Easter often brings an abundance of seasonal delights - from chocolate eggs and buttery hot-cross buns to vibrant, hard-boiled eggs from colourful egg hunts. While it is a joy to indulge in these festive treats, it is easy to find your kitchen overflowing with leftovers. Instead of letting these goodies go to waste, why not transform them into something fresh and delicious?
Hot-cross buns are a quintessential Easter treat, but they often lose their freshness quickly. Instead of letting them go to waste, blitzing them into crumbs is a clever trick; these crumbs can add crunch to a fruit crumble topping or bring flavour to homemade stuffing.
Like all breads, hot-cross buns freeze beautifully. Pull them apart and pop them into a freezer-safe bag, or slice them in half before freezing for easy toasting. They also make a delightful base for bread and butter pudding or can be turned into French toast for a special breakfast treat. If savoury is more your style, cube the buns, toss them with oil and herbs, and bake until crisp to create unique croutons perfect for soups and salads.
Easter morning brings the joy of chocolate eggs, but sometimes there are more than you can handle. The good news? Chocolate is wonderfully versatile! Melt it and drizzle over fruit, pancakes, ice cream, or desserts for an instant treat.
You could also whip up a no-bake chocolate slice or chop the chocolate into chunks to mix through cookie dough or brownie batter. Chocolate also freezes beautifully. Simply chop it into small pieces, store in an airtight container, and have it ready for your next baking creation or as a sweet boost to granola or trail mix.
If Easter egg hunts have left you with a basket full of hard-boiled eggs, there are plenty of ways to use them up. A curried egg sandwich is a simple yet flavourful option -just mix chopped eggs with mayonnaise, curry powder, and a pinch of salt for a satisfying filling.
For something with a bit more longevity, try pickling your hard-boiled eggs. Preserve them in a jar with vinegar, beetroot, and spices, and you will have a tasty snack that adds a vibrant touch to salads. Another great idea is to upgrade a bowl of instant ramen by slicing in a hard-boiled egg along with any leftover veges for a nourishing upgrade.
When it comes to reducing Easter food waste, storage is just as important as creativity. Airtight containers help maintain freshness, and labelling everything using an Eat Me First Sticker ensures nothing is forgotten at the back of the fridge. For chocolate, keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight to avoid blooming (that white, powdery appearance that can affect taste). When freezing baked goods like hot-cross buns, wrapping them individually prevents freezer burn and makes defrosting simple and easier to portion.
Easter is a time of joy, and with a little ingenuity, it can also be a time of sustainability. By finding new ways to use up chocolate, fresh and hard-boiled eggs, and hot-cross buns, you are not only reducing food waste but also stretching your budget and adding delicious variety to your meals. Whether you are baking, pickling, or reinventing, every small action makes a big difference in creating a more sustainable kitchen.
No bake chocolate slice
150g butter
¼ cup cocoa
1 tin (395g) condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g roughly crushed plain biscuits and cereal
Icing
150g chocolate
50g butter
Method
Line a square tin with baking paper. Set aside.
Place butter, cocoa powder and condensed milk in a large saucepan on the stove over medium heat. Gently stir as the butter melts and continue stirring until the ingredients have combined. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
Add crushed biscuits and cereal to the rest of the ingredients and mix through.
Transfer mixture into the lined square tin, spread and flatten using the back of a spoon until it is packed tight and smooth.
Melt the chocolate and butter together, pour over the slice and spread to cover the top.
Place in the fridge for about two hours, or until set.
Slice with a sharp knife and store in an airtight container.
Tips
For extra flavour and texture you can add in desiccated coconut, chopped nuts and fruit.
To turn this into a peppermint slice, add a layer of peppermint icing before the chocolate icing.
For more
• For more ideas and recipe inspiration visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz
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