Easter is the one time of year when we can all make excuses for the excessive amounts of chocolate we consume. Whether you're religious or not, Easter is about giving and receiving chocolate eggs, gifts, candy and spending time with your loved ones.
With so many choices available, it's hard to know which easter candy is best to celebrate the occasion. This post will reveal how a religious holiday came to involve chocolate and discuss the best Easter candy for adults and children.
The Significance of Easter
As a religious holiday, Easter is meant to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus. While most Christians celebrate it by attending a church service and spending time with their family and friends, the British public as a whole celebrate the day by giving and receiving chocolate eggs and other gifts.
Many years ago, church leaders would not let people eat eggs during the lead up to Easter. For a week each year, people would collect eggs laid, decorate them, and give them to children as a gift during the holy lead up to Easter.
Victorians changed the tradition from real eggs to cardboard versions covered with satin, which then developed into the chocolate eggs we know and love today.
In the 19th Century, France and Germany introduced chocolate eggs, but they were bitter to taste, which meant the chocolate was overwhelming for people. As confectioners improved their methodology and new technology became available, easter eggs developed into hollow shells filled with delicious treats.
While there were many chocolate eggs in the late 1800s, the modern egg can be attributed to Cadbury's, which launched their dairy milk chocolate in 1905. Today, most Easter eggs are made from milk chocolate.
What Role Does Confectionery Play?Easter eggs are a staple, but many forms of confectionery are used to celebrate the holiday. While people give large chocolate eggs as gifts, confectioners create a range of treats to suit people of all ages and taste preferences.
Easter PartiesEaster is a popular time to gather people together, so it's common to serve a range of sweet treats for guests to enjoy. While offering everyone a large egg isn't practical (or cheap), purchasing Easter sweets is a cost-effective alternative, and everybody loves to indulge in a delicious treat.
Easter Egg HuntsIf you've ever taken part in an Easter egg hunt, then you'll know how fun they can be. Both adults and children love adventure, and it's an excellent way to bring people together to enjoy a special day.
Small chocolate eggs and sweets are hidden in different areas, and there are usually clues that point people to various locations to find the eggs.
Top Choices for Easter Candy
With so much to offer, Easter is one of the most loved holidays in the world. When it comes to candy, there are plenty of choices available to people of all ages. Let's take a look at some of our top picks.
Candy for ChildrenChildren are probably the most prominent demographic for candy stores to focus on, and they love Easter. If you want to stock a wide selection of chocolate, it's best to focus on smaller items that parents can use for parties and egg hunts.
Most people will buy large eggs from their local Supermarket but look to confectioners for wholesale Easter candy. Let's take a look at some of the best choices for children.
Chocolate Foiled EggsTaking inspiration from the solid chocolate eggs of the 19th century, chocolate foiled eggs are similar but made out of milk chocolate. They're small, easy to transport and perfect for parties and Easter egg hunts.
Speckled EggsA favourite among many, speckled eggs have a hard outer shell and are filled with delicious chocolate. Popular brands include Cadbury's Mini Eggs, but wholesale candy eggs have the same rich taste, with a much lower price tag.
The only thing you need to think about with these eggs is they don't come with individual wrappers, so they might not be ideal for hunts. They are, however, great as gifts and for parties.
Foam Eggs
Foam eggs are one of the best candy inventions around, and there aren't many that would willingly say no to a bag of them. While there are Haribo mixes that include fried eggs, you can buy Easter sweets from confectioners, including tubs of eggs and other jelly sweets.
Easter Treats For AdultsAdults love Easter too and often use the day as an excuse to indulge in their favourite treats. While adults might not necessarily enjoy children's confectionery, there are still plenty of options available.
Beech's Chocolate BoxesCreamy, indulgent and delicious, Beech's is a favourite among adults. Their boxes of chocolate creams come in a range of flavours, including ginger, orange, coffee, rose, mint and strawberry.
You can also buy wholesale boxes of Beech's chocolate covered nuts, which are ideal for giving as a gift, or used to create a homemade Easter hamper.
Retro ChocolateNostalgic gifts are timeless and take people back to a time where there were no work or childcare commitments. With old-time favourites such as jazzies, chocolate mice, fish n chips and chocolate coins, an Easter pick and mix bag is a thoughtful treat that's sure to please.
USA GiftsThe USA is home to many wonderful things, but their chocolate is always popular with people in the UK. Let's take a look at which US offerings are perfect as Easter gifts.
Hershey'sThe American equivalent to Cadbury's, Hershey's is renowned in its native country, and we love it in the UK too. Flavours include:
- Milk chocolate.
- Cookies and cream.
- Cookies and chocolate.
- Cookies and mint.
- Strawberries and cream.
- Sprinkles and cream.
- Hershey's Gold (which combines peanuts and pretzels).
The peanut butter giants, nobody makes chocolate like Reese's. Rich and creamy treats include peanut butter cups, sticks, bars and pieces. Most peanut butter treats from Reese's are also available in dark and white chocolate.
Now you know which Easter treats are the most popular choices; you can stock your store or cupboards for the special occasion. Don't forget to check out our other posts, including fun facts about American soda.