How to grow a lollipop garden, sugar-free swaps for Easter: Video

Easter Sunday falls on April 5, 2026, this year. The date of the holiday changes annually and is determined by the first full moon on or after the March equinox. Easter is celebrated on the Sunday following the full moon.

No matter how you celebrate the day, bunnies, eggs and candy are staples in many homes, especially if you have children. However, loading them up with lots of sweets might not be your idea of a happy holiday. Consider these alternative options that include planting candy and making some sugar-free.

Watch this video to see how easy it is to grow a lollipop garden overnight.

What is the most popular Easter candy

Peeps might be the candy that comes to mind when you think of Easter, however, the multicolored marshmallow chicks don’t crack the top 10 of most popular treats. 

Food delivery service Instacart looked at the candies bought from April 14-20,2025, and found the most popular Easter candies are:

1. Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. 
2. Hershey’s milk chocolate. 
3. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
4. Sour Patch Kids. 
5. Starburst jelly beans. 
6. Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate.
7. Milk chocolate M&M's.
8. Russell Stover Chocolate Bunnies.
9. NERDS.
10. Ghirardelli Chocolate.

Grow a lollipop garden

Jelly beans are a classic during Easter week. According to Instacart's findings, they jump 863% above their yearly average. If you find yourself adding a bag or two to your cart, consider using some of that candy for this fun Easter activity with the kids in your life: planting a lollipop garden. 

Go outside and “plant” some jelly beans the night before the Easter Bunny comes to visit. If you have pets or live in an area with wildlife, plant the jelly beans deep enough so the animals can’t easily consume them.

Next, fill the area with lollipops of your choice after the kids go to bed or before they wake up the following morning. It'll look like the planted jelly beans sprouted lollipops overnight, which will make the little ones delighted.

It’s the easiest, and maybe even the tastiest, plant you’ll ever grow! 

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What to fill Easter eggs with instead of candy

Sugary sweets are often found tucked inside the plastic eggs that are carefully and chaotically hunted down by little hands. If you’re trying to steer clear of the sweets or cut back, consider filling the eggs with sugar-free, dietary-friendly items, like: 

• Lego minifigures.
• Dress up jewelry. 
• Stickers. 
• Slime. 
• Reward coupons for things like extra screen time, a yes day, movie night, a chore pass, staying up late and other activities your kids might enjoy.