by Tiffani Nye

Created on: March 26, 2010

It's just after dawn on Easter Sunday, and you're seven years old. You were up way past your bedtime, meticulously coloring egg-shaped masterpieces for the Easter Bunny to hide.  You're still sleepy, but the slowly lightening sky screams, “It's CANDY time!” and just like that, you're out of bed and down the hall. You're excited because you know what's waiting for when you reach the living room – a big, beautiful, grass-stuffed basket full of candy!

We all remember being a child on Easter. The excitement of egg hunts, stuffed bunnies and most of all - candy, candy, and more candy.  Though brands have changed and new products have surfaced since we were children, we all want to make sure our own kids experience the same joy on Easter Sunday. With that in mind, here is a run-down of the best and most popular Easter candy for this season.

The most popular Easter candy is, of course, chocolate. Whether it’s a cute molded bunny or a decadent crème-filled egg, chocolate has always been on top of the Easter must-haves list. Big candy companies often have special varieties of their most popular brands. Snickers, M&M’s, Hershey's famous Kisses – all of these year-round favorites trade in their usual packaging for spring-inspired pastel wrapping that's sure to look lovely in any basket. Other favorites, like Cadbury’s famous Crème Eggs, are only available from New Year's Day through Easter.

If you're looking for something less chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth, try sinking your teeth into another long-time Easter favorite: Peeps! These soft, sugar-coated marshmallow chicks have been an Easter favorite since they first hit the market in the early 1950’s. In fact, Peeps have been the best selling non-chocolate Easter candy for the last decade. They make a great choice for toddlers’ baskets, and best of all, each Peeps chick only has 28 calories and 0 grams of fat!

It's hard to imagine Easter without jellybeans. There are so many varieties and flavors, every handful is an adventure. In fact, Jelly Belly, the world's most famous manufacturer of gourmet jellybeans, boasts over 50 varieties alone! From the ever popular favorites like Strawberry Jam and Green Apple, to the more exotic Margarita and Chili Mango, there's a Jelly Belly flavor to suit anyone’s taste. Other companies like Sunkist and Smuckers also produce jelly beans for the Easter season.

If you're into being health-conscious this Easter season, there are many healthy alternatives to traditional treats.  Besides the low-fat and sugar-free versions of your favorite candy brands, consider making your own treats this year. Several websites including Health.com offer a wealth of recipes to help make your Easter both yummy and nutritious. Concerned about disappointing your child with the lack of colorful packaging? No problem! Try buying empty plastic eggs, available in most Easter candy aisles, and decorating them with stickers and permanent markers. Fill them up with a mix of homemade goodies, and you're good to go!

Whatever your taste or tradition, here's hoping that your 2010 Easter season is a safe and happy one that you'll remember for years to come.

Sources:

What is the most popular Easter candy?

http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/

Jelly Belly's 50 Flavors Guide

Health.com's Healthy Easter

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