Cheap Easter Dinner Ideas
Easter doesn't have to be an egg-stravagant occasion (sorry, the first and last!), there are loads of ways to enjoy it without breaking the bank. Here’s our list of top tips for celebrating Easter on a budget:
1. Experiment with cheaper cuts of meat and slow cook to keep it tender.
A favourite Sunday roast in the UK, lamb is traditionally a spring meat and the go-to choice at Easter. We’ve been feasting on lamb on Easter Sunday for aeons, the tradition actually predates Christianity, having its roots in early Passover practices. No wonder the tradition has been maintained - there’s no denying the joy of well-cooked lamb - but it can be expensive. However, as with all meat, certain cuts cost more than others. If you don’t want to go without, then lower cost cuts are available. Shoulder is a great alternative roasting joint to leg, and because it carries a little more fat, then it’s not as expensive. With the cheaper cuts it’s often a good idea to cook the meat really slowly to get it nice and tender. A slow cooker is great for this … freeing up time and money.
2. Have an Easter breakfast and make eggs the focus instead of meat.
Who says your celebratory meal has to be lunch? If Easter’s all about the eggs, why not enjoy the eggiest of meals which has to be breakfast or brunch? You don’t need to splurge on expensive meat, when no meat will do.
3. Invest time, not money.
You can create a more visual spread for everyone to enjoy and remember, by spending a little bit more time rather than money. Tomato Tulips are a real winner. Minimum monetary input, but maximum output.
Just quarter cherry plum tomatoes almost all the way through, then use a toothpick to attach each to a trimmed whole spring onion. Fill a plastic bag with garlic-herb cheese; snip a corner and pipe into the tomato buds. A complete show-stopper for just a few quid.
Another menu suggestion that’s easy on the pocket and easy on the eye, and a great vegetarian option, is a Spring sharing board. There are loads of ideas on Pinterest for how to pretty these up, but all you really need is a selection of rainbow-coloured Spring veg - asparagus, radishes, chicory, carrots, beetroot - and then some dips and crackers to enjoy them with. You could go the extra mile and decorate the spread with a few deviled eggs, to keep the Easter egg theme going. Whilst the fashion for these died out with the hostess trolley in the 1970s, they are still delicious and very popular … and not just in an ironic way!
4. Make your own chocolate treats (or better still, get the children to).
Chocolate will probably need to make an appearance at some point, but it doesn’t have to be shop bought…you can make your own treats, and it might work out cheaper if you have lots of people to buy for. Slowly melt a few large bars of chocolate in a heatproof bowl on top of a pan of simmering water. Line a baking tray and when the chocolate is smooth, pour it into the tray. Smash up a load of Mini Eggs and scatter them over the top. Leave to set, and then break into shards and bag up. SO easy.
5. Hide no-cost clues rather than costly eggs…
The price of Easter eggs has fallen over the years, but it’s still expensive to buy loads for an Easter egg hunt. You can always Google ‘cheap Easter egg deals’ to find out which supermarket to plunder, but do keep an eye out for that Fair Trade and B Corp logo, as the chocolate industry has some very dark corners. An alternative is to not actually hide the eggs, instead hide a series of letters that need to be collected, and then unscrambled to work out the location of their one hidden egg. This has the added (not to be underestimated) benefit of reducing the chocolate frenzy and ensuing mania.
You can also throw in an egg and spoon race to prolong the fun without having to produce endless chocolate treats as treasure.
6. Make money rather than spend it.
If there aren’t children to entertain, then one seasonal activity that doesn’t cost a penny…but that can actually make you money, is a spring clean! Have a clear out and get selling. Hugely satisfying, but admittedly a little boring. You could always inject an element of excitement by having a Mini Egg Martini as a reward … which does exist! Get the recipe on the BBC website here.
All that’s left to say is ‘cheers’!
Wishing you all a very happy Easter.
Ingredients:
25g of Mini Eggs
1 tsp honey
25ml crème de cacao
25ml Baileys
50ml Vodka Ice
Method:
STEP 1
Crush the Mini Eggs in a pestle and mortar then tip onto a small plate. Brush the rim of a martini glass with a little of the honey using a pastry brush then dip the glass into the crushed Mini Eggs to stick them on. Pop the glass in the fridge until you need it.
STEP 2
Pour the crème de cacao, Baileys and vodka into a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice and shake until the outside of the shaker feels really cold. Strain into your prepared glass and serve.
Recipes taken from BBC GoodFood