Zero Waste Easter Ideas

Out of all the (religious) holidays, Easter is definitely my favorite one. I’ve always loved how uplifting and refreshing it felt. The themes of renewal, new beginnings and celebrating life were always appealing to me. Plus, I’m in love with spring, and Easter celebrates all things spring (think tulips, daffodils, babies, etc). But there is one problem with Easter: All the dang plastic! Just like most holidays, waste is amplified through plastic Easter eggs, plastic wrapped baskets, plastic Easter grass and so much more. There’s a part of me that wishes I could go back in time to celebrate Easter like my grandmother did, just to avoid all the plastic. That said, celebrating a zero waste Easter (in modern times) certainly is possible, which is why I decided to create this blog post.


 I know how discouraging it can be to see all the plastic around you and feel almost powerless to fight it. But you can, and I’m here to help! Think of this post as a guide to get your creative juices flowing. Whether you’re hosting Easter at your house this year, or attending a party somewhere else, here are a few zero waste Easter ideas to make the day a little less wasteful. Also, just as a heads up, I do have one affiliate link in this post, but it’s nothing I wouldn’t buy myself. Now without further ado, lets celebrate Easter the zero waste way.

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Easter Baskets
Zero Waste Easter

If you have little ones in your family, you’re likely to be buying (or making) a few Easter baskets this year. Here are a few ideas on how to make some zero waste Easter baskets for your loved ones.

• Easter grass: Plastic grass makes a mess, ends up in the landfill, or clogs water ways. This is bad for the environment and wild life which can mistake it for actual vegetation. Skip the plastic grass in your basket this year and try growing real grass instead. If you don’t have time to grow real grass, just use shredded paper or straw instead (it’s completely compostable at the least). You could also try lining the bottom of the basket with pretty lace or tea towels, both of which can be reused in the house again and again.
  
  
• Baskets: Avoid purchasing (or making) an Easter basket wrapped in see-through plastic. It’s ridiculously wasteful and gets thrown out automatically anyway. Instead, find a cute basket that could be reused over and over again (preferably one that’s not made out of plastic). Even if the basket is being made for a child, think about the parent in advance: Will they be able to reuse this basket for something, or just throw it away? Look around your home for a basket or bucket before going out to buy one. If you want to get really creative, replace the basket idea altogether by using a ceramic pot or reusable tote bag. If you’ve got enough skill, you could always try to weave your own baskets – that would be a gift in and of itself!
  
  
• Basket goodies: Filling the Easter basket up usually involves a lot of cheap plastic toys and candy with lots of packaging. Instead, consider putting some of these plastic-free treats inside your basket this year: Homemade candy or candy bought package free from bulk bins, homemade baked goods or package free baked goods from a local bakery, wooden toys, experience gifts, seeds, a potted flower, secondhand spring or summer clothing, DIY sidewalk chalk, DIY crayons, or homemade toys. If you can’t find candy in bulk, for whatever reason, look for those chocolate Easter bunnies or eggs that come wrapped in foil. The foil is made out of aluminum which can be recycled infinitely – just make sure to ball it all up together before adding it to the recycling bin.

Zero Waste Easter

Zero Waste Easter Ideas
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Zero Waste Easter

Easter Feast
Zero Waste Easter

No matter how you celebrate Easter, you’ll likely end up eating at some point. To have a zero waste Easter, it’s important to prevent food waste as much as possible and avoid disposable silverware (if you can). Here are some tips for both hosting and going to an event.

• If you’re hosting an event: Do your best to purchase local produce for the feast you’re setting up. You can get some great seasonal, local produce at the farmers market. Make sure to bring your reusable produce bags and tote bags with you to purchase everything plastic free. If you don’t have a farmers market near you, do your best to buy package-free organic produce at your local grocery store. While cooking, compost any food scraps you create instead of throwing them in the trash. Whatever you decide to cook, set the table using reusable cups, plates and utensils. Better yet, include some pretty reusable cloth napkins at each seat. You can probably get some really cute Easter themed ones on Etsy, or local stores like Home Goods or Francesca’s (my personal favorite store for reusables – they always have the cutest stuff). If the idea of cleaning all those dishes irks you, enlist the help of one or two guests to get the job done. If you get stuck with leftovers, ask your guests if anyone would like to take some home with them. Whatever you get left with, use up in dishes throughout the following week. 
  
  
• If you’re going to an event: You don’t have as much control here as you do with hosting your own event, but that’s okay. If the hostess allows you to, ask them if they’d like you to bring anything – if they say yes, choose to prepare a zero waste dish by buying the ingredients as package-free as possible. Bring it in a reusable glassware container, big mason jars, or Tupperware (if that’s all you have). Try to avoid using any plastic wrap or aluminum foil to cover whatever you decide to bring. If a dish isn’t required, consider bringing the hostess a zero waste gift like plastic-free locally grown flowers, pretty tea towels, wine, olive oil, baked goods, etc. It’s a nice way to say thank you for the invite. Also, since you don’t have control over what silverware is used at this event, ask the hostess if you could use a reusable plate, cup and utensils while you’re there. Offer to wash them off yourself when you’re done with them, so they won’t have any extra work to do. I’ve done this before several times and never had a problem. At the very least, you’ll be saving one extra plastic plate, cup and utensil from ending up in a landfill. You can also bring your own reusable water bottle or travel mug and use that instead of one of the hostess’ cups. I advise bringing your own reusable napkin to use as well, since the hostess probably won’t have one of these on hand. Just stash it in your bag or car and grab it before you head into the party.
  
  

Alternative option: Go out to eat with the family at a restaurant that prepares locally sourced (or organic) food and offers reusable plates, cups, utensils and napkins. Make sure to take any leftovers home if you have any!