Tofurky Ham Roast with Glaze / Source

Shopping Guide / Confections / Egg Dyeing / Rabbits & Chicks / Recipes

There are plenty of vegan options to take center stage at holiday gatherings.

Welcome to the era of vegan abundance! No matter your family’s favorite foods, there’s a plant-based alternative waiting to fill your plates.

You’ll find a plethora of vegan meat substitutes in the refrigerated sections of well-stocked grocers. But don’t stop there—venture into the freezer section, too. Sometimes, you’ll stumble upon frozen roasts just waiting to be thawed and enjoyed.

Shopping Guide / Confections / Egg Dyeing / Rabbits & Chicks / Recipes

Goodies to fill baskets with.

Shopping Guide / Confections / Egg Dyeing / Rabbits & Chicks / Recipes

Make new cruelty-free traditions.

Easter is often celebrated with pastel colors, and dyeing eggs is a beloved tradition for many families. However, since vegans avoid animal products, chicken eggs are not a part of their Easter celebration.

You might wonder, “Why not? Chickens aren’t harmed for laying eggs, are they?” This perspective is understandable, but the reality is far more sobering.

Every year, millions of animals, particularly chickens, lose their lives due to the egg industry. This darker aspect of Easter traditions often goes unnoticed, but raising awareness can lead to celebrating in joyful ways that don’t come with hidden costs.

If there’s one thing to know about egg production, it’s this: male chicks don’t lay eggs, so the industry considers them worthless.

And what happens to them?

They’re culled—killed shortly after hatching because they serve no economic purpose. This process, known as chick culling, is a routine part of egg production worldwide. The methods vary by region: in the UK, suffocation is standard, while in the US, male chicks are typically ground up alive in high-speed macerators. (1)

Wooden eggs in a basket / Source

Family traditions hold a special place in childhood, and for parents raising little vegans, there’s sometimes a worry—will they miss out on the fun?

The good news? Easter can be just as festive without chicken eggs. With so many creative alternatives, there’s no need to sacrifice cherished traditions—just swap in something better.

From beautifully decorated keepsakes to treat-filled surprises, here are some egg-free options perfect for Easter baskets and festive displays.

• Unpainted Wooden Eggs

• Eco-Eggs

• Fill-able Soft Fabric Egg

• Salt Dough Easter Eggs

Now, let’s talk about what to use to dye these egg-ternatives (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

An array of homemade food colors / Source

Easter’s unofficial color palette is all things pastel, splashed across eggs, cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. But those soft hues often come from artificial food dyes—ingredients with a not-so-sweet backstory.

Artificial food coloring isn’t just a product of chemistry; it’s tied to the oil industry, with studies linking it to various health concerns.

And if that weren’t bad enough, these dyes are routinely tested on animals to ensure their “safety”—a process that’s as cruel as it is unreliable when it comes to human health.

Long story short? Easter treats don’t need artificial colors to be festive. There are plenty of ways to brighten your holiday without the baggage of lab-made dyes.

Every holiday, artificial food dyes flood the shelves, and suddenly, every magazine, blog, and video is showing off the cutest, most colorful treats—thanks to a heavy dose of synthetic colors.

But there’s a better way to get those bright, eye-catching hues—right from your own kitchen.

See that gorgeous selection of color up there? Those are the real deal, made from simple ingredients you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. No mystery chemicals, no extra cost—just vibrant colors the natural way.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to making homemade food coloring at home.

Would you prefer to buy pre-made food dye? No problem.

Here are a few that are colored with vegetable juice or spices and contain no synthetic dyes.

We tested a few packets to test out on these sugar cookies.

First, the colors come packaged in individual packets, which means you won’t over-buy. Second, the colors mix easily and create beautiful colors. Lastly, they’re budget-friendly.

Here’s a 10-pack, Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature, that makes a good starter pack.

By far, these colors from McCormick are the cheapest and the most widely available in grocery stores everywhere.

These plant-based powdered colors come in a pack of three colors, which you can mix for an infinite amount of color options. You’ll like how they’re packaged in resealable dry powder pouches. That makes for easy storage, and more importantly, easy re-use.

These McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors pack were used for these unicorn sugar cookies, and look how vivid the colors turned out.

Natural Earth has a full line of products to choose from. They come in biodegradable packaging made from pure, natural earth and mineral pigments and organic ingredients.

This natural egg dye kit is perfect for those who are looking to dye artificial eggs.

A young rabbit sitting in the grass / Source

Shopping Guide / Confections / Egg Dyeing / Rabbits & Chicks / Recipes

Before bringing home live animals, it’s crucial to consider several key factors.

The Easter Bunny is second only to Santa in holiday fame, hopping into family traditions and Easter baskets alike—usually as chocolate or plush toys.

But sometimes, well-meaning parents take it a step further and bring home a real rabbit for their kids. Unfortunately, this often doesn’t end well for either the family or the bunny.

Rabbits require far more care than many expect, and when the novelty wears off, too many are abandoned or surrendered—making them the third most common animal in shelters after cats and dogs.

Many people who purchase bunnies at Easter don’t realize that caring for a rabbit is a ten-year commitment. Including:

• House-training (rabbits can be litter box trained)

• Bunny-proofing your house (rabbits like to chew on wires, boxes, papers, among other things)

• Several hours of daily playtime

• Spaying or neutering

Despite what many think, rabbits aren’t great pets for young children. They feel safest on the ground and can panic when picked up, which often leads to kicking and scratching and can injure whoever is holding them.

Even more concerning, rabbits have extremely delicate spines. A fall from just a few feet can cause serious injuries, including fatal spinal fractures. Or worse.

Caring for a rabbit takes just as much time and effort as looking after a dog or cat.

When people feel overwhelmed, some make the mistake of releasing their pet rabbit into the wild. This is incredibly dangerous. Domestic rabbits are not the same as their wild relatives and usually won’t survive on their own.

Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to make choices that put rabbits at risk. That’s why research is so important before bringing one home. Before making a lifelong commitment to a rabbit, take some time to read the information at rabbitron.com.

One last thing: If you’ve done all the research and still want a rabbit, please don’t shop, adopt. Contact your local animal shelter or a rescue organization like Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue, the House Rabbit Network, or Rabbit Rescue.

Brightly-dyed baby chicks / Source

Brightly colored baby chicks might seem like the perfect Easter surprise, but the reality is anything but cheerful.

Dyeing chicks is both unnecessary and cruel, turning living animals into temporary novelties. Once the excitement fades, many are discarded, left to suffer as a consequence of a fleeting holiday thrill.

Like rabbits, chicks need attention, space to roam, and proper veterinary care. They also face the same unfortunate fate when people realize caring for a baby bird isn’t as simple as they expected. Many are abandoned, left to fend for themselves.

But domesticated chicks aren’t equipped to survive in the wild. Without the ability to forage or avoid predators, most won’t make it. Those that do may form feral colonies, disrupting local ecosystems. When their numbers grow too large, cities often resort to culling.

Even surrendering chicks to shelters isn’t a great solution. Many facilities are already stretched thin in the spring, and finding homes for these birds is no easy task. The reality is that most won’t survive simply because there aren’t enough people prepared to care for them long-term.

Beyond the challenges of caring for young chicks, dyeing them raises serious ethical concerns. Nearly half of U.S. states have laws against the practice, and for good reason.

One method involves injecting food coloring into an egg just days before hatching.

“You take regular food coloring and inject it into the egg on the 18th day of incubation,” said Peter R. There, a retired poultry rancher who lives outside Lampasas, Texas. “They take 21 days to hatch. Put a little dab of wax on top to cover the hole up, and put it back in the incubator.”

Other methods are even worse. In some cases, newborn chicks are tossed into a container, doused with dye, and shaken like salad greens to ensure an even coat. Some don’t survive. Others suffer broken bones.

None escape unharmed.

Chicks may seem like a fun Easter surprise, but they grow into adult chickens who need proper care. Instead of turning a living animal into a temporary novelty, opt for a colorful stuffed toy instead.