There are only a few days left until Easter 2023. Store shelves are already filled with boxes of icing for Easter cakes and wrappers with decorative chickens. Responsible housewives started buying eggs and ingredients for Easter dishes. But how much have their prices increased this year? How much will traditional treats cost and can you save money?
Easter, or the brilliant resurrection of Christ, as the church calls this day, is a spring festival that has no strictly fixed date. In 2022, for example, Orthodox Christians baked Easter cakes and dyed eggs before April 24. In 2023, Easter will be celebrated on April 16.
The history of the holiday dates back to biblical history. He says: Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. By his sacrifice, the Savior decided to atone for all human sins. After the death of the master, the apostles carried his body into the cave and rolled a large stone to its entrance. On Sunday, women came to this place who wanted to coat the body of Christ with funeral incense. However, the cave was empty. Instead of the body of Jesus, they saw an angel who proclaimed that the Savior had risen.
Easter service in the Trinity Cathedral of Pskov, 2004. Photo: PLN archive
News of the woman’s miracle spread throughout the district. One of Christ’s disciples, Mary Magdalene, was even invited to his palace for a conversation by Emperor Tiberius. Tradition says he took his story of Jesus’ resurrection with disbelief. And after she gave him a symbolic gift – an egg – he even said that this egg would rather turn red than the dead walk on the earth. Then another miracle happened – the egg instantly turned scarlet.
It was this tradition that gave impetus to the emergence, perhaps, of one of the most important Easter traditions – dyeing eggs red. And although after a while the color requirements softened somewhat, the sense of custom remained unchanged.
Easter fair in the center of Pskov, 2022 Photo: Vadim Bochenkov
A look at the past
In addition to colored eggs, the list of traditional Easter dishes includes Easter cakes and Easter cottage cheese. Some housewives prefer to cook these delicacies themselves, others decide not to bother with them and buy ready-made products in the store. Whichever option you prefer, in any case you will have to pay attention to the price tags.
Sad but true: in 2023, the price of some Easter table staples has skyrocketed. Although not all. The correspondent of “The Eastern Herald in Pskov” walked around the shops and compared the cost of goods.
A shelf with Easter attributes in a store in Pskov Photo: Svetlana Pikaleva
In 2022, on the eve of the Feast of the Resurrection of Christ (below Pskovstat data for April 22 is given – editor’s note), a liter of pasteurized milk containing 2.5-3.2% fat costs residents of Pskov an average of 74.68 rubles, and a liter of sterilized milk had the same fat content – more than 90 rubles. On the eve of Easter 2023, the average cost was already 78 and 93 rubles, respectively (below, the arithmetic average of prices for a specific product in chain stores is given – ed.).
For one kilogram of wheat flour in 2022, stores in the region wanted 56.94 rubles. And at the beginning of April 2023 – already 59 rubles.
A year ago, a kilo of butter on the eve of Easter cost almost 836 rubles. In the same year, the product became more affordable for consumers – an average of 710 rubles per kilogram.
Shelf with milk in a store in Pskov, April 2023 Photo: Svetlana Pikaleva
The situation is similar with granulated sugar. At the end of April 2022, about 82 rubles were demanded for one kilogram of this product. Now it’s almost 77.
The average cost of chicken eggs (likely due to store promotions) has also gone down. In April 2022, a dozen cost about 88 rubles. On the eve of Easter-2023 – 83 rubles.
Perhaps this is where the good news about price changes can be completed. After all, if a kilogram of table salt a year ago cost almost 21 rubles, now it is already 48.5 on average. And finally, about the price of cottage cheese (it is also often used in recipes for various dishes on Easter evening). One kilogram of this product in 2022 cost 401 rubles. Now in stores they ask for up to 420!
Prices for Easter cakes in Pskov stores vary Photo: Svetlana Pikaleva
Expenses increase
And these are just the main products. Spending “on the little things” is also enough. For example, for Easter cake, as a rule, yeast is always needed (now in stores they want about 23 rubles for a 10-gram pack); vanilla sugar (another 30-40 rubles); raisins (plus 35 rubles per 100 grams) and prunes (add 66 rubles for a package of 100 grams). And, of course, a disposable paper cookie cutter. For several pieces in Pskov stores, on average, they ask for 50-70 rubles.
The total cost of homemade Easter cake, in a word, is quite impressive. And how much do they want for a similar bakery product in store? It turns out that the prices for this symbol of the holiday start from 25 rubles (although for such a price you will get a very small cake weighing 100 grams) and can reach up to 270. In the latter case, the manufacturer promises a “premium cake” weighing no less than half a kilo.
How much should a good Easter cake cost in 2023? This question is answered by specialists from Roskachestvo.
Easter cakes have already been delivered to stores Photo: Svetlana Pikaleva
“Kulich is an expensive product due to the aforementioned “richness” of the recipe. A high-quality medium-sized Easter cake will cost at least 250-260 rubles in a store. Taking into account discounts in retail chains, the price may be slightly lower, ”explain experts from the Russian quality system.
