5 Tips to Have a Healthy Long Weekend this Easter + Bonus Healthy Recipes

With Easter quickly approaching, it will be the perfect time to take a break, unwind, and spend time with loved ones. We also tend to overeat around this time period, with the average person consuming a 120 gramme Easter egg in under five minutes whereas it would take 80 minutes of vigorous exercise to burn off the kilojoules.
This time of year can be challenging for people who are trying to improve their health and fitness.
Consuming excessive amounts of sugary foods like chocolate and sweets increases the risk of developing chronic health issues, including some types of cancer. You don’t have to let Easter ruin your healthy habits, even if you indulge in a little chocolate now and then. These are five suggestions for keeping your Easter feast under control.

Get Off to a Good Beginning

If you want to avoid snacking on chocolate around 10 a.m., you should start each day with a breakfast high in protein, fibre, and energy. If you want to keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day, avoid eating Easter eggs first thing in the morning.
Every day, not only on Easter, you should also be sure to eat a nutrient-dense breakfast to prevent the need for a sugar or caffeine fix later in the day. Consider spinach and tomato omelettes, or a protein drink made with fruit. You can also substitute a hard-boiled egg, which is packed with protein, for the sugary version.

Put Some Nutritious Treats in the Fridge

It’s easy to overindulge in chocolate or takeout food on long weekends and holidays like Easter when many stores are closed. To maintain a healthy diet throughout the holiday weekend, it is recommended that you stock your fridge with a variety of fruits and vegetables, that you try snacking on fruit instead, or that you make a fresh salad.

Rather than Depriving Yourself, Just Put a Cap On It

It’s totally acceptable to indulge in a chocolate bunny or egg every once in a while. Most individuals will not be able to forgo chocolate altogether over the Easter holiday. Have a self-imposed chocolate intake cap and stick to it. The serving instructions found in the food label’s nutritional information are a great starting point for setting limits.
Indulging in too much alcohol is simple, especially when socialising with loved ones; therefore, it is recommended that no more than two standard drinks be consumed daily.

Make a Date to Hit The Gym

While it’s fine to take it easy and sleep in on long weekends, it’s also important to squeeze in some exercise whenever possible. By making plans to get up and move with loved ones or friends, you’ll be less tempted to reach for the snooze button. Go outside and go for a jog with a pal or get the whole family moving by kicking a soccer ball about in the yard or the park.

Have Some Dark Chocolate

In general, the less milk chocolate is, the less sugar it has and the more antioxidants it has. Replace milk and white chocolate’s added sugar with the darker kind to satisfy your chocolate cravings. With a higher cocoa content, the chocolate will taste less sweet, making it less tempting to eat too much.

Healthy Fruit Easter Eggs

Ingredients
½ cup greek style yoghurt
1 teaspoon honey
1 pear
1 apple
1 kiwifruit
1 Tablespoon sprinkles
Instructions

1. Mix the yoghurt and honey together. Put the sweetened yoghurt in the freezer for 10 minutes (this will help it thicken up)
2. Slice your fruit into easter egg shapes.
3. Spread the fruit slices with the chilled yoghurt.
4. Add the sprinkles
5. Enjoy!
   Notes
   Honey: This can be substituted for maple syrup or your favourite sweetener. You could also leave this out entirely
   Greek Style Yoghurt: This recipe works with coconut yoghurt as well.
   Sprinkles: If you would prefer a healthier option you could use freeze-dried fruit powders or you could make your own sprinkles
   Fruit: I used slices of pear, apple, banana and kiwifruit to make different-sized Easter eggs. You could also use slices of Watermelon.

Healthy Easter Bunny Pancakes

Ingredients:
50g self-raising flour
50g wholemeal flour
2 small eggs, separated
150ml skimmed milk
A few raisins for bunny paws
30g banana, sliced into rounds for the tails
Extra chopped fruit to serve

1. Put both the flours into a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps. Add the egg yolks and a little of the milk, whisking to a thick paste. Add the remaining milk, a splash at a time, to loosen the batter. (Use whole or semi-skimmed milk if cooking for under five, dependent on age.)
2. In a separate bowl and using a clean whisk, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter with a spatula, trying to keep in as much air as possible.
3. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper. Using a large spoon, add a generous dollop of batter to the pan in a round, for the bunny’s body. Add a smaller round for the head, two small ovals for feet, and two long thin strips for ears. Fit all the bunny components into the pan, or cook them in batches.
4. Flip the pancakes after a minute or two, once the edges are set, the base is golden brown and bubbles start to pop on the surface. Cook for another min until golden brown.
5. Put the bunny’s body in the middle of the plate, and position the head, ears and feet just overlapping to look like the back of a bunny. Add a banana slice for the tail, and raisins (if using) for the feet pads.
6. Repeat with the remaining batter. Decorate with extra chopped fruit, if you like.

Bacon Devilled Eggs

Ingredients
6 hard-boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
3 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon pickle relish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon chives, finely diced

Method:

1. Slice the hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise. Remove the yolk to a small bowl with a spoon and place the egg whites on a plate.
2. Mash the yolks with a fork and add the mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir everything together until it’s creamy.
3. Use a spoon to add a portion of the deviled egg mixture back into the hole of each egg white.
4. Garnish with a generous amount of bacon bits and top with a sprinkle of chives.