5 Tips For Celebrating Easter As A Vegan

Easter marks the beginning of longer, warmer days. It's a time for afternoon teas, celebrations, picnics and fresh beginnings.

Many of us have always associated the Easter celebrations with foods laden with animal products, such as roast lamb, eggs, milk chocolate and desserts heavy in cream or milk! Because of this, Easter was once a tricky occasion for vegans, though those days are long gone. Having an entirely plant-based Easter is incredibly easy, and I'm going to share a few top tips on how you can do it.

I'm not exaggerating; the vegan snack options are endless. There are accidentally vegan products (AKA foods that may not be labelled as vegan-friendly but are) and intentionally vegan products made by vegan manufacturers. But also, there are products made by non-vegan brands who are expanding their range to include vegan products. So get out into the world and discover all the new vegan snacks it has to offer. If you can't treat yourself to endless delicious chocolate on Easter, then when can you?!

Do you remember decorating baskets and hats as a child around Easter time? It was one of the best ways to get in the spirit of Easter and still is. Keep the little ones busy and help bring out their creative side by purchasing a plain wicker basket for them to decorate and fill with vegan treats.

Another popular DIY activity during the Easter celebrations is egg decorating. This activity can easily be veganized by purchasing wooden, ceramic or cardboard eggs from craft stores. It's just as fun but cruelty-free! You can then use the decorated eggs (or dairy-free chocolate eggs) for the annual Easter egg hunt. Here are some of my favourite plant-based Easter eggs on the market right now:

Easter is arguably one of the best holidays for food lovers. Whether it's afternoon tea, roast dinner, brunch, or a lavish breakfast in bed, there's so much going on and something to suit everyone's tastes! If you're concerned with what to eat on Easter Sunday, don't fret. Even if you're not a keen cook, just let the pre-made vegan products do the talking for you. Purchase a roast made from nuts or seitan or a pre-made pie. Or if you'd like to really impress, make your own from scratch.

When in doubt, go wild and make a bunch of mouthwatering side dishes, too: roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, skewered veggies, glazed green beans, or salad. Here are some more ideas to ignite your inspiration: 

I remember when I first went vegan, I found the idea of vegan baking quite daunting. Most of us grew up thinking that eggs and dairy are crucial ingredients when baking and making desserts. Though, that couldn't be further from the truth. The only tricky part of vegan baking is substituting the eggs, but even that's easier than ever because plant-based liquid egg products are available (don't worry, it's not as strange as it sounds).

Have a look at vegan Easter recipes online to see which kind of cakes and desserts you'd like to try out. Once you become a pro at it, you'll even be able to veganize recipes yourself! For now, here are some Easter bakes for you to try out:  

Special occasions like Easter make for brilliant opportunities to share your lifestyle with friends and family. Your aim shouldn't be to force the people around you to be vegan, but instead to help them understand the lifestyle better and become familiar with it. The more people that realise vegan food is the same as 'normal' food, the easier it will be for others to start their vegan journey. And besides, it's always entertaining to see the look on people's faces when they eat plant-based food and realise it's more than beans and greens!