Traditional Easter Food
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Easter Lunch or Dinner has to be one of the most enjoyed meals of the year. Many people today, who perhaps aren’t in a traditional faith, still celebrate this season with the traditional Easter foods with little understanding as to how these foods have a deeper meaning.
In early church times, people gave up meat, eggs, and butter for Lent (which begins on Ash Wednesday and leads up to Easter Sunday).
I’m Catholic, so Lent has meant sacrifice, fasting, alms giving and a more reflective meditative time. It’s a time for spiritual and physical renewal. Fasting is an homage to the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert, praying, fasting and preparing for his destiny.
The lenten season has brought about some very delicious and interesting Easter food traditions which are prepared with eagerness to break the fast and celebrate the joyous day of the resurrection.
Lamb is a Universal Traditional Easter Food
Lamb, which relates back to the passover meal in the Jewish faith, is and was very prominent in the Easter dinner. For Christians, the lamb symbolizes Jesus as the “Lamb of God.”
More Lamb Recipes
- Lamb Stew with Dried Plums
- Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Chimichurri
- Reverse Sear Lollypop Lamb Chops
- Greek Feta Lamb Meatballs
- Rack of Lamb
- Lamb Chops Za’atar
Traditionally, many households, especially in Eastern European countries, would be busy preparing the food on Saturday and taking a basket of food to the church to be blessed. Our church will bless baskets of food on Saturdays, with a benediction.
Baskets contain foods such as decorated hard boiled eggs, lamb shaped butter or lamb shaped sugar, ham, sausage, lamb, cheese. Bitter herbs of the Passover are expressed in condiments like horseradish, pepper, and oil and vinegar. Sometimes wine can be included (representing the blood of Christ).
Painted Eggs are a Traditional Easter Food
Eggs are a symbol of new life and rebirth, which aligns with the Christian celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Originally, eggs were painted red to point to the blood of Christ.
Hard Boiled Eggs
- How to Color Egg (using whipped cream)
- How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
- What to do with Hard Boiled Eggs
- Loaded Deviled Eggs with Cheese and Bacon
- Pimento Egg Salad
- Pimento Deviled Eggs
Asparagus, an Easter Vegetable
Asparagus often accompanies lamb, ham or is stuffed into a quiche or frittata.
Coconut a Traditional Easter Food
I’ve always wondered why coconut cake is a traditional Easter dessert. Upon a little research coconut in some cultures represents the incarnation, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Jewish culture eats coconut macaroons at Passover. Americans (especially in the south) eat coconut cake, and many eat chocolate coconut eggs.
- Keto Triple Layer Coconut Cake (gluten free, sugar free)
- Traditional Coconut Cupcakes
- Old Fashioned Coconut Cake
- Chocolate Coconut Cream Eggs (Mounds Bar)
- Key Almond Joy Cupcakes
- Keto Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
- How to Color Coconut
Growing up in Pennsylvania, we always had coconut cream chocolate eggs and peanut butter eggs. We would buy them at the local farmer’s market for Easter.
Below is a sugar free peanut butter cup and a traditional peanut butter egg.
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