Do you have your Easter baskets all ready for the little (or big) kids in your life? Easter baskets are usually filled with all kinds of goodies and I like to think of them being just as exciting as getting your Christmas stocking! My family has all kinds of funny stories about the big search for finding our Easter baskets and of course what we find inside is even more exciting! The candy aisles at the store are filled with all kinds of goodies, but let us not forget that there are plenty of other non-junk food options to fill your Easter baskets with. Here are some ideas for you:
- Sidewalk chalk
- Color Dotz by Crayola (color your bath water with them!)
- Books
- Coloring books
- Stuffed animals
- Sunglasses
- Shoes
- Socks
- Hair accessories for girls
- Mini cars or planes for boys
- Nail polish
- Gift certificate to the movies or iTunes
- Magazine subscription
- Jump rope
- Yo-yo
- Pencils, crayons, markers
Easter Egg Food Safety
With the Easter Holiday and Celebration just a few days away, many of you have your eggs hard boiled and ready to be painted…or many of you already have them painted! As Sunday comes and goes, you may wonder what to do with those eggs. Here are some tips for you to practice proper egg safety:
- It’s ok to enjoy a little candy, but be sure to include some of these other goodies to help make your Easter baskets a bit healthier! And more importantly, remember the real meaning of celebrating Easter!
- Not sure how to boil an egg? Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil with the lid on, then turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in water for 15 min. Remove eggs and place in a bowl of ice cold water to cool
- Eggs should be used within 3 weeks of the sell by date. Be sure to store them in the fridge at a temp less than 40 degrees F.
- Hard boiled eggs spoil faster than fresh eggs as the protective coating is washed away, making them more susceptible to bacteria. Hard boiled eggs must be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking.
- If you want to eat the hard boiled eggs after the holiday, you must store them in the refrigerator. Throw away any eggs that are cracked, dirty, or have been out of the fridge for more than 2 hours. If you are going to use the leftover cooked eggs, it is recommended to use them within one week to prevent food poisoning. To help you do this, you could make two batches- one to display and one for eating.
- Ever wonder what the green ring on a hard boiled yolk is? It’s a result of overcooking the eggs and is caused by sulfur and iron compounds in the egg reacting to the surface of the yolk. The green color may also be a result of a large amount of iron in the water used to cook with. It may look funny, but it is safe to eat.
Happy Easter!
Kelsey
