8 Reasons to Make Seafood Your New Easter Tradition
No matter what time of day or layout you choose for your Easter meal, there’s always room for seafood at the table. Below are eight reasons why:
1. Spring Forward
For many people, Easter marks the true beginning of Spring, when we leave the heavier comfort foods of winter behind in favor of eating lighter, fresh fare. Nothing says this better than seafood. From chilled shrimp to crisp calamari to grilled branzino, seafood packs a light, healthy punch, making it the ideal kickoff for the season.
2. Make an Impression
The trend to serve seafood has been gaining steam, showing up in everything from casual sit-down to fine-dining Easter fare. Want to go a step beyond following the latest trend to setting one? Try one of this delicious recipe with roasted branzino - the new darling of reset restaurant menus worldwide.
3. A Seat at Any Table
Whether you are hosting an Easter buffet brunch, luncheon, or sit-down dinner, seafood fills the festive bill. Chilled shrimp with dill sauce atop sliced cucumber adds color and flavor to any buffet. Shrimp salad on a bed of fresh romaine or red leaf lettuce will have your lunch guests hoping for seconds. A simple, tasty shrimp cocktail or lightly dusted calamari appetizer will be a hard act for any entrée to follow— except, of course, maybe a delicious New England-style, branzino chowder.
4. A Perfect Pairing
Because you prefer the more traditional Easter meats doesn’t mean you can’t dress them up a bit. Nothing adds holiday pizzazz to the tried and true like seafood. Position branzino next to the platter of ham on the brunch buffet. Let sesame shrimp toast with avocado and oven tomatoes introduce your sliced lamb luncheon. Or partner Sicilian calamari with your meat of choice for a heartier Easter surf and turf dinner. Your guests will marvel at the new, tasty twist on tradition. And while we are on the topic of tradition, who can forget the Easter eggs? Shrimp salad or dusted gluten-free calamari atop your deviled eggs will make them devilishly delicious.
5. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Maybe your Easter plans include certified vegetarians, or you are unsure if some of your guests are carnivores. No worries. Seafood’s high protein content, versatility, and tastiness make it the obvious choice. These recipes will have even your heartiest meat-eaters digging in.
6. Include the Kids
Do you have little ones helping you prepare your Easter feast? Or maybe it’s your first year hosting, and you are feeling a little unsure. Relax! Cooking and arranging shrimp or calamari on your platters are perfect for little hands, and any of the easy, full-proof recipes we just mentioned will have your guests believing you spent hours in the kitchen - which, of course, you didn’t.
7. Don’t Take the Heat, Get Out of the Kitchen
Why spend hours preparing, cooking, then cleaning up when you can get in—and out—of the kitchen and still serve an outstanding Easter meal? Seafood takes less than ¼ of the time to cook (in some cases, as little as 3-10 minutes!), and many delectable dishes bloom from a single pan. This will give you extra time to spend with friends and family—and more time for them to rave about your meal.
8. Sustainable Is Attainable
Just because it’s a holiday doesn’t mean your guests will leave their environmental beliefs at home. You’ve ditched the non-recyclable paper plates, opted for cloth napkins, and bought your veggies locally. Continue your care of the environment by making sure the seafood you buy is from a certified aquaculture seafood supplier. It will please your sustainable friends’ ideology and their palates.
Serve seafood this Easter, and years from now, you can tell people the tradition started way back when - in 2021!