Easter is a time of hope and renewal. A time for family and cherished traditions.

And while food often is a big part of those traditions, it isn’t necessary to let cooking eat up time you’d rather be spending with loved ones.

If you’re planning a family gathering for Easter, you always have the option of enlisting help, whether you ask friends and family to share cooking responsibilities, order food, or hold a small catered celebration.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll free yourself to make the most of your holiday.

Sharing the Food Love

Food editor Meghan Splawn wrote for TheKitchn.com that she considers delegation a secret to successful holiday meal hosting. She was writing about Thanksgiving, but why not take the same approach to Easter?

“There are probably a few folks who may think this is cheating and that hosting means you have to cover every detail, but I believe Thanksgiving (just like Easter!) is designed to be a collaborative celebration, so let’s collaborate,” Splawn wrote.

Most guests ask if they can bring something when they’re invited to a holiday meal, anyway. Although many hosts and hostesses demur, simply in an attempt to be polite (or a martyr!), Splawn suggests saying yes and telling guests specifically what would round out the menu. Just give them time to plan and prepare.

That said, depending on where you are in the planning and invitation process, maybe you don’t feel you can offer potential volunteers enough time to make a dish.

Or maybe you want more extensive assistance, as in, “Yes, I want someone to make the dessert. And the side dishes. And the main course. Help!”

Bring in the Professionals

If, for whatever reason, you realize that you’d like someone else to handle most, if not all, of your Easter cooking, you certainly won’t be alone.

Interest in professionally prepared meals is on the upswing. That’s one reason that, even with setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the North American catering industry is growing. Time is a limited resource, and there are times when hiring skilled caterers makes sense.

There’s something to be said for being able to leave the details of your meal to a trusted ally, for being able to offer your loved ones one fantastic course after another without the time and stress that goes into preparing them.

Egg-Stravagant Options

Leaving the Easter meal preparation to the experts also gives you a chance to dazzle your guests a bit.

Want to serve Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb or a Roasted Ham Leg? Go for it.

Do you think your guests would enjoy asparagus with hollandaise sauce or whipped sweet potatoes? Your caterer will have you covered.

While your expenses will vary depending on the size of your gathering and your menu selections, the cost of catering your Easter meal does not have to be exorbitant. Excellent Events, for example, charges only $32 per person for a cuisine-only (no service or rentals) catered meal that includes one entrée, soup or salad, dinner rolls, traditional toppings, and condiments. And, last-minute orders are accepted.

Personal Touches

You always have the option of a compromise: adding a beloved, made-from-scratch family recipe to the food your caterer provides. This saves you from being overwhelmed with cooking duties but still gives you the pleasure of preparing, and sharing, a dish that has special meaning.

Many families have Easter favorites with ties to where they live now (deviled eggs and green bean casserole are Southern favorites), their family’s heritage (from Russian Pashka for dessert to the Mexican bread pudding known as Capirotada), or a specific family member: “Grandma made the best Easter bread ever.”

Whatever you decided to do for your Easter meal, we wish you a safe, happy one that leaves you with special memories.