How to Have an Amazing Family Easter (Without Making It All About Chocolate)
This article includes products sent to me to test out and share with you but all opinions are my own.
Every year, the shelves fill up with Creme Eggs after Christmas, sometimes even before the New Year. By the time Easter Sunday actually arrives, the kids have already eaten mini eggs and chocolate bunnies, and you’re wondering why you bothered planning a proper meal at all.
But a family Easter does not have to revolve around chocolate. In fact, some of the best Easter memories come from sitting around a beautifully set table, sharing a home-cooked meal, and actually spending time together as a family. The food, the table, the atmosphere — it all adds up to something far more special than a sugar rush followed by a grumpy afternoon.
This post is packed with practical ideas for creating a brilliant family Easter feast. From what to cook and how to cook it, to setting the table so it actually feels like an occasion, there is plenty here to help you plan a day your family will remember. After eating, you can have more family time playing board games, building Lego together or perhaps even something as simple as a game of snap.
Why a Family Easter Does Not Have to Be All About Chocolate
Nobody is saying chocolate is bad. A few Easter eggs are perfectly fine, and most of us enjoy them. The problem is when chocolate becomes the entire event. Kids get overwhelmed, adults feel a bit left out, and the day loses its shape.
Easter is actually a great excuse for a proper family meal. It falls at a time of year when the weather is starting to get warmer, spring ingredients are coming into season, and most people have a few days off together. That combination does not come around often, so it makes sense to make the most of it.
Shifting the focus to food and family time does not mean banning chocolate. It just means giving the day a bit more structure and making the meal the focus of the family Easter instead.
Planning Your Family Easter Meal
Traditional British family Easter meals use spring produce.
Classic Choices for the Main
Roast lamb is the most traditional Easter meat in the UK. It represents spring and works beautifully with rosemary, garlic and a good mint sauce. If lamb is not to everyone’s taste, roast chicken is a good alternative. It is budget-friendly, easy to cook, and goes with a variety of side dishes.
For vegetarian or plant-based families, a nut roast packed with lentils, herbs and roasted vegetables is a good choice, but I love vegetarian sausages. Whatever you fancy is fine as long as you enjoy it!
Sides
Spring vegetables that are perfect for Easter are tenderstem broccoli, baby carrots, asparagus and spring onions. Steam or roast them simply with a little olive oil and sea salt.
New potatoes with butter and fresh mint are a classic Easter side. But if you want something with a bit more crunch, roast potatoes are a good choice too.
Food Safety
When you are cooking a family Easter meal for the whole family, food safety matters. According to NHS Inform, chicken and other poultry should always reach a core temperature of 75°C, with no pink meat and clear juices. The Food Standards Agency recommends cooking food to a core temperature of 70°C for at least 2 minutes as a general standard.
A simple meat thermometer takes all the guesswork out of it. They cost a few pounds and are one of the most useful things you can have in a kitchen.
For leftovers, cool them down within two hours and store them in the fridge. Use them within two days, and always reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Using the Ninja CRISPi to Make Your Roasties
If you have not come across the Ninja CRISPi yet, you are missing out. It is a portable glass air fryer and cooking system that lets you prep, cook, and serve all in one container.
For our family Easter-type meal, I used mine to make roast potatoes, and the results were excellent. The CleanCrisp glass container means you can go straight from the countertop to the dining table without transferring everything into a serving dish. Less washing up, and it actually looks good on the table.
The Ninja CRISPi has four functions: ReCrisp, Air Fry, Roast and Keep Warm. For roast potatoes, the Roast setting gives you that crispy outside and fluffy inside that everyone wants for the family Easter lunch. You can watch the food cook through the glass, which sounds like a small thing but is actually very satisfying and handy if you want to check how something is cooking without disturbing it..
The glass containers come with lids, so any leftovers can go straight into the fridge when cooled in the same container.
Check out my full review of the Ninja Crispi if you would like to know more about how useful it is and if it is worth the money.
If you are new to air frying and want some general guidance, my post on air fryer tips and choosing the best air fryer covers a lot, including how to get brilliant roast potatoes out of an air fryer and why they are so much quicker than using the oven.
Setting the Table to Make It Feel Like an Occasion
This is the part I think is most important, and it makes such a difference. A nicely set table signals to everyone that this family Easter meal matters.
For our recent Sunday meal, I picked a new tablecloth, some table mats and fresh Dinner Set from Very. I always love a new set for spring if I can, as it just feels so fresh and spring-like. I mean, sometimes I just get out things I had put away last autumn, but the feeling is the same!
What to Look For
Tablecloth: Go for something in a spring colour if you can for your family Easter. Soft whites, sage greens and pale yellows all work well for Easter. A fabric tablecloth rather than a wipeable plastic one instantly makes the table feel more grown-up. The one I found from Very is wipe clean but with a fabric feel, so perfect in my eyes.
Table mats: These protect your tablecloth and also help define each person’s space at the table. Woven mats add a bit of texture and warmth which is why I chose them.
Crockery: You do not need a full new set. Even just some fresh side plates or a serving bowl that feels a bit special can be nice. White crockery is classic and works with any food you put on it. I chose green as it feels very spring-like, but also fits well with the other set I have and our dining room decor.
Finishing touches: Some spring flowers in a small vase, a candle or two, and you are ready to eat. I put a lovely vase of some bright spring/summer silk flowers on the table, and it fit the family Easter vibe perfectly.
Family Easter Treats That Are Not Just Chocolate
If you still want to include something sweet without making it all about Easter eggs, there are some alternatives.
Hot cross buns are one of the most traditional British Easter foods. Lightly toasted with plenty of butter, they are a perfect Good Friday treat or a casual breakfast on Easter Sunday morning. This year I have seen some great flavoured hot cross buns such as salted caramel, apple crumble and cherry bakewell. I have tasted a few and they are delicious!
Simnel cake is a classic British family Easter bake. It is a light fruit cake topped with marzipan, with 11 marzipan balls on top representing the apostles. It is rich, slightly sweet and delicious.
Mini egg nests made with melted chocolate and shredded wheat are a fun activity for kids and use far less chocolate than a full egg. They take about 15 minutes to make and can be eaten as a pudding after the main meal.
If you are looking for non-chocolate Easter gifts for the family, I shared some ideas in my post on the best non-chocolate Easter gifts for all the family.
Making the Most of the Long Weekend
Easter Sunday dinner is usually the part we think most about, but the long weekend gives you plenty of time to enjoy other treats and make a real celebration of it.
Good Friday is traditionally a day for fish. Baked salmon, fish pie or a trip to the local chip shop could all work well. It is a lighter day before the bigger meal to come.
Easter Saturday is a good day for baking. Hot cross buns, simnel cake or mini egg nests with the kids are all great ways to spend the afternoon.
Easter Sunday is usually the day of the roast but you can do whatever you fancy. A slow morning, the table set nicely, a roast in progress and the whole family around.
Easter Monday is leftovers day. This is where the Ninja CRISPi comes in handy again. The Recrisp function brings leftover roast potatoes back to hot and crispy easily again. Cold roast lamb or chicken reheated properly with some fresh veg on the side makes a good Monday meal with very little effort.
Make This Family Easter the One They Actually Remember
Chocolate has its place for Easter, but it does not have to define the whole day. A proper family meal around a nicely set table, with good food, creates memories that last far longer than a sugar rush.
What will you cook for your family Easter? Do you have any go-to gadgets that help make your family meal? What sort of food do you enjoy as a family? Will you have a roast or something completely different? Let me know in the comments below.
Have a great family Easter with those who you love.
