Spring has sprung and Easter is fast approaching. Sacramento County has information to help you and your family have an
egg-cellent time.
Colorful and Safe Eggs
What would Easter be without decorating, hiding, hunting and eating Easter eggs! Just remember all this handling provides opportunities for foodborne illness. Start by choosing fresh eggs from the refrigerated case that are clean and free of cracks. You’ll want to get your eggs home and in the coldest part of the refrigerator right away – with your fridge set at 41°F or below. Keep those fragile raw eggs in their carton to add a layer of protection and keep them no longer than three to five weeks from the purchase date (the “Sell By” date is not required by federal law, but some states may require it). Before and after handling raw eggs, always wash your hands with warm water and soap and avoid cross-contamination by washing counters and kitchenware that come into contact with raw eggs. Remember, with Easter egg hunts, you will want to throw out any eggs (raw or cooked) when they have been out of the refrigerator more than two hours. And, egg dishes such as deviled eggs or egg salad should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten within 3 to 4 days. For more food safety tips, visit the
US FDA website and
Sacramento County Environmental Management Department website. Now, let’s find those eggs!
Visit Our Beautiful Parks
Sacramento County’s Regional Parks are popular for outdoor adventure on Easter Sunday. This increase in visitors is welcome, but it also creates a spike in maintenance and patrol costs for the Parks system. To offset the costs on Sunday, April 5, parking fees will increase to $8 per vehicle and vehicles with trailers or oversized vehicles over 22 feet will increase to $13. This fee increase does not affect Annual Parks Pass holders. Now is a great time to
purchase an Annual Parks Pass. Save money on park entry fees and show your support for keeping our park system safe and clean.
As the weather warms up, remember that
children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times in public waterways in the County. Also, swimmers of all ages should exercise caution. The water is cold and at lower levels than usual, which exposes more underwater hazards. These conditions can be dangerous to even the most experienced swimmers.
Are Chocolate or Stuffed Toy Chicks and Bunnies a Better Choice?
This time of year brings the temptation to buy cute baby chicks and bunnies. But, unfortunately, after Easter, animal shelters are bombarded with unwanted rabbits and chickens that were given as impulse Easter gifts. Rabbits and chickens – that can live up to 10 years – are excellent pets, but the responsibilities of ownership are important to carefully consider before giving them for Easter. Also, there may be
zoning ordinances for chickens/roosters you should be aware of before bringing home a chicken. You may want to opt for the toy or chocolate versions, but if you decide rabbits or chickens are the right pet for your family, the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter has adorable rabbits that need homes – and on occasion they may have chickens, too! View
adoptable animals online or
visit the Bradshaw Animal Shelter.
Pet Safety Tips at Easter?
Yes! Easter time can be full of dangers for your pets. Keep Easter baskets away from pets: chocolate, basket stuffing and tiny toys can be dangerous or fatal. And, if your dog eats that elusive spoiled egg from the Easter egg hunt he can get sick. The beautiful and iconic Easter Lily is also a toxic plant to pets and can cause kidney failure when ingested. Finally, with the warm spring weather, your pets might be spending more time outdoors and there is a greater chance that your
pets could get lost – now is the time to be sure your pet is wearing a collar with a
current license tag (so, when found, we can get your furry friend back to you as soon as possible), have vaccinations up-to-date, and is
spayed/neutered to prevent unwanted litters.
Enjoy Local Festivities
Throughout our great County there are Easter celebrations to enjoy and our partner
Sacramento365.com has lots of events listed, such as pancake breakfasts and egg hunts in local parks in communities like Carmichael and Fair Oaks. Or, maybe you want to go to a shopping center like the Arden Mall to have your child photographed with the Easter Bunny. Or, you might want to head over to our many hotels and restaurants that are hosting Easter brunch. Have fun and enjoy this great season!