A resolution made at Easter might be considered odd but I’ve made a resolution and I’m sticking to it no matter how odd it might seem.
My resolution is avoid eating any chocolate rabbits, eggs, chickens, Kinder eggs or any other treats made wholly or in part with chocolate. This will be tough but I am determined not to physically harm any kind of chocolate animal during the Easter break.
I’ve mentioned my resolve to Housemate and he gave me an inquiring look and then seemed to doze off, but I will keep reminding him so he doesn’t rush out Saturday afternoon to buy me a rabbit or two. My waistline and hips are at stake here.
My resolution did not extend to limiting Housemate’s occasional enjoyment of chocolate bunnies or eggs but I’m thinking of his waistline as well.
While pondering the best treat to present to Housemate on Easter morning, I forced myself to do some non-scientific research into what he would enjoy most. Depending on which survey one believes, there are numerous options to consider while selecting a treat for the other person in the house. I considered socks or a T-towel for helping with the dishes but I can imagine his reaction as he delves into the Easter treat bag.
If I follow the top list of treats for children of all ages, I would purchase a Kinder treat with a toy inside. I did that one year and the plastic person inside brought at least five minutes of enjoyment before it was accidentally thrown out with the cellophane wrapping.
The next most popular treats to buy are mini eggs with various fillings followed by creme eggs that taste a bit like eating a real egg with a congealed yolk. Then comes jelly beans, those smaller, softer variety, with flavours from pineapple to lemon and everything in between.
It was surprising to see that chocolate bunnies would be so far down the popularity list but there they were in fifth and just ahead of something called Peeps.
I had to look twice to make sure I was reading correctly but the final item on the list I had selected was “boiled eggs.”
There was no indication if the shells of the boiled eggs were decorated with various spring designs or if they remained plain egg-shell white or egg-shell brown. Somehow I don’t think a boiled egg in a child’s Easter basket would win many points, but Housemate just might be satisfied with a freshly boiled egg.
However, I might go instead with Peeps, described by one shopper as “sugar-coated marshmallows with eyes.”
Further research indicates Peeps are indeed marshmallows shaped into chickens or bunnies, coloured yellow for chicks, and cojoined in sets of five. At one time the manufacturers made Peeps by hand, taking up to 30 hours to shape and design one set. With growing popularity, their production became more mechanical with 1.5 billion Peeps sold every Easter in North America.
That figure means Peeps are now the No. 1 non-chocolate Easter treat, coming first in chicken form in 1953 and in bunny shapes in the early 1980s. There’s even Peeps for Valentine’s Day and Halloween.
Sorry to say I’ve never been exposed to Peeps so I am off to the store to see if there’s still some Peeps available, at an economical price, for Housemate’s Easter basket. If I can’t find them, he might have to be satisfied with some Easter socks, in a bright yellow to match that golf shirt in his closet.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
