11 Eco-Friendly Easter Basket Ideas

Every year around this time, I see a plastic explosion! Between the eggs, the candy, the toys, the baskets themselves, and the grass (oh! That grass!) there is just an explosion of plastic and waste every Easter. But, it doesn’t have to be. You can still have a very festive Easter celebration without all of the plastic and waste. Here are a few eco-friendly Easter basket ideas to help you make this year’s celebration a little more sustainable.  

1. Minimize

Ok, like everything else, the first step is to simply minimize. You probably knew this was coming, right? 

Your kids do not need an “Easter extravaganza!” They really don’t. Celebrate the best way you can, with a smaller footprint by prioritizing the important things about the holiday. Plastic eggs filled with plastic toys are not the important things! 

A few things that they want and need, a sweet treat or two, and an egg hunt – plus lots of love, a celebratory atmosphere and a playful spirit – that’s it.

2. Use what you already have

If you haven’t purchased your kids Easter baskets yet, take a look around your home. Are there any baskets that would work that you can use? We use an old wire basket and fill it with straw grass year after year. And I love the look of it. Because it is metal, it lasts. 

3. Update Your Basket

If you don’t already have Easter baskets for your kiddos, why not try one that can be used again and again, and not just for Easter. OllieElla has heirloom quality baskets that you’ll love and The Little Market has baskets that can be used as beautiful storage later.  

4. Ask for help from family

This year, we will be spending Easter with my mom and sister. I spoke to both of them about simplifying Easter. My sister tends to be more extravagant than I am when it comes to holidays. And my mom just gets carried away spoiling her grandkids. I can’t blame them, I know they enjoy it so much. 

But, I’ve asked them both to scale it down a bit. My mom understands where I am coming from and has made a bit of an effort to reduce plastic when it comes to my kids. My sister suggested we do baskets as individual families so that my kids don’t feel left out when they see what their cousins get. I think it is a perfect solution for all! It felt like a difficult conversation to have with both of them, but I am thrilled with the outcome. Well… at least now, three weeks before the holiday. We will see what actually happens, right? 

5. Consider secondhand

There is no better way to make an eco-friendly Easter basket than with secondhand!

I went a little overboard with books this year (and may have picked up a few for myself)! And, as always, I bought them secondhand. Amazon always has an enormous selection of used books, as does BetterWorld Books. I loaded up my cart right now with a few favorites about the environment, diversity, mindfulness, and slowing down. 

A few other places to take a look for toys, clothes, and other: Play It Again Sports, REI and of course, my favorite Poshmark. 

6. Consider a toy rental subscription

I love the idea of toy rentals and wish we had requested this of eager grandparents when my kids were littler. My two favorites are Green Pinata Toys and Tiny Earth Toys. Each of these companies send a regular box of age-appropriate toys monthly. When you are done, you box it up and ship them back. They sanitize them before sending, and if you lose a toy or two, don’t worry!

They give you a constant stream of new and fun ways to play and learn, without the commitment, clutter, and environmental impact of buying toys.

7. Wood! 

This year, our eco-friendly Easter baskets will have wooden eggs and I am thrilled. I have no idea what they will look like after the kids decorate them but I do know that we will be moving toward a zero-waste and plant-based Easter. I just got these yesterday and they are great! 

| Want to see some non-toxic DIY Easter eggs? Click here.

There are also tons of beautifully made wooden toys, like PlanToys, Let Them Play, Hape and Eco-Bricks (a wooden lego alternative). Environmentalists and child-development experts alike love wooden toys as they typically are more open ended than some of their plastic counterparts and certainly have a better environmental lifecycle. Plus, they are usually much more beautiful!

8. Get Better Candy

Traditional candy is so unethical! From the human rights issues in cocoa production to the deforestation and the endless amount of plastic, candy is really hard on the planet. But there are some great options. I love Tony’s Chocolonery because the packaging is so fun and giftable. Also great: Divine, Amborella Organics, or bulk candy wrapped up in little muslin bags.

9. Find Eco-Friendly Toys and Art Supplies

There are some really great brands doing really awesome things out there. Take a look at Eco-Kids for art supplies, Green Toys for recycled plastic trucks and sand play sets, and Gardenuity for gardening supplies (perfect for spring!).

Take a look at shops like The Tot, Earth Hero, and Maisonette for a pretty large assortment of eco-friendly toys. Even Target has a few great options. 

10. Get Things You Were Already Planning to Buy

Most years, I put swimwear in my little ones’ Easter baskets. They usually need a new set for the summer and it’s a perfect addition to their baskets. This year, I’m adding a few tennis and soccer balls because they need it, and a headlamp for camping for a planned summer trip. These are things I would buy anyway, but wrapped up, it becomes exciting and special.

Think about what you will buy in the next few months anyway, and add it to the basket. What will your kids need for spring break? Summer camp? Any end-of-the-school-year supplies?

11. Honor Your Values

Lastly, and most importantly, celebrate this (and all holidays) in a way that honors your values. For many of us, this includes minimalism, for others, we still want to spoil our children but in a more sustainable way. Consider what important values you want to send your kids, on holidays and every day, and be sure to honor those as you celebrate. 

For us, the most important things about holidays are togetherness, gratitude, and playfulness. My “everyday” values include conscious consumerism, presence, and peace. I keep these words in mind when I shop for our eco-friendly Easter baskets (and everything else). Each season, I start by saying I am going to be minimal and end up going a little more overboard than planned – but still work to pass along my values.

How about you? Are you a holiday minimalist or do you tend to go overboard? What will you put in your eco-friendly Easter basket?