Easter traditions

Easter is upon us and unless you’ve been wandering around blindly, you’ll have noticed all the Easter eggs and hot cross buns in the shops. Why is it that we feel the pressure to ‘celebrate’ with these sorts of treats that seem to have become traditions?

In all honesty, if they were just a treat, they probably wouldn’t cause too much of a problem. For many people, however, it seems perfectly acceptable to have a daily treat or even a treat after each meal. It’s no wonder we’ve got so many people, kids included, struggling with their weight. Of course, treats on too regular a basis are definitely not the only reason for burgeoning waistlines, but they certainly are a contributing factor for many.

So if you’re wondering how to avoid the traps of Easter treats, think now about what you could do instead.

Traditions are an important aspect of family life. We all remember important (or fun) times from our childhood that were repeated year after year. This Easter, take some small steps toward implementing something new that could become your family’s tradition. Here are some ideas:

1. Give the kids one or two eggs (not those the size of a football) and a well-chosen gift.
2. Do a treasure hunt with little sparkly stickers and a few tiny chocolate eggs rather than the huge chocolate rampage.
3. Prepare an Easter-themed breakfast – poached eggs with ‘rabbit food’ such as spinach, carrot, capsicum and tomatoes.
4. Make hand-painted eggs: here’s a link to Pinterest for some gorgeous ideas.
5. Make your own hot cross buns: here’s a great recipe.
6. The kids could help with making some Easter eggs. Mix together equal quantities of frozen fruit and coconut milk in a blender, then transfer into small round- or egg-shaped moulds and freeze for two hours. Take the eggs from the freezer and use a spoon to dip each egg into a mix of 2 parts melted dark chocolate chips and 1 part cream, and freeze in a storage container until you’re ready to serve them.
7. Make individual carrot cakes. This recipe is for a large cake, but just divide the mixture between the holes in a muffin pan and bake until they’re firm and the bubbles on top of the cakes have broken. Then frost according to the recipe. The bonus of this recipe is that the kids won’t even know they’re eating a vegetable!
8. Entertain family and friends during the Easter break with real food, not chocolate and hot cross buns – it’s the socialising that’s more important than the specific foods, right?

Start some new traditions this year that will have you and the kids involved in the planning and preparation. You’ll all be happier and healthier for the experience.