Easter is coming up faster than my twins can demolish a bag of chocolate eggs (which is FAST, mamas). Last year I ended up spending way too much on pre-made platters from Walmart at the last minute.
Not this year!
I’ve been testing out some super budget-friendly Easter finger foods that won’t break the bank or have you trapped in the kitchen while everyone else is hunting eggs.
These are perfect for your Easter get-together, and the best part?
Most of them cost less than $15 to make. Let me know what you think ’bout these wallet-friendly bites that’ll have everyone thinking you’re a Pinterest queen!
1. Deviled Egg Chicks
We all know deviled eggs are basically required at Easter, but let’s make them actually cute this year! I grab two dozen eggs from Walmart (usually under $4 each…thx Canada), and transform them into these adorable little chicks that my kiddos go absolutely crazy for. The secret is using carrots for the tiny beaks and peppercorns for eyes.
Boil your eggs a day ahead – trust me, peeling warm eggs with two impatient 8-year-olds hovering around is NOT the vibe.
Total cost? About $6 including all the filling ingredients you probably already have in your fridge.
2. Bunny Shaped Fruit Kabobs
These cuties are seriously the easiest thing ever, and they look like you spent way more time on them than you actually did. Grab whatever fruit is on sale…I usually go with strawberries, grapes, and pineapple chunks. Thread them onto skewers in a bunny shape (round fruit for the head, longer pieces for ears).
My twins love helping with these, even though half the fruit somehow disappears during “quality control testing.” The whole platter costs around $10, and bonus points – it’s actually healthy!
3. Easter Egg Shaped Rice Krispie Treats
Listen mama, this one’s a total crowd-pleaser and costs like $8 max to make. Just whip up your regular Rice Krispie treats (store brand cereal works PERFECTLY), but add a few drops of food coloring to make them pastel. Shape them into eggs while they’re still warm, then drizzle with a bit of white chocolate.
The first time I made these, my daughter said they looked “better than the Easter Bunny could do” and honestly? That’s the kind of validation I live for.
4. Mini Carrot Cream Cheese Sandwiches
These are just tiny sandwiches, but the presentation makes them LOOK fancy. Mix some orange food coloring into cream cheese (store brand, obviously), spread it on wheat bread, cut into triangles, and arrange them in a carrot shape. Top with a sprig of fresh dill for the carrot top.
The whole thing costs maybe $7 to make, and people act like you’re some kind of appetizer wizard. I’ll take that win any day!
5. Pretzel Butterfly Snack Bags
These sweet little treats are perfect for tiny hands and cost next to nothing to put together! Take some clear snack bags (dollar store score!), fill them with pretzel sticks, and cinch the middle with a pastel pipe cleaner to create butterfly wings.
My twins’ entire class went bonkers for these last Easter, and the total cost was under $10 for 24 bags. Plus, they’re so easy the kids can help make them – though expect some creative interpretations of what a butterfly should look like!
6. Easter Chick Cheese Ball Bites
Ready for the cutest appetizer that’ll have everyone pulling out their phones for pictures? These mini cheese balls are shaped into little chicks and they’re beyond adorable. Mix cream cheese with shredded cheddar, roll into balls, then coat with yellow-tinted shredded cheese.
I get all the ingredients at Walmart for under $12, and they make about 20 little chicks. My daughter insists on naming each one before they get eaten (which is both sweet and slightly concerning).
7. Cross-Shaped Veggie Pizza
This one’s a total game-changer, mama! Take two cans of crescent roll dough (store brand for the win), arrange them in a cross shape, then top with a mixture of cream cheese and ranch seasoning. Cover it with chopped veggies in rainbow colors.
The whole thing costs about $12 to make and feeds a crowd. Best part? It’s a veggie dish that kids actually want to eat – must be the cream cheese magic!
8. Easter Egg Sugar Cookie Cups
Using store-brand sugar cookie dough (about $3), press portions into mini muffin tins to make the cutest little cups ever. Fill them with tinted frosting and top with sprinkles. The entire batch costs around $8 to make.
My son told me these were “better than regular cookies” which, coming from an 8-year-old cookie connoisseur, is basically a Michelin star rating!
9. Mini Cross-Shaped Sandwiches
Can we talk about how fancy these look while being totally budget-friendly? Take regular sandwich bread (I get mine from the discount rack…don’t judge!), make your fillings, and use a cross-shaped cookie cutter. My go-to filling is cucumber and cream cheese because it’s super cheap and sounds expensive.
For about $8, you can make enough to feed a small army. Save the crusts for breakfast casserole…my twins don’t even notice they’re eating the leftovers!
10. Easter Basket Rice Krispy Cups
Take your basic Rice Krispy mixture and press it into a muffin tin to create the cutest little edible baskets ever. Add some green-tinted coconut for “grass” and top with jelly beans as eggs. The whole project costs maybe $10, and they’re SO much cuter than those store-bought versions.
