5 Egg-cellent Eco-friendly Easter Egg Ideas

1. You may have heard the not-so-great news that dyes used for Easter eggs, even though labeled non-toxic, may not be so healthy. Seems some of the dyes contain coal tar and other petroleum products.

Why purchase these kinds of products in the first place, especially when it's so simple, fun and educational to dye eggs using items from your fridge or pantry?

Dyeing eggs with fruits and veggies is not much more complicated than using store-bought dyes. Choose brightly colored fruits and veggies (though  sometimes a not-so-bright item, can yield amazingly vibrant results, onion skins being one example) and give it a try. Here are instructions for both hot and cold methods.

2. Hunting for colorful fruits and vegetables not your style? Check out the brand new eco-frendly tablets in the Eco-Eggs Easter Egg Coloring Kit where the colors come from purple sweet potato, paprika, beta carotene, red cabbage and blueberries. For $10, you get enough dye for two years.

3. If you hurry, you still may be able to pick up some souvenir eco-friendly wooden eggs that commemorate the annual Easter egg roll on the south lawn of the the White House. These commemorative eggs are made in the U.S. from FSC certified hardwood.

4. When it comes to candy eggs to hide or give in a basket, you're in luck. There are more eco-friendly choices available now than ever. Check your local natural food store(s). If you're lucky your local grocery or even big box chain might carry organic or Fair Trade chocolate eggs. If not, further the cause by letting the manager know you'd like this choice and that if she stocks them, you will buy.

5. Avoid buying new plastic eggs. But if you've held on to old ones or find some at a garage sale, give them new life! Cover with paper mache (made with flour and water); or glue on bits of yarn; or cover in glitter made from old piece of silver foil. You get the idea, bring out a box filled with odds and ends and let the kids have fun using eco-friendly glue of course, fill with healthy, green goodies.

(Don't store unwrapped candy in plastic eggs because the eggs may contain chemicals that can leech into the candy, especially if left in the heat. Kids have been known to discover hidden eggs months after Easter and devour the contents.)

Top picks for eco-Easter eggs

1. Make a paper mache egg diorama

2. Organic jelly bean eggs

2. Organic chocolate eggs from www.DivineChocolate.com, www.Sjaaks.com or hand decorated Easter egg cookies from www.BeautifulSweets.com

For more eco-Easter ideas, visit www.CelebrateGreen.net/blog

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net 

Frugal Tip Tuesday: Buy Easter Baskets Only Once

Do you buy new Easter baskets and grass each year? Suddenly, after a few years, you have loads of cheesy misshapen baskets and discolored grass. I finally broke down two years ago and bought my two children personalized Easter baskets that I reuse year after year. I actually look forward to breaking out the baskets each Easter season. They're cute, functional and reusable. I just fill them up with some candy and small toys. 

Frugal Tip: Know when to make an investment in an item versus trying to save money by buying something on the cheap.

Easter baskets are just one example. What have you bought that's high quality and will last in the long run?

Go Green: Some Bunny Will Love a Green Easter Basket

Easter brings thoughts of spring and rebirth, so there's no reason not to celebrate it with the Earth's best interest at heart. Since for many families, Easter wouldn't be the day without the basket, here's how to transform this traditional hit, into a gift that truly is worth celebrating.

Instead of buying a new plastic or woven basket made in a country far away, this year, how about using your imagination? Choose an item that can hold the goodies, decorate if you like and you've got a unique, no-cost container. How fun would it be for your kids to go on the hunt with one of these?

• A purse
• A backpack
• A scarf tied to a hobo stick
• A decorated paper bag or shoe box (add a handle if you like)
• A fabric bag of any kind
• A pot (decorate by drawing on a strip of paper the height of the pot, then fasten with tape)
• A boot (Kids rain boots are especially cute. Tuck some fabric inside to keep goodies clean.)
• A paint can (again, add fabric inside if you like)
• Make our simple fabric basket. Instructions here.

If you're the traditional type and like the look of grass, instead of buying the plastic stuff, why not try:

• strips of fabric
• real grass, either wheat grass or grass from your yard
• shredded recycled paper
• green scarf
• strips of organic nori (seaweed availbalbe in paperlike sheets)
• green napkin, washcloth or dish towel

As for filling the basket, you're probably aware that Easter is the second biggest holiday for candy sales next to Halloween. Sweet treats are fine, but how about choosing high quality over quantity? And just one over handfuls? Fortunately, this year, there are many great Easter treats that are better for kids and the Earth. Here are just a few:

• Organic vegan bunny and eggs from Allison's Gourmet
• Organic jelly beans from Nuts Online
• Baking your own cookies? Pick up organic food colors from the Natural Candy Store which also carries loads of other sweet Easter treats like Easter eggs filled with organic candy

Once the candy is taken care of, you'll most likely want other items to fill the basket. Considering the economy, you might come up with activities you can do with your child that cost nothing, write them on slips of paper and add to the basket. We bet if you ask your children in advance, what special activities they might enjoy, you'll have enough for months of fun. Suggestions:

• Stay up late with you one night.
• Bake something special together.
• Make up a game.
• Make popcorn and enjoy a movie on TV.
• Sleep outside under the stars.
• Have a tea party
• Create a mural
• Create and enjoy an "art" day using only items you have on hand

If you do want to purchase some special items for the basket, instead of heading to the dollar store, consider whether spending $10 on plastic toys that will break quickly is better than spending the same amount on one quality item that your child might enjoy playing with long after the holiday has passed. If you're with us that the latter is worth investigating, here are a few ideas:

• Seed packets and a garden implement or two
• Felted egg kit from A Child's Dream Come True
• Fair trade egg shaker from Down to Earth Toys
• Wooden play eggs from A Toy Garden
• Paper mache nesting eggs from Magic Cabin
• Organic finger puppets from I Play Baby Wear
• Handmade decorative eggs from you or Etsy
• Seeded paper or cards that can be planted from Botanical Paper Works

More ideas for Easter baskets and festivities are available at www.CelebrateGreen.net/blog

This post was provided by Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson, who are mother and daughter and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net.