your recipient’s interests. Put together a basket of summer fun filled with sidewalk chalk, balloons, jump rope, bounce guns, and sand toys. A gardening basket will also be fun for kids and gardeners, including seeds, a spade, gloves, stylish decor, flower pots or a watering can. Make a family Easter basket full of fun activities and healthy snacks for a family game or movie night. The possibilities are endless.
3. An egg-rich Easter
It’s never been a better year to dye Easter eggs. Not only is it a lot of fun, but it also helps with your meal prep for the week. Two large whole eggs count as one protein on the South Beach Diet weight loss plan. According to Healthline, eggs are full of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, folate, selenium, calcium, zinc and vitamins B12, D, A, E and K.
Have a fun, healthy evening dying Easter eggs with the whole family. Dye your eggs with pure ingredients by making your own natural dye. The taste of home The magazine offers some great suggestions, such as using turmeric for yellow dye, black coffee for brown dye, beet juice for pink dye, and grape juice for purple dye.
When your eggs are ready, celebrate with a family Easter hunt. If you don’t want to use fresh eggs for the egg hunt, get some plastic eggs and put money inside. Coins, dollar bills and maybe one big bill make egg hunts fun for people of any age. Also, every exercise is important.
4. Move it
Speaking of exercises, why not start a new Easter tradition this year? After the big meal is over, everyone should go outside. Take a walk in a local park or neighborhood. Play croquet, badminton or maybe even touch football. If it’s a rainy day, pull out the Wii and have a little virtual competition.
Before Easter arrives, spend some time sprucing up your property. Believe it or not, just 30 minutes of planting trees and shrubs burns 149 calories for a 155-pound person, says Harvard Health. General gardening is even higher, burning 167 calories for a 155-pound person. Take advantage of the spring weather and spend time outside with the whole family.
5. New You, New Menu
As with many families, holiday menus are fairly traditional. You can expect the same recipes that mothers and grandmothers made and perfected before them. However, if your family is open to new recipes, especially if they support your goals for a healthier lifestyle, we have some great dishes to serve up this Easter.
Check out our Recipe section right here at The Palm Weight Loss Blog for healthy meals, sides and sweets. You will love our spring recipes Cucumber salad with bulgur and mint, Loin Lamb Chops with Mint Pesto and: Bacon Wrapped Zucchini. We even have a healthy one Cinnamon Roll Muffins for a sweet start to your holiday. For dessert, everyone will love ours No-Bake Key Lime and Avocado Cheesecake and they’ll never know it’s South Beach Diet-approved.