Hopping into spring: Instacart reveals America's most loved and loathed Easter and Passover foods
Instacart has unearthed some egg-citing data showcasing the food, candy, and seasonal items that will have consumers springing for joy this Easter and Passover season.
Hopping into spring: Instacart reveals America's most loved and loathed Easter and Passover foods
Updated
As spring kicks into high gear, people across the country are preparing for family gatherings and festive meals for Passover (April 12-20) and Easter (April 20). To help bring these traditions to life, Instacart has unearthed some egg-citing data showcasing the food, candy, and seasonal items that will have consumers springing for joy this season.
Through a nationwide survey of adults conducted online by The Harris Poll from March 13-17, 2025, Instacart found a whopping 76% of Americans plan to celebrate Easter or Passover this year—and that family or cultural traditions play a major role in their food choices for these celebrations, with 59% of consumers sharing that these traditions are a top influence.
However, in taking a deep dive into Instacart's purchase data, we found that some holiday "classics" don't always live up to their iconic status.
Classics Aren't Always Crowd-Pleasers
When picturing a traditional Easter or Passover meal, there are certain foods you expect to see without question. While the table might be set with these comforting classics, they aren't as beloved as we may have once believed with a handful of them eliciting more "ew" than "mmm."
Take lamb for example. While Instacart customers were 5.5x more likely to put leg of lamb in their carts during the weekend of Easter 2024 compared to the yearly average, the survey found that 35% of consumers said roast lamb is their least favorite of all of the Easter dishes.
Other Easter and Passover staples also received mixed reviews, based on Instacart purchase insights and survey data:
Hoppy Delights: The Most Popular Easter Sweets
Updated
We can't talk about these festive holidays without a candy deep dive. These are the top 10 candies likely to appear in Easter baskets this year, based on 2024 insights:
Jelly Beans and Lollipops: Holiday Must-Haves
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Jelly beans have their moment to shine in the spring, with a 16.6x higher order share the day before Easter versus the yearly average according to Instacart data. Our survey findings back this up with more than a third (35%) of Americans saying jelly beans are among the Easter candies they enjoy most.
Lollipops also showed a spike in popularity, with 3.7x more purchases the day before Easter than the rest of the year.
Alternative Sweets for Spring Celebrations
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Sugar-free, alternative, specialty and health-conscious candies also showed a rise in consumer interest for the holiday, with 58% of Americans stating either they are excited about them or think they are a nice option, but not a priority.
14% of consumers had a different opinion, stating they'd prefer companies stick to their original candy recipes.
Sweet Trends Across the Map
Candy preferences can differ dramatically across regions. Despite PEEPS missing the top 10 most popular candy mark nationally, they are a local favorite in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. where purchases spiked 150%, 97% and 111%, respectively, during Easter weekend compared to the national average in 2024.
Other regional standouts include:
- Phoenix, where WHOPPERS Malted Milk Balls had an impressive 227% increase.
- New York City, where Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bars were purchased 235% more than the national share.
- Houston and Portland, Oregon, where Cadbury Creme Eggs were purchased 71% and 112% more than the national share, respectively.
Surprise Baskets: Bubbles, Toys and More
Updated
Beyond chocolate eggs and bunnies, Easter is a great way to welcome spring with fun activities like blowing bubbles and enjoying outdoor or seasonal toys. According to Instacart's data, bubble wands and related products soared in popularity during Easter, with a 9.2x rise in purchases compared to the yearly average.
Other Easter basket fillers, like stuffed animals and plush toys also experienced a spike, with a 6.2x higher order share during Easter weekend versus the yearly average. Chalk was also ordered more often, with a 7x higher order share.
Florals for Festive Feasts
Updated
Easter and Passover would not be complete without the right decor to get everyone into the spring spirit. According to the survey, 41% of those planning to celebrate share that they will host an Easter or Passover meal for guests and 48% state that they will go to others' homes to celebrate. With all of this merrymaking, it's no surprise that flowers have emerged as an absolute must-have, dressing up festive tables, based on Instacart data.
Customers were 8.6x more likely to put fresh tulips in their cart the day before Easter in 2024 than they were compared to the rest of the year.
Methodology
Updated
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of Instacart from March 13-17, 2025, among 2,088 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 1,606 will celebrate Easter or Passover this year. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.5 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.
This story was produced by Instacart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Originally published on instacart.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.
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