It’s that time of year for indulging in sweet chocolate Easter treats. The shops have been tempting us for weeks with their displays of Easter eggs, and many of us have already added an extra chocolate treat to our supermarket shopping carts.
Traditional Easter hot cross buns are a bakery staple during this season, even if we spotted them not long after Christmas. If you’re not a fan of the traditional cinnamon and spice flavours, or if you’re torn between choosing eggs or hot cross buns, fear not. You can now enjoy both in a chocolate bun. There’s also savoury flavour, even if aficionados say ‘that’s not Easter’.
The local shelves have the classics like the Lindt gold bunny, Cadbury Crème Egg and the tall foiled bunny that sometimes has an odd squint. Colourful foil wrappers once again reflect popular themes, with footy and Bluey among the favourites.
There’s a wide variety to choose from, including bunnies in cute or cartoon styles, and packets of quail-sized eggs for Easter egg hunts. This year’s egg twists have different fillings like popping candy, Coco Pops, KitKat and jelly lollies in foiled solid eggs. A promoted Easter ‘ritual’ is egg smashing, which involves a thick chocolate egg with fillings. There are dairy-free, gluten-free and vegan eggs, so no one misses out.
While the prices this year are about the same as last year, market research says that Australians will not be spending as much this year due to cost-of-living pressures.
Families are making health-conscious choices and are turning to alternatives. Similar to Christmas, off-island families are opting for gift cards and dining out for an adult lunch to make Easter special and costeffective. A
s the holiday break is four or five days, depending on where you live, King Islanders are hoping for rain and secretly want some sunshine. Many are planning to pack their camping gear and explore other parts of the island with family and friends or tend to their vegetable gardens and start planting.
In line with off-island trends, the island offers soft and fluffy Peter Rabbits, long-legged country-style stuffed hares, and cute chicken soft toys.
With winter approaching, stores also offer alternative Easter gifts that have grown in popularity as chocolate alternatives that can become family traditions, such as new winter PJs, slippers, and ‘onesies.’