How to Create a Vegan Easter Basket

It may seem like an insurmountable task to make an Easter basket for someone who doesn't eat any animal products, but it's not impossible. The key is to read ingredient labels and steer clear of milk, eggs and gelatin.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 12 Plastic Eggs
• Paper Easter Basket Grass
• Pastel Curling Ribbons
• Woven Easter Baskets
• Dried Fruits
• Fresh Fruit
• Nuts
• Tea Bags
• Trail Mix
• Vegan Candies
• Colored Plastic Wrap

1. Start out by purchasing a woven wicker Easter basket, plastic Easter eggs and shredded paper grass to line the bottom.

2. Head to your nearest health food store. Although many candies contain either gelatin or milk (like milk chocolate eggs) you can find dark chocolate that is milk-free, and hard fruit-flavored candies that have no gelatin. Candies that use carob in place of chocolate will also work.

3. Include several pieces of beautiful, ripe fruit. For the best selection, find a local farmer's market or organic food store. Wash, dry and polish the fruit before you place it in the basket.

4. Buy a prepackaged bag of trail mix (check to be sure it doesn't contain milk chocolate, although carob chips are OK), or make your own by mixing almonds, shredded coconut, carob chips, raisins and sunflower seeds. Tie a ribbon around the bag.

5. Fill the plastic eggs with small items like herbal tea bags, nuts and dried fruit.

6. Make sure to include some nonfood items as well, such as a small potted houseplant, a bouquet of dried flowers, scented candles or a book on bird watching or local hiking trails.

7. Arrange all these things in the basket, putting the heavier items (such as the trail mix and plastic eggs) on the bottom and the lighter ones (the baked goods and fruit) on the top.

Tips & Warnings

• Watch out for jelly beans and other chewy candies that may contain gelatin.

• You can also make sure your treats are vegan by making them yourself. Peruse the Internet for recipes for carob chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, fudge and other vegan treats. Wrap your homemade goodies in colored plastic wrap and secure them with pastel ribbon or Easter stickers.