Home is where the heart (and chocolate) will be this Easter

Australians are ditching big Easter plans and choosing to spend it at home instead as Coles announces it’s dropped prices so families can entertain on a budget

Josette Frost and her children James, 8, and Alice, 6, at their home in Sandringham, Victoria. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Coles has announced a range of Easter deals on seafood, hot cross buns and chocolate as new research shows Australians are preparing to celebrate at home over the long weekend.

The supermarket giant will slash $5 off the price of WA rock lobsters (now $22 each), and cut the price of prawns and salmon, as it plans to sell 500,000kg of seafood ahead of Good Friday.

Coles is also selling two packets of its Choice range of traditional fruit, chocolate and apple and cinnamon hot cross buns for $6, and up to 50 per cent off the entire Easter confectionery range on brands including Cadbury and Lindt.

A Coles pre-Easter survey of nearly 14,000 Australians found 63 per cent of families would spend the long weekend at home due to cost of living pressures.

MasterChef favourite and Coles ambassador Courtney Roulston said it was still possible to entertain family and friends on a budget.

She’ll be adding banana prawns ($22 per kilo) to her shopping list.

“I am one of six kids, it’s in my DNA to feed people for less,” she said.

“It’s just how we were brought up. Easter should be about getting family together and being smart about the menu so the celebration doesn’t cost a fortune.

“Everyone is focusing on the 10 interest rates we’ve had, so instead of having a huge gathering it will be immediate family only. Individual lobster on everyone’s plate is just not going to happen this year, but everyone wants seafood at Easter, so I may do a lobster salad.”

Coles is expecting to sell 500,000kg of fresh seafood nationally in the lead up to Good Friday, including 250,000kg of prawns, which is 40 per cent more volume than last year, and 66,400kg of salmon.

As one of six children, chef Courtney Roulston said it’s “in her DNA to feed people for less”. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Ms Roulston said doing more with less will likely be a theme across Australia, so she is pitching prawn and rice noodle salad as a go-to. It is budget-friendly and an ideal dish for the time-poor, or if you really want to be fancy, a prawn curry is always popular.

And although risotto became the cursed dish in the MasterChef kitchen, Ms Roulston is adamant it should make it to the table on Easter Day.

“Believe me, there’s nothing to be afraid of. You can cook it in under 30 minutes and it costs around $8 to feed a whole table of people.” Add your seafood of choice, and it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser.”

Of course, hot cross buns will also feature on the Roulston family table.

“I grew up in the era where we repurposed everything and my mum would make hot cross bun pudding. Bread and butter pudding was originally made to repurpose stale bread, so if you want to buy in bulk and save, keep this dessert in mind. It’s basically made up of things you likely have in your cupboard like sugar, eggs, cream and milk. Of course, my mum would put them in the oven when the electricity was already on cooking a Sunday roast. Again, it’s about being cost-effective.”

As the cost of living continues to bite, Melburnian Josette Frost, together with her husband Peter and their children James, 8 and Alice, 6, will be driving up to Sydney for Easter to visit with family.

Much like the Frost family, Aussies are staying in this Easter and cooking at home for their immediate family, rather than hosting large gatherings to help keep costs down. Picture: Nicki Connolly

“The airfares are just too expensive and we’ll be staying with friends and having a small lunch on Easter Day. We’re all going to pitch in and do it ourselves, otherwise it just gets too expensive for the host,” said Mrs Frost.

Aside from the obligatory Easter egg hunt followed by hot cross buns for breakfast, salad and seafood will be on the menu for lunch.

“We’re just going to enjoy the last of the warm weather and summer fresh produce before winter kicks in. It’s all about creating a spread I can sit down to enjoy on the day rather than be in the kitchen the whole time cooking.”

A Frost family favourite is a large ‘Jewelled’ salmon with herbs topped with cherry tomatoes that everyone can pick at.

“I love shared food on the table as opposed to having individual meals, plus my kids will try more things on the table. You’re not wasting food, everyone can just grab what they want.”

Originally published as Home is where the heart (and chocolate) will be this Easter