My daughter helped make these last year and only ate three during the process (which I’m counting as a mom win). The best part? They actually hold together, unlike that Pinterest fail I attempted with chocolate bowls.
11. Carrot Patch Dirt Cups
These are seriously the most fun treats to make with kids! Use store-brand chocolate pudding, crushed cookies for dirt, and dip strawberries in orange candy melts to make them look like carrots. Top with a sprig of fresh mint to look like carrot tops.
The whole shebang costs about $12 and makes enough for a classroom party. My twins think it’s hilarious to tell everyone they’re eating dirt – eight-year-old humor at its finest!
12. Easter Morning Breakfast Skewers
For those moments when you need something special but don’t want to spend your entire grocery budget. These breakfast skewers are your new bestie! Thread mini pancakes (dollar store frozen ones work great), fruit chunks, and those cute marshmallow bunnies onto wooden skewers.
The entire platter costs around $11 to put together, and it looks like something straight out of a fancy brunch spot. My kids think eating breakfast off a stick is peak culinary excellence!
13. Easter Egg Marshmallow Pops
Who needs expensive cake pops when you can make these super cute marshmallow treats? Regular marshmallows, candy melts from the dollar store, and some sprinkles are all you need. Just squish the marshmallows into egg shapes (weirdly satisfying), pop them on lollipop sticks, and dip away!
Total cost is about $8 for a whole bunch, and they take like 20 minutes tops. My son declared these “way better than the fancy store ones”…though he might be biased since he got to lick the bowl.
14. Spring Chick Crackers
These are almost too cute to eat (almost!). Spread some cheese on round crackers, add carrot triangles for beaks, olive bits for eyes, and suddenly you’ve got the most adorable snack ever. The best part? No actual cooking required…perfect for those of us who sometimes burn water.
I grabbed everything at Walmart for under $10, and it made enough to feed my twins’ entire soccer team. One mom asked me for the “recipe” and I almost fell over trying not to laugh!
15. Rainbow Fruit Cross
This one’s so simple it almost feels like cheating! Arrange different colored fruits in a cross shape – strawberries, oranges, pineapple, green grapes, and blueberries. It looks absolutely stunning and guess what? It’s actually good for you!
The fruit costs about $15 total (less if you catch a sale), and it’s perfect for balancing out all those chocolate bunnies. My daughter helped arrange it last year and only snuck about half the blueberries…progress!
16. Easter Chapel Windows
These gorgeous cookies look like stained glass windows and are WAY easier than they seem! Use store-brand sugar cookie dough, cut out cross or window shapes, fill the centers with crushed hard candies, and bake. The candies melt to create a stunning stained-glass effect.
Cost is around $7 for ingredients, and they make everyone think you’re some sort of baking genius. My mother-in-law actually asked for the recipe…marking this down as a major mom victory!
Making Easter treats doesn’t have to drain your bank account or steal all your time from egg hunting fun. Trust this mama who’s learned the hard way…sometimes the simplest ideas are the biggest hits!
17. Resurrection Roll Bites
These sweet little bites have the most amazing story behind them – perfect for teaching kids about Easter while snacking! Wrap marshmallows (representing Jesus) in crescent roll triangles (the tomb), dip in butter and cinnamon sugar, and bake until golden. The marshmallow disappears, leaving an empty “tomb”!
Made these with my twins and they were absolutely mind-blown. Total cost is about $8 using store brand ingredients, and the kids still talk about the “magical disappearing marshmallows.”
18. Spring Garden Veggie Cups
These individual veggie cups are such a game changer for parties! Fill the bottom of clear plastic cups with ranch dip, stick celery and carrot sticks upright to look like growing vegetables, and add cherry tomatoes on top. The ranch looks like “dirt” and the veggies look like they’re growing!
My picky eaters actually eat vegetables when they’re served this way…worth every penny of the $12 it costs to make a whole batch.
19. Easter Morning Waffle Pops
Got a box of frozen mini waffles? You’re halfway to the cutest breakfast treat ever! Pop them on lollipop sticks, drizzle with colored white chocolate, add sprinkles, and boom…instant Easter magic.
The whole project costs maybe $10, and they make breakfast feel super special. My twins think anything on a stick tastes better (I’m not arguing with that logic).
20. Cross-Shaped Apple Dippers
Here’s a healthy option that still feels special! Cut apples into cross shapes (easier than it sounds – promise!), arrange around a bowl of caramel dip, and add some pastel sprinkles to the dip to make it festive.
Total cost is under $8, and it’s a great way to balance out all that Easter candy. Plus, my kids think eating cross-shaped anything during Easter is extra special.
These budget-friendly treats prove you don’t need to spend a fortune to make Easter memorable. Sometimes the simplest ideas become the new family favorites!
