What's the Right Way to Eat a Chocolate Easter Bunny?

For many people, Easter is second only to Halloween when it comes to indulging in sugary treats. This tradition is so popular that Americans are expected to spend $3 billion on Easter candy in 2022. And while PEEPs and other candies are in demand, the chocolate Easter bunny may be the reigning king of the holiday’s food offerings.

But what part of the rabbit’s anatomy is usually eaten first? According to the National Confectioners Association, it’s the ears.

The NCA estimates that three out of every four people begin devouring the bunny’s aural parts. That’s in line with a survey conducted by WalletHub, which found that 78 percent of respondents prefer the ears. The survey also indicated 11 percent went for the feet, while the remaining 11 percent opted for the tail. Statistically, it's abhorrent behavior.

Easter bunnies are a likely remnant of Pagan traditions, which celebrated springtime as a period of fertility. The rabbit is, naturally, symbolic of reproduction. Nineteenth-century bunny creations were sometimes hollowed out to hide candy inside. When chocolate began being mass-produced, chocolate Easter bunnies were an obvious progression. One of the earliest sightings was in 1890, when Pennsylvania shopkeeper Robert Strohecker displayed a 5-foot-tall edible rabbit to stir up interest.