Vegan Friendly Easter Basket

We don’t normally do a lot for Easter. My husband, Eric, is a little afraid of the Easter Bunny. When he was growing up his mom told him the Easter Bunny would leave treats for him in his shoes. The idea of a giant rabbit coming into his bedroom while he was sleeping freaked him out a little bit so he would line up all his shoes in the hallway and shut his bedroom door. So that’s why we don’t normally do a lot for Easter. If we do anything it is usually just baskets for the cats. Have you ever watched a cat nose around an Easter basket for a treat they smell or knock a plastic egg around on the floor? Trust me it’s adorable. Eric doesn’t usually make me an Easter basket so this year I decide to make a Vegan Friendly Easter Basket for myself.

Planning an Easter get-together? Once you’ve sorted your basket treats, don’t forget the menu! If you need some inspiration for the big day, check out my favorite vegetarian Easter brunch ideas for a spread that’s just as festive as these sweets.

What’s in the Easter Basket?

I made my basket a few weeks early because I wanted to share all the fun stuff I found. Everything I found came from three stores a craft store, Whole Foods, and Sprouts. It was easy to do. I bought the basket, the paper grass to fill the bottom, and these cute plastic carrot Easter egg containers at the craft store.

Vegan Treats Found At Sprouts

When I was shopping at Sprouts I picked up a few treats from UnReal. I bought these dark chocolate almond butter cups and a bag of dark chocolate peanut gems. I like their brand because they are organic and fair trade. Most of their products are vegan. I think the milk chocolate gems are the only exception.

Vegan Treats Found At Whole Foods

At Whole Foods I went a little crazy and bought a bunch of different things. I bought two kinds of jelly beans. I bought a bag of Yum Earth sour beans. These might be my favorite thing in the basket. They are sour and not overly sweet. Only negative to them is they are sticky to the touch and more densely chewy than you would expect a jelly bean to be. The second small bag I bought was Surf Sweets organic jelly beans. This is the only thing in the basket that I am not sure is vegan. The bag is labeled vegetarian not vegan. Make sure you check the ingredient lists. The Surf Sweets are good but maybe too sweet.

I also bought a few cosmetics treats for my basket. Pacifica is a 100% vegan cruelty free brand.  One of their nail polish colors, Desert Princess, is in the Easter basket along with a Disobey Time facial sheet mask. I also found a Hurraw lip balm and a Whole Foods branded plant based hand cream to throw in the basket. I am slowly trying to switch out to cruelty free vegan cosmetics so these were fun easy pick up items for me.

Making the switch? If you’re also looking to clean up your beauty routine, you can see my full list of tried-and-true favorites here: My Favorite Cruelty-Free Makeup Brands.

The last thing I grabbed for my Easter basket was a few Hail Merry treats. The chocolate chip cookie dough is so good and not too sweet.

How To Fill The Basket

To assemble my vegan friendly Easter basket I filled up the plastic carrots with vegan Jelly beans. The Yum Earth sour beans are on the left and the Surf Sweets on the right.

The third carrot I filled with some of the UnReal peanut gems. I love the earthy colors. These are way better than the kind that melt in your mouth but not in your hand.

So cute! I love how these turned out.

Pro Tips for Vegan Easter Shopping

If you don’t have the exact stores I mentioned nearby, don’t worry! You can find vegan treasures almost anywhere if you know what to look for:

• Check the Seasonal Aisle at Target: Target’s “Favorite Day” and “Good & Gather” brands often release dark chocolate bunnies or fruit snacks that are accidentally vegan. Just keep an eye out for confectioner’s glaze (which can contain shellac). Target also stocks YumEarth Easter Jelly Beans.
• The “Accidentally Vegan” List: Many classic candies like Sour Patch Kids and Skittles are vegan-friendly and available at most local grocery stores.
• Don’t Forget the Online Haul: If you’re planning ahead, sites like Thrive Market or Amazon are lifesavers for stocking up on brands like UnReal or YumEarth in bulk.
• Think Outside the Candy: Easter baskets don’t have to be 100% sugar! Look for vegan-friendly soy candles, small books, or seed packets for a fun “Spring Garden” themed basket.
• Read the Labels Carefully: Some “organic” or “natural” candies use beeswax or gelatin. Look for the “Certified Vegan” logo to be 100% sure.