Shopping down the bunny trail: Getting the best price for Easter dinner

A holiday meal is supposed to be special.

That isn’t just about the people. It’s also about the food. On holidays, we have things we don’t eat every day. Seriously — how often do you make a whole roast turkey? There are rituals and traditions to the foods that grace our holiday tables.

That can also mean expense — holiday meals can really break the budget.

You can address that with some crafty menu planning. Serve dishes that play more to comfort than cost. Thinking seasonally will always be more affordable. And, if possible, shop around. Some grocery stores tend to be better for certain ingredients than others.

We came up with a simply special Easter menu: glazed ham, cheesy deviled eggs, green onion scalloped potatoes, almond crunch carrots, broccoli salad, dinner rolls, poppy seed cupcakes and strawberry lemonade.

Then we shopped several of the most accessible locations to buy groceries at different price points: Aldi, Dollar General, Giant Eagle, Shop ’n Save and Walmart.

Could the 16-ingredient shopping list be picked up everywhere? Could a bountiful and festive meal be created without breaking the bank?

Not surprisingly, the costs varied wildly. We picked up the cheapest option available at each retailer, be it a name brand or store brand. Giant Eagle came in high at $91.68. Aldi skated in at about half that — $57.83 — but was missing poppy seeds. Walmart and Shop ’n Save had everything and totaled $61.85 and $64.14, respectively.

By shopping the best prices from each one — and each was lowest for something — the whole menu could be had for just $52.95. (And check your store ads. We shopped before Easter sales.)

Then there is the outlier: Dollar General. This retailer has more than 19,000 locations in the U.S., many in rural areas or urban food deserts. This shop was just $24 but required significant ingredient changes because of the lack of fresh food. It would also feed fewer people for that amount — about four instead of eight or more.

An Easter Sunday best meal is possible on any budget. It just requires some advanced planning, smart shopping and a little flexibility.

Cheesy deviled eggs

6 eggs, boiled and peeled

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup shredded cheddar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon minced green onion tops

Halve eggs. Remove yolks to a separate bowl. Reserve whites.

Mash yolks. Add mayo, mustard, cayenne, and mix until smooth. Stir in cheddar, and season to taste. Pipe or spoon mixture into halved whites. Garnish with minced green onion and refrigerate. Serve cold.

Green onion scalloped potatoes

1/4 cup butter

6 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

2 cups milk

1 cup cream

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

1/4 cup minced green onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour; stir and cook two to three minutes. Add milk and cream. Cook and stir until thickened. Season to taste.

Add sauce to potatoes. Spread half in greased pan. Sprinkle with half of the green onion. Repeat.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked tender. Serve hot.

Almond crunch carrots

1 pound carrots

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place carrots in saucepan. Cover with water and cook over medium heat until tender. Drain and set aside.

Melt butter in a pan with sugar, Add carrots, salt and pepper, almonds and cayenne. Cook for about 5 minutes or until syrupy. Serve hot.

Broccoli cheese salad

2 pounds broccoli, trimmed into florets

1/2 pound cheese, shredded

2 eggs, boiled and chopped

1/4 cup almonds, sliced or slivered, toasted

3/4 cup mayo

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup sliced green onion

Optional: 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup crumbled bacon

In a large bowl, toss broccoli, cheese, egg and almonds. Set aside.

In another bowl, mix mayo, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and green onion. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss. Chill for at least one hour. Serve.

Poppy seed cupcakes

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Frosting:

2 sticks butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 cup cream

Zest and juice of one lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add lemon juice to milk and set aside for five minutes. Add half of dry ingredients. Add milk mixture. Add remaining dry ingredients and lemon zest. Portion into cupcake pans. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until set in center. Remove and cool.

For frosting, beat butter for about five minutes, until light in color and fluffy. Add sugar and beat. Add cream and start mixing slowly until incorporated. Then turn up speed and beat about five minutes. If a broken texture develops, keep beating until it reincorporates. Add lemon juice and zest. Spread on cupcakes and serve.