
Blessed Easter Food has Meaning.
Many traditional foods at Easter have special meanings and thus are blessed on Holy Saturday in most Catholic churches. Below are a list of these items and what they represent.
Bread
made for the Easter celebration is typically rich in butter, sugar , and
eggs, which used to be forbidden during Lent. The bread symbolizes Christ,
who is our True Bread come down from heaven. The loaf is often decorated
with a cross and may be encircled with a braid of dough to represent a
crown.
Salt
is necessary for life and reminds us to follow Jesus’ command to be the salt
of the earth.
Eggs
come in many forms in the Easter basket, all of them symbolizing new life
and Christ’s resurrection from the tomb.
Cheese,
because of it’s mild flavor, symbolizes the moderation that Christians
should have in all things. There are many easy-to-make sweet Easter cheeses
that can be made a few days before the blessing of food.
Butter
reminds us of the bounty of God and the goodness of Christ which we should
show toward all people. The butter is often in the form of a lamb, to remind
us of the Paschal Lamb, Christ, who was willingly sacrificed for our sins
and now is risen from the dead.
Horseradish
mixed with grated pickled beets is red in color to symbolize the Passion of
Christ. The bitterness of the horseradish recalls the suffering of Christ.
Sausage/Kielbasa
is indicative of God’s favor and generosity and is also an item that was
forbidden throughout Lent.
Ham,
in it’s richness, is symbolic of great joy and abundance. All pork products
represent Christ’s fulfillment of the Old Covenant, in which pork was
forbidden, and His establishment of the New Covenant.
Bacon
reminds us of God’s overabundant mercy.
Wine
recalls the Blood of Christ which was spilled for us on Calvary.
Vinegar
reminds us of the gall or sour wine which was given to Jesus to drink on the
cross when he was thirsty.
Pepper
is another reflection of the bitter herbs, which signify exile, Christ’s
sufferings, and the sufferings of this life.
Poppy
seed rolls, nut rolls, cheesecake,
and other 
cakes and pastries may be included to represent the sweetness of God’s love for us. After abstaining from sweet foods throughout Lent, these treats taste even sweeter.

