Because we can’t let a chocolate bunny dent our grocery budget, darling. 

Let me paint a scene for you. It’s the Tuesday before Easter, I’m in aisle seven at the supermarket, and I’m side-eyeing a six-pack of chocolate eggs like it just insulted my outfit. $8.99. For six tiny eggs. Not golden. Not filled with anything interesting. Just… eggs. I audibly gasped. My toddler asked if I was okay. I told her I was grieving the death of reasonable holiday prices. Mamas, let’s be real - everything is more expensive right now. Eggs? Practically designer. Chocolate? Might as well come with a payment plan. But Easter doesn’t have to cost a small fortune or involve sugar comas to be magical. So let’s flip the script (and the basket), shall we? Here are some chic yet budget-friendly Easter basket alternatives that bring all the joy without maxing out your card - or your kid’s energy levels.  

DIY Treats That Don’t Taste Like Regret

Before you panic - no, I’m not asking you to become some Pinterest mom with edible grass and handcrafted marshmallows (though respect if that’s your vibe). I’m talking simple, cute, and doable. We made bunny trail mix last year - mini pretzels, popcorn, pastel M&Ms, and a whisper of sprinkles (because extra). I put them in little mason jars with a ribbon, and my kids acted like I’d given them the moon. Spoiler: it cost less than $5 to make enough for three baskets and a snack for me while assembling. Win. Also, banana oat cookies shaped like eggs? Chef’s kiss. My four-year-old thought they were dinosaur eggs and I was too tired to correct her. Add a little colored yogurt drizzle and voila - artsy AND tasty.  

Repeat after me: not everything has to be edible. Easter is a great excuse to sneak in some non-candy items that actually get used. I’m talking books (bonus points for springtime themes), coloring books, mini puzzles, even sidewalk chalk in pastel hues. Basically, if it fits in a basket and doesn’t stain my couch, it’s fair game. One year I put a tiny plant in each basket - a baby succulent named “Sprouty” changed our entire breakfast table vibe. And my oldest still talks to it like it’s her emotional support friend. I mean… same.  

Okay, this is my favorite hack and my husband's least favorite because it usually turns into a family outing that somehow ends with us at a botanical garden with zero cell reception. Instead of more stuff, I’ll throw in a “voucher” for a special day together:  

  • Movie night where they pick the snacks 
  • A family picnic at the park (BYO sandwiches, sorry kids) 
  • A baking day with full sprinkle access (send help) 
  • A coupon for “skip chore day” (within reason—I'm not raising lawless woodland creatures) 

These little printed cards are cute, personal, and FREE. They also don’t wind up under the car seat three days later, unlike rogue jelly beans.  

Secondhand Chic

Don’t sleep on thrifting, ladies. A secondhand picture book? A vintage tea cup for pretend play? That adorable felt bunny I found for $1.50 that looks like something out of Anthropologie? It’s all fair game. And honestly, my kids don’t care if it’s new - as long as it’s cute and theirs. Also, can we normalize reusing baskets? I don’t know who started the idea that we need a new themed basket every year, but I have beef with them. I rotate the same three baskets and just zhuzh them up with fabric scraps or a scarf from my “things I’ll wear when I’m not tired” drawer.  

The “Mom Basket” Movement

Listen. If I’m assembling three baskets while gluing googly eyes on boiled eggs (why? Why do we do this?), then I deserve a basket too. Mine usually has:  

  • A sheet mask 
  • A single fancy chocolate (hidden, obviously) 
  • A $5 Target candle 
  • A note from myself that says, “You’re doing amazing, sweetie.” (Kris Jenner voice optional) 

Because Easter is about renewal, and if that renewal comes in the form of a bath bomb and 10 quiet minutes with no one yelling “Mom!” - I’ll take it.  

The truth is, our kids aren’t going to remember whether their chocolate was premium or generic. They’re going to remember the scavenger hunt through the living room, the way you laughed when the cookies burned (again), and how you made a holiday feel magical with mismatched baskets and homemade glitter glue. So don’t stress the price tags. Design an Easter that fits your budget, your family, and your current capacity to hot glue anything. And if all else fails? Stick a bow on a box of cereal. It worked once and now my youngest thinks “Easter Cornflakes” are a thing. Stay stylish, stay sane, and go reclaim those overpriced chocolate bunnies for yourself. 

Love, A fellow mama who once glued pom-poms to socks and called them “Easter slippers” 💕  xoxo