Easter comes at a time when we’re ready for an excuse to celebrate with a gathering of close family and friends. Creating the best Easter dinner or lunch menu for a large group can be daunting, so we’ve put together this guide on how to prep, serve and savour each recipe, with expert tips and tricks on saving you time, money and importantly when you’re cooking for a crowd, food waste.
Plus, we’ve picked our favourite Easter recipes, including that fancy Easter dessert recipe everyone will be talking about for years to come. Let’s crack on shall we?
Easy Easter meal planning
Starting with your menu plan is a failsafe way to ensure you’ve got balance and variety in your dishes. So if you’re serving a traditional roast lamb, consider what sides you’d match with that such as roast vegetables, and even if you’re going to serve it with a classic mint sauce or a rich gravy.
Working back from the main, you’d then choose the perfect starter – so something that is light enough to whet the appetite but not ruin it. Smoked salmon blinis are an easy option.
And then the all-important dessert. Nothing beats a bit of make-ahead magic to make you look like the host with the most, such as a chocolate mousse cake or an Easter egg hunt smash cake. Or keep it simple and steal the scene with chocolate cupcakes or an Easter egg rocky road.
Prep like a pro
Having the right tools is the secret to easy prepping. Whether it’s a sharp knife for chopping, a food processor or stand mixer if you need, and even a variety of Ziploc Freezer Bags for when you’re taking the make-ahead route. You’ll be surprised by what you can pre-cook and freeze weeks or months ahead to save you time and stress on Easter day. Blinis, par-boiled potatoes, peeled and deveined prawns, marinating chicken or other meats, and even cooked gravy can all be frozen and stored, ready to defrost and reheat or finish off on the day.
The double zipper seal of the Ziploc Freezer Bags helps to lock in the freshness of the food you’re freezing, such as prepped prawns, and helps to prevent freezer burn – preserving the freshness and extending the life of your food.
How to store leftovers
Looking forward to the leftovers is one of the sweet benefits of being the host of your Easter lunch or dinner. So, whether you have an abundance of sliced smoked salmon, roast lamb or roast chook you can safely store any leftovers in sealed Ziploc Freezer Bags in the freezer for up to three months.
How to store leftovers
- Allow meals to cool completely before refrigerating or freezing.
- Place cooled food in a Ziploc Freezer Bag and expel as much air as possible. Slide the double zipper seal from edge-to-edge across the entire bag.
- Clearly write the date and contents on the freezer bag before refrigerating or freezing.
- Eat leftovers stored in the fridge within 2-3 days.
- Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
How to thaw frozen leftovers safely
- Remove from freezer and set aside in the fridge in the sealed freezer bag on a plate or in a bowl.
- Allow to thaw completely in the fridge. Thawing time may vary depending on what is frozen but allowing to thaw overnight is a rough guide.
- Cook and consume leftovers within a day of defrosting.
- Always reheat leftovers to steaming hot (at least 60 degrees celsius).
- Do not refrigerate or refreeze once food has been reheated.
You can always refer to the NSW Food Authority guidelines on how to safely make the most of your meals and leftovers.
Ziploc® Storage Bags are designed to keep strawberries fresh for up to twice as long compared to store packaging.* Whether you’re storing meats, vegetables, leftovers, or pantry essentials, Ziploc® Storage Bags have you covered.
*When refrigerated.
