Every year Easter sneaks up on me. I think I have Easter Blindness. The eggs appear in shops shortly after Christmas and I always go, ohhhh the eggs are early this year. Forgetting that they’re early every year. Then after a few months of seeing them, I forget about Easter until it’s the day before and I’m frantically trying to get gifts for all the family. Luckily this year I’m not going to make that mistake and nor are you with this Easter Gift Guide which will satisfy everyone in the family, from chocolate lovers to chocolate haters and everyone in between.
Easter Eggs
Waitrose No 1 Easter Chocolates
What Is It:
The fanciest Supermarket of all has launched a strong range of Easter Chocolate treats this year. We tried the Hidden Truffles Blonde Chocolate with Salted Caramel Truffles and Cracking Pistachio Eggs alongside the No1 Speckled Bird Box Eggs and Hot Honey Hatchings.
What We Thought:
There’s something about the Waitrose packing which oozes class, the texture box for the Hidden Truffles egg, in particular, looks a million dollars with a matt gold effect, it’s the sort of egg you’d give to a grandparent and they’d go, ‘oohhhh.’ The quality of the chocolate matches the packaging, the unusual green Pistachio Egg was eye-catching and different with a subtle pistachio flavour, I loved the malt flavour in the speckled bird box eggs, a nicely sized small egg which goes well with a cuppa and the hot honey hatchings are bang on the 2024 hot honey food trend offering a subtle kick of spice to go alongside the sweetness.
Where Can I Get It: The full range of Waitrose Easter Eggs are available at your local Waitrose, John Lewis or at waitrose.com
Aldi Specially Selected Eggs
What Is It:
Aldi’s Specially Selected Easter Egg range has grown bigger year after year, with plenty of new options and favourites returning. They have a massive 600g Galeggsy Egg amongst others. We tried the new Dark Ripple With Rich Coffee Hand Decorated Egg and the Belgian Truffle Filled Egg.
What We Thought:
The first thing I noticed was a To: and From: field on the side of the box, making these an easy gift option. I was surprised at the quality of the chocolate it was thicker than I expected with a lovely melt-in-the-mouth texture. The Dark Ripple Egg with Rich Coffee was well balanced giving a good hit of coffee to accompany the darker chocolate. The truffles in the filled truffle egg were delicate and well flavoured with the Creme Brûlée one being a standout.
Where To Get It: At your local Aldi
Nomo – No Missing Out
What Is It:
Nomo, the UK’s number one Vegan & Free From chocolate brand have a huge range of options for Easter this year. As well as being vegan NOMO is free from dairy gluten eggs and nuts. We tried their Creamy Coco Egg with minibars, kid-friendly Little Monsters egg and lolly, Cookie Dough Crunch egg and Cookie Dough bunnies.
What We Thought:
As someone who isn’t Vegan and is lucky enough not to have any allergies my first thought is always, would I know this isn’t traditional chocolate? The answer is a simple no. The sweetness and creaminess are there and the range of flavours. The cookie dough bunny is close to being sickly sweet but the right size to ensure that it’s not overpowering. The cute Little Monsters egg was a hit and the activities on the cartoon meant for a little peace and quiet whilst the kids ate it.
Where Can I Get It: Online at nomochoc.com or in person at various stockists such as Holland & Barrett
Ombar
What Is It:
With a mission to change the way you see chocolate Ombar have a super ethical approach for their organic, fair trade, vegan chocolate which also attempts to be healthier with no refined sugar and turn chocolate bars into a cacao-rich, nutrient-dense delight. For the first time they’ve introduced two eggs, so we tried their Oat M’lk Chocolate Egg and their Coco M’lk Egg.
What We Thought:
With fun, bright and superhero esq packaging these really stand out. The Oat Milk egg was super creamy, with a subtle flavour of oats, a bit like when you have an oat milk flat white it’s noticeable but enjoyable. I loved the fact that it has 40% less sugar and half the carbon footprint of normal chocolate. The Coco egg was super chocolatey and smooth, understandable with its 55% unroasted Ecuadorian cacao and smooth creamed coconut. It was, in their own words, super good, super tasty and super ethical.
Where Can I Get It: At ombar.com or use their online store finder to search out a stockist near you
Other Easter Treats
Fatso Dark Chocolate
What Is It:
Huge, and I mean huge, chunky Fatso bars of single-origin Columbian dark chocolate with knock-out flavours. We gobbled down their Easter Bundle, three of their awesomely named bars, ’Nan’s Stash’ which was peanut, toffee and digestive biscuit, ‘Home Run’ of salted pretzel, almond and honeycomb and ‘Kings Ransom’ offering up mint, pistachio and cocoa nibs.
What We Thought:
Wow, this stuff is THICK! I mean, thicker than Tony’s thick. The chocolate is delicious and I love the flavour combos, especially the Home Run. I wish the chunks of ingredients within the chunks of chocolate were a bit bigger though. They are so thick a few segments are all you need to satisfy that chocolate urge. I adore the packaging too, classy, funny and unlike anything else I’d seen—such a cool brand.
Where Can I Get It: Online at sofatso.com or a stockist near you via the list on their website.
Bird & Blend Tea
What Is It:
Eco-conscious, Brighton-based award-winning independent tea company Bird & Blend mix up some incredible flavours of tea. They’re the perfect place to find a new favourite cuppa with so many flavours I want to try, plus they send a free sample or two with every order. Easter options include Cream Egg, Hot Cross Bun and Carrot Cake.
