WEEKLY MENU 03.31.24
Easter arrives during the Weekly Menu 03.31.24! We’ve got all the symbolism going during the most spiritual holiday of the year.
We start the Weekly Menu on 03.31.24 with a big Easter dinner! The house is decorated with all sorts of Easter symbolism, and the Easter Eggs are colored. Of course, that begs the question, why do we color eggs? And when did Bunnies come into the scenario?
EARLY EASTER EGGS
Throughout history, people have given each other eggs at spring festivals to celebrate the new season. Eggs represent new life and rebirth, and it’s thought that this ancient custom became a part of Easter celebrations.
In the medieval period, eating eggs was forbidden during Lent (the 40 days before Easter) so on Easter Sunday, tucking into an egg was a real treat! This was especially true for poorer people who couldn’t afford to buy meat. Eggs were given to the church as Good Friday offerings, and villagers often gave eggs as gifts to the lord of the manor at Easter.
English Heritage Organization
Why Do We Dye Easter Eggs?
In the early Christian church (and in many Orthodox traditions today), the eggs were dyed red to symbolize the blood of Jesus during the resurrection.
As the tradition continued, Christians would paint different scenes from the Bible on the eggs, inspiring different Easter egg designs.
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Easter Egg Hunts
Another custom involving Easter eggs was the Easter egg hunt — which also represented the resurrection of Jesus. Christians would hide dyed eggs for their children to find, symbolizing the search for Jesus’s body after the crucifixion.
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The Easter Bunny
So if eggs are such an important part of Easter, why do children get presents from the Easter bunny instead of the Easter chicken?
One theory for the origin of the Easter bunny comes from the pagan festival of Eostre, as the goddess was traditionally represented by a rabbit (another symbol of fertility due to how quickly they reproduce).
In 18th-century German folklore, the rabbit (Osterhase, or “Easter Hare”) laid eggs for children to discover on Easter morning. The tradition followed German immigrants to America, where the Easter bunny became a mainstay of American Easter mornings — religious and nonreligious alike.
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Easter Lilies
Easter lilies are often the centerpiece of Easter celebrations. Legend has it that white lilies sprung from the ground around Jesus as he spent his final hours on the cross. It is said that when his perspiration hit the ground, a lily grew in that spot.
As a result, Easter lilies are symbolic of new life as well as purity. For Easter, they symbolize Jesus’ resurrection and the promise of everlasting life.
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Hot Cross Buns
In many parts of the world, hot cross buns are a traditional food for Good Friday, which is the day Jesus was crucified on a cross. This day falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday.
Each bun features a cross on top, which symbolizes the cross on which Jesus died. The spices included in the buns are said to be representative of the ones that were used to prepare Jesus’ body for the tomb.
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Weekly Menu 03.31.24
The Weekly Menu 03.31.24 has aptly named “Resurrection Rolls” on it – these buns are a great way to get the kiddos involved in Easter Dinner while representing Jesus in the Tomb. We’ll use store-bought crescent rolls wrapped around a marshmallow dipped in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. Cook them, and voila – the marshmallow disappears, leaving a hollow, brown interior, akin to a tomb. I love this, and it doesn’t even matter what they taste like.
Many people go with lamb, but we are a ham family from way back. Check out our detailed instructions on making an easy Easter Dinner here:
EASTER DINNER
I switch up the sides and appetizers every year, so this year it’s going like this (BONUS MENU!!):
On Monday we’re doing a 180 and having Spaghetti and homemade meatballs. And on Tuesday, we’re having the individually made pork fried rice that we didn’t have a couple of weeks ago. Good thing pork freezes so well. We’re rolling in leftovers so we’ll have family favorite Hot Ham & Cheese Sliders, although meatball sliders might be available depending on how many meatballs get eaten on Monday.
We can eat meat on Fridays again! Yay! We’re having a Detroit Deep Dish Pizza with plenty of pepperoni to celebrate.
WEEKLY MENU 03.31.24
