Americans spend a surprising amount of money on Easter. According to the National Retail Federation, 2017 was a banner year for chocolate bunnies—Americans doled out $18.4 billion for Easter celebrations, or $152 a person. This year spending is projected to fall a smidge, to $150 per person. That’s not all jelly beans, of course. Candy topped the list of categories NRF survey-takers said they planned to spend on this Easter, but was closely followed by food, gifts, and clothing.
What if you put spent it all on candy, which is arguably the best part of the holiday? Here are a few ways to fill a $150 basket, not counting the plastic Easter grass.
1000 Peeps
Peeps, in all their pillowy marshmallow glory, are synonymous with Easter, at least in the US. They are available in cases of 240 for $36 (yes, overnight shipping is available). That’s four cases, or 960 individual Peeps for $144, with enough left over to make it an even 1000.
200 Cadbury Creme Eggs
Cadbury describes the filling of their signature treat as a “classic fondant.” I’ll go ahead and add, “tooth-achingly sweet.” According to Cadbury each egg clocks in at 150 calories and 20 grams of sugar. Somewhat amazingly, this is lower on both counts than a Yoplait Whips Thin Mint flavored yogurt, which has 160 calories and 22 grams of sugar per serving.
48 chocolate mice
These mice are one of the signature confections at L.A. Burdick’s, and they take 12 steps and three days to produce in dark, milk and white chocolate. A 16-mouse gift box costs $54, so three will take you a bit over budget, but they’re so cute it’s worth it.
21 chocolate carrots
That’s a bushel’s worth of organic chocolate carrots from Lake Champlain Chocolates in Vermont.
13 See’s milk chocolate bunnies
That is a proper fluffle of chocolate bunnies. See’s is a classic West Coast candy company; it’s also worth checking out their lollipops, which are beloved to an almost cultish degree.
Four chocolate fish from La Maison du Chocolat
This special Easter fish, designed “with a touch of frivolity for April Fool’s” is one of the fanciest candy bars $40 can buy. They’re really like an edible work of art.
Two chocolate chickens from Jacques Torres
Jacques Torres is the co-host of Nailed It, the Netflix baking show dedicated to some of the worst-looking cakes you’ve ever seen. His day job is as a renowned chocolatier, best known for his insanely rich hot chocolate and delicate truffles. Torres also makes chocolate chickens, perhaps a better fit for Easter. These each weigh slightly more than four pounds, and I’m not sure how you would go about eating them, but I definitely want one.
One jumbo chocolate bunny
This 10-pound, two-foot-tall chocolate bunny from classic Brooklyn candymaker Li-Lac costs $200, so really you can kind of only afford 0.75 of a jumbo bunny, but if you’re going this big, your budget is probably above average to begin with.