Easter Food Traditions
Every family has their own Easter foodie traditions, from exchanging chocolate eggs and Easter egg hunts with children, to sitting down with the family to a full roast dinner.Whether you’re interested in traditional Easter foods and their meanings, or are wanting to impress friends and family this year with Easter recipes certain to please, Green Chef have got you covered.
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Key Dates
When is Easter 2024?
Easter has a huge significance in the Christian calendar; for Christians, Easter is the day of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Easter Sunday doesn’t always fall on the same date of the year, but it is always observed on a Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th. In 2024, Easter Sunday is on 31st March, meaning Good Friday is on 29th March and Easter Monday is on 1st April.
Easter Sunday doesn’t always fall on the same date of the year, but it is always observed on a Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th. In 2024, Easter Sunday is on 31st March, meaning Good Friday is on 29th March and Easter Monday is on 1st April.
Is Easter a Bank Holiday?
Good Friday and Easter Monday are Bank Holidays in the UK. Due to being traditional ‘days of rest’ in the Christian calendar, the reason Brits call these days 'bank' holidays is because they are days on which banks, by royal proclamation, may close for business.
Are the Shops Open On Easter Sunday and the Easter Bank Holiday?
Many companies, from office-based, to physical shops and supermarkets, close their doors on Bank Holidays. However, many cafes, bars and restaurants remain open and available for those who are off to enjoy.
Savvy shoppers who opt for a recipe box subscription service like Green Chef’s, won’t have to worry about supermarket availability and opening times, as they’ll have all they need to tide them over the Easter holiday, delivered to their door at their convenience!
Savvy shoppers who opt for a recipe box subscription service like Green Chef’s, won’t have to worry about supermarket availability and opening times, as they’ll have all they need to tide them over the Easter holiday, delivered to their door at their convenience!
Traditional Easter Foods
Easter day, like Christmas day, is also associated with special food. Here are just some of the foods traditionally eaten in the UK over the Easter holiday:
- Boiled eggs are traditionally served at breakfast, symbolising new life and rebirth. These can even come in the form of ‘devilled eggs’, which are hard-boiled eggs cut in half, then stuffed with a paste made from the yolk and other ingredients.
- Similarly, chocolate eggs are often given as gifts due to their symbolic meaning.
- Roast lamb or roast ham is the traditional meat for the main meal on Easter Sunday. Read on for more on what to serve with your traditional Easter roast.
- Hot cross buns, which are spiced tea cakes, are traditionally served on Good Friday.
- Simnel cakes are often made at Easter time. Simnel cakes are light fruit cakes containing dried fruit and marzipan, decorated with 11 balls of marzipan (representing Jesus’ 11 disciples).
- Easter biscuits, originating from the West Country, are traditionally given as an Easter food gift. They are made from flour, butter, egg yolk, baking powder, sugar, and light spice.
Easter Meals: What to Serve with Traditional Easter Roast
Roast lamb, ham, beef or even duck in some cases, have become popular meats to accompany an Easter dinner. Of course, if you’re looking for a Vegan Easter dinner alternative, our THIS® Isn’t Roast Chicken Dinner is a wonderful meat-free option.
If you’re wondering what to serve with your Easter meal to make sure to ‘wow’ your family and friends, take a look at some Easter meal accompaniment ideas here:
- Chantenay carrots; Green Chef's Senior Recipe Development Manager, Head Chef and registered nutritionist, Anna Tebbs, explains how these dainty and sweet carrots add a pop of colour to your Easter dinner, while the flavours perfectly balance out the robust flavour of the meat.
- Garlic broccoli and kale
- Cauliflower mash and pea shoots
- Crispy roasted asparagus
- Red wine braised cabbage and mushroom gravy
- Dauphinoise potatoes - which GreenChef Senior Recipe Development Manager, Anna Tebbs, tells us work particularly well with the earthy flavour of lamb.
- Sweet potato wedges
- Roasted vegetables
Don’t forget the Easter desserts to follow your main meal. With the likes of Simnel Easter cake or Easter biscuits on offer, your traditional Easter meal is certain to leave guests truly satisfied. If you’ve got little ones over for the Easter holiday, you might like to get them involved in making some Easter desserts themselves; Easter biscuits and Easter nests are perfect child-friendly recipes.
