Easter Basket for My Allergic Kiddos

Jed and Zac’s First Easter Basket…Yes, I know I went nuts!

Jed is seriously allergic to eggs.  He’s also intolerant to dairy.  He also has issues with fructose – meaning most sweeteners are no good for him.

Well, that just shoots Easter goodies right out of the water! 

No hard-boiled, dyed Easter Eggs, no gigantic chocolate bunnies, no jelly beans or chocolate covered peanut butter eggs…no nothin’!

So what does a Food Allergy Mama DO for an Easter Basket for her food allergic kiddo?

Well, if you’re me, you go a little nuts.  

Darrel and I are “those” parents; you know, the ones who didn’t buy their kids any Christmas presents until they were nearly two because, well,  the kiddos are just going to want to play with the boxes and wrapping paper anyway, right? (We actually DID just wrap empty boxes Jed’s first Christmas!)

In that same vein, this is the first year I’m doing an Easter basket for Jed because prior to this, he really wouldn’t have even known what to DO with an Easter basket!

Since this is his FIRST Easter basket, and I am so ham-stringed by allergies, I went a little overboard on putting together a good one.  

I thought I’d share it with you, in case you’re also stumped for ideas and might want a little inspiration.  It’s really not a bad idea even for non-food allergic kiddos; NO ONE needs THAT much sugar in one day!

So, here’s their basket:

Jed really likes music.  He enjoys making music, dancing to music, and we’re trying to get him to sing to music (though that’s not as much fun to him yet).  So, I got some cheap music-makers for him.

A triangle, a recorder, a kazoo and a bell rattle (for Zac)

I always drink out of one of those plastic travel cups with a straw, and Jed thinks those are just awesome and constantly wants to drink out of my cup.  So, I got him one of his own!  ($20 says he breaks it within 24 hours.  Any takers?  Thankfully, it was cheap!)

And what Easter basket would be complete without a stuffed bunny?  (Even though both my kids show zero interest in anything ‘stuffed’!)

Bunnies for both boys, and a “grown-up sippy cup” for Jed!

Then I grabbed some little goofy toys: a paddle ball, some bunny jumpers, those little grow capsules that you put in water to expand, and one of those soft gel toys that you throw on the wall and watch it ooze down!

Little Goofy Toys

Jed has some serious love of sidewalk chalk, so I had to get him some egg-shaped chalk for Easter!

Sidewalk Chalk Eggs

And last, but not least, a Thumper Easter book and Easter DVD’s from VeggieTales!  Oh, and a little wind-up hopping bunny for Zac to play with!

Longer lasting entertainment

I also hope that I can make some edible fructose, dairy and egg free candies and treats for him to enjoy on Easter.  If I succeed, I’ll share the recipes!

So, there’s our little slice of Easter.  (Really, are Christmas presents and Easter baskets even FOR the kids?  Putting this together was great fun for ME!)

By the way, I know lots of allergy families use the plastic, hollow egg shells to put treats in and decorate with stickers, or buy wooden eggs that can be painted like hard-boiled eggs are dyed, but I decided against that.  With an egg IgE, I don’t want to confuse Jed at this age with thinking eggs are safe to play with.  Maybe when he’s older and can easily differentiate between the two.  (I figured the sidewalk chalk eggs didn’t really look enough like real eggs to worry about.)  But those sound like fabulous ideas, if you’re so inclined!

What are you putting in your allergic child’s Easter basket?

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Go see the boys Easter baskets in 2014!