Fru-Gal Friends

Subject: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Mon 03 Mar 2008, 8:28 pm

~ Seeds for a garden - Toddlers and Kids love to dig in the dirt and plant things!

~ Jelly beans

~ A favorite cereal in the mini-boxes -

~ Hair elastic/bows

~ Mini cars (hot wheel/matchbox cars)

~ Bouncy balls

~ Chocolate bars

~ Homemade cookies in egg shapes

~ Deck of cards

~ Crayons

~ Coloring Book
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Vicki

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Subject: Re: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Mon 03 Mar 2008, 9:12 pm

Here's a link with similar ideas, scroll down for filler ideas:

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/frugal-easter-basket-ideas/

I'm going to make Easter 'Fun Bags' for the two little girls next door Smile

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~ By sowing frugality we reap liberty, a golden harvest. --Agesilaus ~

Subject: Re: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Mon 03 Mar 2008, 9:17 pm

Thanks skin
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Vicki

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Moderator Age : 27 Joined : 12 Oct 2006 Posts : 1824

Thanks to both of you! I am going to get busy with my kids baskets...I found a cool little bunny house you can print out and fold up...I am going to make that and fill it with candy and then a few small thigns I think...not sure. But, these ideas are great and I put that site on my favs it looks really neat Smile

Subject: Re: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Tue 04 Mar 2008, 12:15 pm

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Easter Basket Makeover

That's right... even the well-established Easter basket isn't safe from the Recipe Doctors clutches. Seriously though, I just want to give you some more healthful options in addition to the obligatory chocolate bunny. I would never in my wildest dreams suggest a chocolate-free Easter basket (unless that's what the recipient wanted).

There's a big difference between a basket that is wall to wall candy and a basket that has a few featured treat items but also includes other fun (non-food) surprises like fuzzy socks, little bouncy balls or adorable Kelly Dolls or Polly Pockets or Hot Wheels. For older children or teens (or adults) these items can be CD's, books, golf balls, or tennis balls. So here are my 5 tips for building a "better" Easter basket:

#1 Go for the chocolate but only include the items your basket recipient is truly going to enjoy. If their favorite candy bar is Milky Way, add a few Milky Way Eggs and call it a day. If your recipient enjoys pure chocolate, you could include a hollow bunny of high quality chocolate instead of a solid bunny (those are easier to eat anyway). If you have an M&M lover on your hands, you can opt for the Peanut M&M's, which are a more substantial snack because the chocolate comes with a dose of healthful peanuts. 1/4 cup (1.5 ounces) of peanut M&M's will satisfy most of us and it contains 220 calories and 11 grams of fat (some of which are healthful fat from peanuts), 4.5 grams saturated fat, and 4 grams of protein and a gram of fiber. Compare that to one of my favorite chocolate treats, Dove Truffle Eggs with 1 1/2 eggs (1.35 ounces) containing 225 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10.5 grams saturated fat, and 1.5 grams protein.

#2 Add fun fillers that encourage playing or sports. I think an Easter basket is a great opportunity to add toys and items that inspire physical activity. Just walking through Target the other day I found fun pink gold balls and tennis balls (I believe some of the proceeds go to fight breast cancer) and colorful Frisbees and badminton sets. At Walgreen's I found 4-inch soft puffy balls decorated with your child's favorite Disney characters. There are all sorts of small sports items that can help fill an Easter basket.

#3 Inspire playfulness and child-like fun (even with adults). There's something almost magical about sitting on the front porch in spring and blowing bubbles. Fill your basket with cool bubble blowing toys. Play-doh is always coming out with creative ways to play with colorful dough. I don't care how old you are, this can fun!

#4 Add something religious or spiritual. For a lot of people, Easter isn't a religious holiday but if it has a religious significance in your family, you can add something to the basket that reminds them about the spiritual aspect of the season--like small angel figurines, inspirational books, rosaries, religious jewelry, wall crosses, religious book marks, etc.

#5 Add healthful or interesting food items. You can add some interesting (age appropriate) food items to the basket too like sugar-free chewing gum (helps clean teeth), sugar-free breath mints ('nuf said), packets of flavored green tea to try (green tea is brimming with health benefits), little packets or cans of nuts, etc...

Wishing you all a lovely Easter filled with tossing Frisbees and blowing bubbles with your family, and of course, a few glorious bites of your favorite chocolate!

~~Elaine
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Vicki

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Subject: Re: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Tue 04 Mar 2008, 12:27 pm

Pompoms Instead Of Easter Grass

To avoid the mess and the waste of Easter grass, use cheerleader
pom-poms in the Easter Basket instead. There's no mess and they serve
as an extra surprise!

Samples for Easter Baskets

Little kids like little things-so use your samples and hotel size
toiletries that you don't want as Easter basket fillers. Just make sure
the kids are old enough to know what they are.
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Vicki

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Moderator Age : 27 Joined : 12 Oct 2006 Posts : 1824

Some more great ideas!!! I love them! I am going to set my limit on each basket after I talk to Rob tomight...I am excited!

Subject: Re: Frugal Easter Basket Fillers Tue 04 Mar 2008, 6:21 pm

Wow Printing all this right now .. thanks I dont want to give the kids all candy .. thank you thank you !!
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Gayla

"They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little."

---Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)