Hosting Passover, Part 3 - Planning your Menu

A guide to hosting your first, second, or 75th Passover seder

So you’re hosting Passover? Mazel! It is a LOT of work.

Last week, we went over the must-haves when it comes to “equipment” (wait, can we call a seder plate equipment???). Sure, you can get by with less, but there are a few things that I feel make Passover feel like a special occasion, I mean we literally ask: Why is this night different than other nights. Amirite?

It should come as no surprise that menu planning is my favorite part of hosting, and people have come to expect a something a little traditional, something a little funky, and just too much food in particular. I’ll always say “it’s not my best” and wait for the compliments to come (if you know you know!!!). Passover has always been my favorite holiday to cook for, because I feel like restriction breeds creativity. I’m constantly having to think outside of the box, managing dietary needs, ashkenazi vs sephardic vs people who don’t celebrate. Sure it seems like a headache (it is!!), but it truly brings me such joy to welcome someone to my seder table, saying “all who are hungry come eat!”.

Note: It’s worth asking your guests how they Passover - are they Ashkenazi? Sephardic? I grew up in an Ashkenazi household, but married a Sephardic Jew. In many households you take the husband’s custom, so we follow a blend of the two.

Ashkenazi: Avoid kitniyot (aka anything that could resemble a grain…really). from legumes to corn, rice, even green beans (why), and cabbage (another why).

Sephardic: Some sephardi will eat beans and rice - but best to check with your guests before planning your menu.

A menu!

This feels like the biggest and most stressful step - I’ll go over how I plan mine, but here’s the general framework:

• Charoset/Horseradish/Matzo/salt water/parsley for the seder

• Gefilte or alternative