What do I serve when, at Easter?
If you want to keep it traditional, here’s our guide.
Although many people these days don’t observe the religious basis of Easter, it’s helpful to know why it’s traditional to eat certain foods on certain days during the Easter holidays. This will help you choose the menu if you’re entertaining over the period, and if you want to observe Easter food traditions for yourself or your guests, you can.
Here's a quick 101 on what the traditional choices are over Easter.
Seafood on Good Friday
Meat is traditionally not eaten on Good Friday as this day commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Catholics traditionally abstain from eating meat on this day as a sign of penance and remembrance.
However fish, being cold-blooded, is permitted, and is often served on Good Friday.
Lent, the period of abstinence which starts 40 days before Easter Sunday, does not end until midnight on Easter Saturday night. If you wish to observe this tradition, seafood would be the choice on Easter Saturday too.
Be aware that some religions such as Greek Orthodox have a strict period of abstinence from all animal products, including seafood, during Lent, and Good Friday and Easter Saturday are days of mourning during which no celebrations other than church services are held.
If you’re serving seafood over this period, Tasmania’s bounty is all available for you: Tassie oysters, scallops, salmon, trout, crayfish and wild-caught local fish like Trevalla, Flathead, Gummy Shark and Pink Ling as well as big juicy North Queensland Tiger Prawns can be ordered via our online Easter Order Form. Or if you want it all done for you, order a few of our very generous Seafood Sensation Platters, serving 6-8 people with a selection of fresh oysters, cooked prawns, pickled octopus, smoked mussels, hot and cold smoked salmon, seafood sauce, and a seafood roulade. Again, secure these via our Easter Order Form.
Also on our Order From we have Executive Chef Alan’s fabulous Salmon en Croute, Seafood Pie, and Curried Scallop Pie. These are perfect for a Good Friday lunch or dinner – all you need to do is make a simple green side salad. They would also make a nice addition to an Easter Sunday buffet.
Easter Sunday – Time to feast!
By Easter Sunday Lent is over and the feasting begins!
Hot-cross buns
Originally an English tradition, hot-cross buns are made with a rich yeast dough containing milk, sugar, eggs, dried fruit and spices. This tradition came about as eggs were in surplus over Lent and were then used to make rich breads and buns for Easter. They also have roots in pre-Christianity – Saxons ate buns marked with a cross in honour of Eostre, goddess of light who they believed brought about spring each year.
This year we have hot-cross buns from Pigeonwhole, Jim’s Mum’s, and Jackman & McCross, as well as fantastic croissants perfect for Easter morning. Secure yours via our Easter Order Form.
Chocolate Eggs
Easter morning is all about the Easter egg hunt. But why do we eat chocolate eggs at Easter?
Symbols of rebirth and renewal, eggs featured in the pagan celebration of Eostre. In Christian times Eostre was replaced by Easter, where eggs symbolised the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Chocolate making techniques of the 19th century enabled the production of egg-shaped chocolates which have now become an essential part of Easter celebrations.
We still have plenty of Easter eggs in stock in all stores, from exquisite hand-made Tasmanian eggs from Lakker and Anvers to big Cadbury bunnies, so drop in to your nearest Hill Street store and get ready for Sunday morning.
The Easter Roast
Once Lent is over, it’s traditional to have a big roast. In traditional communities an animal would have been fattened and prepared over Lent and then slaughtered to feed the extended family or village.
Jesus Christ is often referred to as the 'lamb of God' and lamb is often eaten at Easter to commemorate his sacrifice. In Greek culture lamb and goat are killed on big feast days, with Easter the most significant feast in the Orthodox calendar.
Other cultures will eat pork or beef, depending on their traditions.
Reserve your Easter roast via our Easter Order Form, which also includes the Hill Street Roasted Spiced Whole Cauliflower for those who prefer a plant-based roast, and our Balsamic Glazed Vegetables which are a delicious side with any roast.
Easter orders close at 11.59 pm tonight so there’s still time to get your Easter Order in! Note that Easter Orders can be collected up to closing time on Easter Saturday. All our stores will be closed on Easter Sunday so that our teams can enjoy a family day together. Check our Easter Opening times here.
