Low Tox Easter
Whether you celebrate the origins of Easter (like we do) or just enjoy the time with family and the lovely family traditions, Easter CAN be a gorge fest of chocolate, leading to over stimulated kiddos with sore bellies come the afternoon.
There are some choices you can make however to make your easter LESS filled with junky ingredients and plastic crap you’ll never use again!
Let’s start with chocolate
There are better choices out there. Not only do you want to minimise the ingredients in what you’re eating (most add cheap sugar or high fructose corn syrup, preservatives for shelf stability, trans fats and colours etc), sustainability is important too. Cacao farming has switched from a respected art form, to a commonly unsustainable practice.
The use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers in the production is also very common. Then there’s the palm oil use which involves the mass destruction of ecosystems.
So what should we do? Look for chocolate that has been Fairtrade certified or Rainforest Alliance certified and keep and eye out for chocolate with Certified Sustainable Palm Oil or are Palm oil free. We can’t always control what the kiddos eat (grandparent LOVE to give treats!) so just remember it’s one day, don’t deprive your kiddos, but stay mindful.
I love to grab some silicone moulds and melt down a high quality chocolate into cute bunny shapes and also focus on OTHER easter like activities like egg painting (more on that in a minute).
But first, here’s some egg options I love:
Forty Thieves: Their peanut butter filled Easter eggs are to die for!
Loving Earth: Dairy free, plant based, organic, sustainable, compostable packaged choc, made in a solar powered factory. Their eggs are NEXT LEVEL. I contacted them directly and their NZ distributor is Chantel Organics. They recommended to use this link to find a store near you and give them a call to ensure they had stock as they were unsure if all stores were stocking them.
Nourish and Thrive: Peanut Butter Eggs
Here's some better chocolate choices:
Trade Aid: Home compostable packaging, organic, fair trade chocolate made in Christchurch.
Pana Chocolate Wellington Chocolate Factory, made in NZ, organic, ethically sourced and traded, some vegan
Bennetto: Organic, Fairtrade small scale cacao farm, vegan and gluten free.
Pico Chocolate, vegan, fair trade, organic
Other tips:
I love to use bulk stores and refilleries, bring your own jar and fill them up! GoodFor or The Source Bulk Foods are both great. you can fill up your own jar with mini eggs, chocolate freeze dried strawberries or macadamias.
Easter baskets are super cute for easter hunts, don’t buy new, go to your local op shop and find a cute one for $1 or repurpose something you already have!
Easter doesn’t have to be limited to chocolate! Here’s some gorgeous gifts, especially for those who are too young to be eating chocolate!
Low Tox Easter Gifting
For Baby:
Organic Cotton Bunny Print Body Suit from Gather + You
Silicone Bunny Teether from Elephant Oliie
Wooden rattle eggs from Little Gatherer
Organic Muslin Snuggle Bunny from Little Whimsy
Moonie Organic Humming Bunny
For older Kids:
Bamboo Bunny Suction Plate from Cooper and Collection
Beatrix Potter Colouring Book
Forest Friends PJ's from Nature Baby
Organic Bunny Hooded Towel from Nature Baby
Silicone Bath toys from a little Whimsy
Silicone Bunny Placemat from Little and loved
Activities and Traditions:
Wooden Painted egg set with natural dyes From Eco Warehouse
Natural egg dye for real eggs from Eco Warehouse
Your Wild Celebration Book other cool nature play ideas for Easter in this awesome book available from A Little Wild Make your own Hot Cross Buns
here's a recipe I love: Traditional
These are to die for if you're a sourdough queen. Sourdough hot cross buns
Not a baker, I adore these (GF and easy to make plant based) from Nourish and Thrive, I've tried them 3 x years running, never fail.
Honey Sticks non toxic crayons melted down into egg shapes or bunnies!
DIY your own Easter Eggs
$3 Silicone Egg mould from the warehouse
Floral Easter Egg Kit from Little House NZ
Fair Play Easter Gift Set from Fair Play
Wooden Eggs in a Basket from Fair PlayHope that gives you some more inspiration to get creative this year!
Share this with someone who might be going to gift your kids with Cadbury Creme Eggs this year and make 2022 a more low tox Easter x
