Easter is a joyful holiday — but does it also have hidden dangers? Here are five things to watch out for!
Easter eggs
Coloring hard-boiled eggs for Easter baskets is a big part of the Easter fun. Hiding and seeking them is fun, too. But how long can they stay hidden before they’re too old to eat?
The official word from the USDA is two hours.
Your boiled eggs can stay in the refrigerator for a week, but once you hide them in the grass they should be found and eaten within two hours.
When you color those eggs, choose food colors or nontoxic art supplies designed for kids. Oil paints or other potentially toxic art supplies can be used on wooden egg shapes or empty eggshells but not on eggs intended for eating.
Filled eggs
Plastic eggs with toys inside are another favorite treat for Easter baskets. When you buy pre-filled eggs, though, be sure to check and make sure there are no choking hazards. Small items including balloons and toy jewelry can be dangerous for toddlers.
If you fill those eggs yourself, choose treasures big enough not to present a choking hazard. You might not have thought about chocolate Easter eggs, but the kind that are the size of grapes are not safe for children too young to handle grapes.
If you really want to give your toddler a chocolate Easter egg, pick hollow varieties. They will crumble or you can break them into pieces for your little one. Solid chocolate eggs can block a small child’s airway.
The hunt
What’s more fun than hunting for Easter eggs? It’s fun and exciting, so it’s important to watch out for hazards. Kids may wander off, run into the road, or fall into a swimming pool.
This is not what you want to think about for Easter. Instead, make sure all the adults and older kids agree on some basic guidelines. Show the kids the boundaries and make sure they understand that no goodies have been hidden outside of the safe area.
Hiding eggs under the wheel of a car or high up in a tree is not a good idea. Think safety first when you plan your egg hunt and supervise the fun.
Food allergies
Holiday gatherings often include special foods brought to a meal by a variety of people. Even if your Easter meal is not a potluck, friends and relatives often bring along a favorite dish.
If you know there are food allergies among your guests, make sure to ask what’s in the dish. A simple label identifying the lovely salad containing peanuts or the delicious casserole including shrimp can help avoid any unfortunate moments at your celebration.
Overindulgence
While Easter is not one of the wilder holidays (it’s the 11th most dangerous holiday in terms of traffic accidents, a reassuring piece of news), any celebration can lead to overeating or drinking more than is wise.
Easter can involve a lot of sweet temptations, too. Americans buy a total of 120 million pounds of candy at Easter, including 16 billion jellybeans. This works out to more than half a pound of candy for every man, woman, and child in the United States.
We’re not going to eat all of it on Easter morning, but consider limiting the amount of candy you serve. Easter baskets can hold books, art supplies, stickers, and socks, along with an enjoyable amount of candy. Fresh fruit and vegetable plates can share the table with boxes of chocolates and bowls of Marshmallow Peeps.