Boards & Baskets
A Fresh Spin on Easter Brunch
Easter doesn’t need to mean a formal sit-down meal that keeps everyone glued to their seats. I love a brunch that feels layered, relaxed, and easy to graze. Think movement. Think color. Think refilling your mimosa while stealing one more strawberry.
A grazing-style brunch board keeps the energy light and makes hosting feel effortless. The secret is balance — warm and cold, sweet and savory, soft and crunchy — all styled in a way that feels abundant but not fussy.
The Main Event: The Easter Brunch Board
Start by building your foundation with a few warm elements so it doesn’t feel like a cold snack tray.
Mini quiches, thick-cut candied bacon, and soft smoked salmon ribbons give you that brunch substance. From there, layer in the carbs — toasted bagel halves, mini pancakes stacked in little piles, and hot cross buns for a traditional nod.
Then comes the color.
Strawberries, kiwi slices, pineapple, maybe a bowl of lemon curd or whipped honey tucked into the corner. Fresh fruit not only brightens the board, it doubles as garnish for the drinks.
And speaking of drinks — place a small mimosa bar right beside the board. Three juice options are perfect - classic orange juice, grapefruit, pomegranate.
Keep the bubbly chilled in a simple ice bucket and add sliced fruit nearby. It looks styled without trying too hard.
When it’s all layered together on a wooden board, marble slab, or even parchment-lined trays, it feels festive, elevated, and still completely relaxed.
The Easter Basket Edit
Now let’s talk baskets.
I like to build Easter baskets in two layers:
First, the nostalgic candy staples. Then, the thoughtful add-ins that make it feel personal instead of random.
You still want it to feel like Easter when they look inside.
The Must-Have Candy Staples
There are certain things that just belong in an Easter basket. Even if you modernize everything else, these stay.
A solid chocolate bunny as the centerpiece. Jelly beans tucked into the bottom. Cadbury Creme Eggs. Peanut butter eggs. Marshmallow Peeps. Robin’s egg malted milk balls. Mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs scattered throughout.
That’s the base.
From there, you build based on age and personality.
The Little Explorers
(Toddlers & Primary)
This age lives for magic. The hunt. The reveal. The pure excitement of pulling everything out one by one.
After the candy layer, I love adding things that hint at warmer days ahead. A new picture book they can read that afternoon. A bright swimsuit rolled into the side. A bubble machine that becomes the afternoon entertainment. Sidewalk chalk in spring colors.
You can even tuck smaller surprises inside plastic eggs — stickers, temporary tattoos, hair clips — so it stretches the fun without piling in more sugar.
It should feel playful and light, not overloaded.
The Active Middles
(Pre-teens)
This is where personality starts to matter. They know what they like. They don’t want baby-ish filler.
After the candy staples, lean into their hobbies.
For sports kids, that might mean new grip socks, a fresh water bottle, athletic slides, or a sleeve of high-end golf balls or tennis balls. For the creative ones, maybe a graphic novel, a sketch pad with gel pens, or a DIY bracelet kit.
The candy add-ins can shift slightly here too — sour strips, theater-box favorites, gummy clusters. Still fun, just a little more grown.
At this age, they notice when you paid attention.
The Practical Pros
(Teens & Young Adults)
Let’s be honest. They want usefulness wrapped in love.
Yes, still include the chocolate bunny. Yes, keep the peanut butter eggs. But balance it with things they’ll actually use.
A 10-foot braided charging cable because theirs is always missing. A portable power bank. A car phone mount. An AirTag for the new driver. A few high-protein bars tucked in next to a coffee shop or gas gift card.
Add one elevated sweet — premium chocolate or their very specific favorite candy that proves you know them.
At this stage, it feels less like a basket of candy and more like a curated care package.
You can even match the basket itself to their stage of life. A woven bunny basket for littles. A canvas tote for pre-teens. A beach bag or gym bag for teens.
Now it feels intentional.
This Is Where I Come In
Boards and baskets are one of my favorite things to create.
It’s not just about filling space. It’s the color story, the layering, the textures, the little details that make it feel cohesive instead of thrown together the night before.
If you’d rather not shop, style, assemble, and stress, I’m here to help!
Styled Easter brunch boards
Fully curated Easter baskets by age
Personalized candy and gift selections
Table styling and florals
Holiday hosting setup
Seasonal gifting beyond Easter
Whether you want a beautifully layered brunch board ready when guests arrive, custom baskets wrapped and delivered, or someone to handle the entire holiday setup so you can actually enjoy your family — this is my lane.
Boards. Baskets. And everything beyond.