Prepping for Passover

Passover is coming up in a couple of weeks.  Passover is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the Jews' exodus from Egypt, where they had been slaves for many of years.  It is a celebration of freedom.  It is a time to remember the bad times so that we will never forgot, but we also have to celebrate our freedom.  I have always enjoyed celebrating Passover, and I sure that is partly related to the fact that this is my mother's favorite holiday.  Now I enjoy celebrating this holiday with my husband and children.  The picture below is from the first seder my husband and I shared after we were married.

Even though Passover is a celebration, we also honor tradition and do not eat any leavened foods.  This restricts many flours, pastas, and cereals that my family is used to eating the rest of the year.  So, my husband and I try like to start thinking about our menu a couple weeks before the holiday starts.  We create an Excel Document that contains all of the meals that we will be eating for the week of Passover.  We make a detailed list all of the meals, and then we compile all of the recipes that we need.  Then I go through and write down all of ingredients we need.  I also try to whittle away at the ingredient list, so it is not such a big shopping trip right before Passover.  I try to convince myself that our grocery bill does not go up during Passover, despite the fact that I know it will.

Since Passover requires us to not eat food that is leavened, we have Passover specific supplies that we need.  Thankfully we live close enough to a bigger city, and we buy these items there.  When I went shopping this year, I was impressed that there were more Passover specific gluten free products than usual.  I saw a Passover gluten free cake mix in chocolate and vanilla and Passover gluten free pasta.  I even found gluten free gefilte fish and gluten free matzah.  I usually do my own baking, but it is nice to see options for people who do not.

I am really looking forward to Passover this year.  I hope you and your family have a wonderful Passover too.

~Cassidy