What We Thought:
I am not really a tea person, I’m a coffee person, so it was nice to have an excuse to get the tea-pot down. I appreciated the little handwritten notes they included with each other along with the samples, reminding you it’s a small family-style business. I also loved the simple instructions on how best to enjoy the tea and seeing the reactions of visitors when they came round and I offered them a choice of their tea flavours. The Cream Egg tea was the perfect mix of weird and delightful. A splendid Easter Gift.
Where Can I Get It: Online at their store www.birdandblendtea.com
Egg Royale
What Is It:
Egg Royale is a brand new rich chocolate alcoholic cream liquor made by Gravity Drinks. With over two years of R&D has gone into this cocoa, vanilla and cream blended boozy delight. The bottle is amazing too, with a large glass egg which really delivers the wow factor.
What We Thought:
They claim it is the most indulgent adult chocolate egg ever created. They’re not wrong. Thick, and delicious with the right hit of booze. Standing on the counter everyone commented on the amazing bottle design it tastes as good as it looks. Creamy, smooth and decadent.
Where To Get It: Costco is currently selling it along with various online retailers such as thebottleclub.com
Joe & Sephs Gourmet Popcorn
What Is It:
Lovingly handmade by a small team of pastry chefs in London kitchens, Joe & Sephs have constantly developed unique and original high-end popcorn treats. They’re the sort of product that you see somewhere and think, ’This is a classy place.’ We tried their Chocolate Popcorn Mini Eggs and Easter Selection box with two packs of Trio Of Chocolate, Gingerbread and Belgium Chocolate & Hazelnut flavours.
What We Thought:
You can tell this is handmade and air-popped the consistency is perfect and not greasy. The flavours are wonderful, sweet but not too much and it instantly got me trawling their website to see what other crazy flavour combinations I can get. For someone who isn’t a massive chocolate fan, this is a great way to hit a sweet spot.
Where Can I Get It: Online at their store www.joeandsephs.co.uk
Easter Toys & Kids Games
Connetix Magnetic Tiles
What Is It:
Worldwide STEAM play sensation Connetix Magnetic Tiles are a creative award-winning educational toy. With open-ended STEAM learning, they encourage cognitive development, spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills, and problem-solving allowing kids to create 2D and 3D shapes. With an almost limitless supply of expansion packs and a range of colours, ball runs, shapes and sizes there’s something for every kid.
What We Thought:
As soon as I gave these to my tiny humans (girls aged 6 and 4) they both mentioned they’d seen them before at school and nursery and instantly got stuck in. I’ll be honest, I thought it might be the thing they play for ten minutes and that’s it. But they were there for over an hour and kept returning to the tiles. Easy for little hands to use with a booklet of creative ideas included the girls love making new designs together with them. They allow their imagination to run wild and build all manner of things for their other toys to live in. Sidenote, there are loads of creative ideas on their YouTube channel too. Consider us converts.
Where To Get It: Online at connetixtiles.com
Tamagotchi Original
What Is It:
The 90’s toy of dreams is back (did it ever go away?) and of course officially it’s an egg so perfect for Easter. The digital pet has been updated with new programming allowing you to feed, clean up and take care of it. There are also games you can play with it including the numbers game and how you take care of it determines which adult it’ll hatch into.
What We Thought:
I remember getting told off at school for having my Tamagotchi with me and then being devastated the next day when I left it at home and it died. So I’m looking forward to seeing my kids create those memories! It’s amazing how a toy with 25-year-old technology can still captivate and create a bond with kids.
Where To Get It: Loads of places online including amazon.co.uk
Cry Babies Tiny Cuddles Bunny
What Is It:
The newest Cry Babies toy is the cutest bunnies around. With 4 different bunnies to collect, Brooks, Honey, Lily and Lola they come with unique bunny PJs complete with a tail, nose and matching dummy.
What We Thought:
Our 4-year-old is Cry Babies obsessed and squeezed with glee to get her Bunny Cry Baby. She loves filling their heads with water and making them cry, cuddling them at bedtime and sitting and watching the accompanying TV show with her Cry Babies sat around her. They’re cute and loveable.
Where To Get It: Smyths Toys and The Range
Sylvanian Families Easter Celebration Set
What Is It:
Marguerite Rabbit children in fresh and colourful spring-themed outfits make up this set. There’s Marguerite Rabbit girl and boy both in special outfits along with Easter Eggs and accessories like candy that can be put inside the eggs to set up an Easter Egg hunt.
What We Thought:
Still going strong after all these years there’s no denying the cute and nostalgia factor of Sylvanian Families. There’s something delightful about watching your kids play with something you played with at their age. Perfectly sized to fit in our established doll houses this great little family set leads to all sorts of imaginative play.
Where To Get It: Online at sylvanianfamiles.co.uk
Ten Minutes To Bed: Where’s The Easter Bunny?
What Is It?
Part of the million-plus selling Ten Minutes To Bed children’s book series this newest story is an egg-citing lift-the-flat adventure book.
What We Thought:
As a parent I always enjoy reading this series, the countdown to bedtime helps me relax and inform my child and lets me know it’s not long before she’ll be asleep and I can binge-watch something on Netflix. This sweet version of the countdown stories features the Easter Bunny and lots of fun lift flags that gave my kids plenty of giggles and choruses of ‘again again’ after finishing reading.
Where To Get It: Online at places like amazon.co.uk
Peter Rabbit – Rabbit Race Game
What Is It:
A Peter Rabbit-inspired game for 3+ it’s a race to steam Mr McGergor’s fruit and veg in the matching and memory card game.
What We Thought: As with all Orchard Toys games they pitch them perfectly for the ages, offering a simple pairs game for our younger one and a more challenging game for the older one. The Peter Rabbit artwork is a delight and the gameplay engaged both kids.
Where To Get It: You can find stockists at orchardtoys.com
