Getting a household ready for Passover can be a hugely complex process and time consuming process, depending on one’s level of observance. With many different guidelines for preparations, most derived from Jewish customs, one must begin by figuring out how strictly you will adhere to the laws.
A quick explanation for non-Jewish readers: there are many different ways to practice Judaism, and they depend on the type of synagogue one attends (for example, Reform, Conservative or Orthodox) and the cultural origins of one’s family (for example, Ashkenazic Jews generally come from Eastern Europe and have different traditions than Sephardic Jews, whose roots are in the Middle East).
One of the most arduous chores for Passover is grocery shopping. Not only is there at least one large family meal, but Passover is also called the Feast of Unleavened Bread because eating food with leavening agents in them is prohibited. As a way to recall how the Israelites fled Egypt so quickly that their bread did not have time to rise, leavened foods are eliminated from the diet for the duration of Passover. Some people simply avoid bread-type foods, but others follow stricter guidelines and omit all types of flour and food that could potentially be turned into flour, like corn, rice, oats, beans and so on. Some people also avoid any products that have any derivatives of these foods in them, such as corn syrup, which makes shopping and eating challenging. To simplify following these rules, some foods have markings on the package that indicate if the foods are kosher for Passover. Soda, ketchup, cookies, and many other products can bear this symbol, and if you want them, it is important to stock up before they sell out.
Tips and Hints:
Pick up your favorite cleaning supplies. The weeks before Passover are a time for spring cleaning and clearing out the kitchen cabinets. In the spirit of tikkun olam, look for a cleanser that is eco-friendly.
A couple weeks before Passover, stop buying chametz/leavened foods, and use up what you have in your pantry. If you have many dessert mixes in your cupboard, host a dessert party for friends in the weeks prior to Passover. Or, organize a food drive for a local pantry through your synagogue.
If you need kosher for Passover foods, consider calling your grocery store in advance and placing a special order.
Bakers must plan well in advance, as Passover baking items can sell out quickly. Passover margarine (in sticks, not the soft spreadable kind) is a pantry staple. Potato starch is a useful and “permitted” thickening agent. Matzoh meal and cake meal can stand in for flour. Passover confectioner’s sugar is also available. Vanilla extract is fermented, so Passover vanilla (often sold as a powder) would be necessary. Passover food coloring is sometimes difficult to find, and can be purchased from retailers online.
I love to bake meringues at Passover, especially green ones that look like silly frogs for the kids in our family.
Don’t bake? Use the internet to buy kosher for Passover treats and have them delivered to your door, especially if you live in an area with a small selection in your grocery store.
As you shop, also gather everything needed for the seder table:
Maror and Chazeret (bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce)
Charoset (often grated apple, chopped nuts, cinnamon and wine mixed together to resemble the mortar used by the Israelites during slavery)
Karpas (a vegetable such as celery or potato dipped in salt water)
Z’roa (a roasted lamb shankbone; these are often available in the meat case in areas with large Jewish populations; if you live in an area with a smaller Jewish community, call a week in advance to order it)
Beitzah (a roasted or hard boiled egg)
Matzot (be sure that it is kosher for Passover)
Wine
What are your hints for preparing for Passover? Share them here.