Easter is quickly approaching and Knox already has his countdown calendar going.  (What can I say, we look forward to holidays around here.)  I am excited to host our family’s Easter celebration this year with the help of Whole Foods Market. As the mother of two little ones, I love to host holidays and to create special traditions for the kids, but I donโ€™t have time to create an elaborate meal from scratch. Which is why I’ve partnered with Whole Foods Market to create a beautiful Easter spread that is both healthy and delicious!

 

Growing up, our holidays centered around my grandmother’s homemade southern cooking.  She started preparing the food before we arrived in town.  I can remember us all helping her shell peas and pecans while we watched a movie the night before a big meal.  I treasure every memory and can still taste the full menu (probably because my mom tackles every holiday with the same luster), but somehow, like a lot of women of my generation, at this point in my life I am giving myself some grace and accepting help where help is needed – in the kitchen.  

Whole Foods Market is offering a delicious assortment of seasonal sides as well as a maple-mustard glaze ham that can be ordered ahead of time for a seamless pick up (yes, please!). Itโ€™s super convenient to swing by your local store and collect your order as well as pick up anything else you could possibly need while there, like these beautiful flowers, fruit and cheese for an appetizer tray, wine, spring napkins, and more!

The classic Easter meal selection available at Whole Foods Market includes everything my grandmother would hope for: a spiral-sliced and maple mustard-glazed ham, asparagus with lemon, parsley, and roasted almonds, roasted beets and shallots with sherry-shallot vinaigrette, and potato gratin with gruyere. I love that all of these fresh dishes are delicious crowd pleasers with family members of all ages. Knox and Andrew love the ham and potato gratin, and I am a huge fan of this asparagus dish! The meal serves eight people and dishes simply need to be reheated before serving — truly a game changer when hosting, especially with young children so you can focus on the fun activities like decorating Easter eggs and finding the perfect hiding place for the golden egg!

I love that at Whole Foods Market I can always trust the food quality, and I don’t have to worry about what I am putting in my family’s bodies.  Their entrees and sides made without artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners give me peace of mind so I can focus on what is most important to me, spending time with my boys.

Of course, no Easter menu is complete without cheerful pastel details. For florals, I opted for pink and blue hyacinths and happy daffodils to accompany my pastel pink plates and tabletop decor. I had my friend and talented calligrapher Nancy Bihlmaier paint personalized eggs that act as place cards for our family members, and then I perched them on egg holders in the center of each place setting. I also picked out a selection of Easter sugar cookies at Whole Foods Market that look adorable displayed on a cake stand in the dining room and are also super popular with the boys! For the adult beverage, I selected a bottle of rosรฉ and the lovely pink color fits our table setting perfectly. 

Do you have any favorite Easter entertaining traditions? I would love to hear about them in the comments below!

*If you’re planning an Easter lunch, please order your meal by Friday, March 30th or by calling 1-844-936-2428. You can pick up your order at your local Whole Foods Market between March 28th and April 1st.

This post was created in collaboration with Whole Foods Market as part of their #makesmewhole campaign. Thank you for supporting the products and brands we love at HOUSE of HARPER!

* Dining room tour and details can be found here. *