Planning an Easter get-together? We’ve got you covered with a selection of celebratory menus that cater to every preference, budget, and time allowance. If you’re in need of more Easter-themed party-planning, here are some ideas for kid- and adult-friendly activities before (or after) the main event:
- If the party is set indoors, set aside a special kids table for dyeing Easter eggs (crafty adults are, of course, welcome too).
- Make Easter-themed party favour bags for your guests. You could include Easter candy and chocolate, puzzle books, stickers, and themed pens or pencils. For adults, you might consider gifting tulips, daffodils, or crocuses in small pots.
- Decorate cookies or cupcakes with jellybeans, chocolate eggs, and colourful sprinkles.
- Have an old-fashioned Easter egg hunt! This activity can be done indoors or outdoors if you’re hosting a picnic — just be sure to keep chocolate eggs out of direct sunlight.
Classic Easter Dinner
We’ve included two main dishes in this menu, a roasted leg of lamb and a pork tenderloin, so that you can choose the option that’s better suited to your family’s taste (of course, you can always make both!) The asparagus, carrots, and parsnips can be roasted together at 400° F to streamline the preparation, either on the same baking sheet or divided over two sheets, for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve white wine coolers — with the option of using non-alcoholic wine — in a large pitcher with fresh citrus rounds so that your guests can help themselves.
Make Ahead Easter Brunch
Feeling stressed about hosting an Easter celebration? From celebratory beverages to the main event, this entire brunch menu consists of recipes that can be made ahead of time (even our melon and cucumber salad, which can be made up to two days in advance.) To batch prep the iced coffee, double or triple the recipe according to the number of guests you’re entertaining, storing the frozen coffee in a resealable freezer bag until ready to use.
Easter Picnic
If the weather’s cooperating, why not take the festivities outside? Serve the ham with rolls and all your favourite sandwich fixins, letting your friends and family choose from a selection of toppings. Picnics are a great opportunity to celebrate potluck-style, so feel free to divvy up the prep work to make your life easier. If you’re not a fan of raspberry jam on baked ham, our recipes for cranberry-orange glazed ham and apricot-glazed baked ham will work equally as well.
Vegetarian Easter Lunch
The Easter holidays are a wonderful time of year to put the spotlight on vegetarian recipes, and this beautiful lunch menu highlights all the gorgeous vegetables the season has to offer. The Greek tzatziki dip is especially delicious when served with a striking vegetable platter featuring green onions (soak in cold water for 20 minutes to remove some of the bite), Belgian endive, baby radishes, and blanched asparagus (plunge into ice water after blanching to preserve the bright green colour.)
