Beware Easter over eating.  Easter is expected to generate $1.82 billion in candy sales and is second only to Halloween in candy consumption. Dietitians warn that eating five candy Easter eggs (the average given to most children), plus the other candies usually included in the basket, could see youngsters doubling their recommended calorie intake for a week. You could see your child’s weight increasing by several pounds within days. The recommended daily calorie amounts are around 2,000 calories a day for an average 11-year-old boy and 1,500 for a girl, but many could be eating up to 10,000 calories over the Easter period. Plan your calorie burning kid play now.

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For parents worried that their children might eat too much Easter candy, some experts suggest adding non-edible items to Easter baskets: book, crayons, movie passes,  sports cards, kids' videos, colorful stickers, markers, chalk, stuffed animals or balls.

Children aren’t the only ones at risk. Easter candy can knock your healthy eating plans right off the bunny trail, too. Chocolate might be the biggest culprit, because it is so high in fat. For someone seeking fat loss this Easter season, perhaps the worst thing to find in their basket would be a chocolate treat like the Palmer Chocolate Bunny (2.5 oz.). The recommended serving size is 1 package (71 grams), which will cost an astounding 360 calories, 20 grams fat (31% Daily Value), 12 grams saturated fat (60% Daily Value), and 46 grams carbohydrate (15% Daily Value). And you face the additional challenge of eating only one.

 A healthy alternative to consuming chocolate eggs can be to join in the hunt for colored eggs. One solution this Easter is to join in the Easter egg hunt with the kids. According to calories per hour, a 170 pound woman will burn approximately 116 calories in 30 minutes of hiding Easter eggs, and another 154 calories in just 30 minutes of egg-hunting. So, hop to it. Have some active fun