How To Seder At Home

Leading your own seder is a lot simpler than it seems. Why? Because you have your cheat sheet right in front of you. A standard Haggadah has all the instructions and guidance necessary to walk through the 15 steps of the Seder like a pro. So just pull out your haggadah and read through it in advance.

Want to have some witty and wise thoughts to share with your (truncated) crowd of participants? Start with a treasury of Seder insights.

Here is what you’ll need for the Seder:

• Haggadah booklets
• Matzah (handmade shmurah matzah is ideal)
• Wine or grape juice
• Marror (bitter herbs, typically romaine lettuce and grated horseradish)
• Vegetable for dipping
• Saltwater (yep, just salt and water)
• Food for your Passover feast (make sure its kosher for Passover and does not contain roast meat)
• Roasted bone (Chabad custom is a chicken neck, which may be easier to procure than a lamb shank)
• Charoset
• Eggs
• Cutlery (either disposable or kosher for Passover)

More: Full Seder Shopping List

Can you suggest some ballpark quantities?

Wine: Every individual needs to drink four cups of wine or grape juice, so a bottle of wine per person per Seder is a safe bet. (If you have small, 3 oz. cups, a single bottle should just be enough for two nights.)

Matzah: If you are alone, 3 matzahs for each evening will cover you just fine. You should factor in an additional two matzahs per additional participant, as well as some extra for snacking during the meal. (There are various customs of exactly how much matzah to eat, and some matzahs are thicker and bigger than others. These estimates assume you will be using round matzah, which is somewhat larger than square, but better to err on the side of caution.)

Marror: Each person needs to have two portions of maror (one eaten alone and one as part of the korech sandwich), each one at least 2/3rds of an ounce (total). Preparing two ounces per person per night will have you covered.

Vegetables and Saltwater and Charoset: Even a minimal amount will do (in fact you should eat less than an olive-bulk of the dipping vegetable).

Roasted bone: Is not eaten at all, so you just need one per seder plate.

Egg: One egg per seder plate is fine. Some have the custom to eat the egg during the meal. If this is the case, prepare a few extra.

Feast Food: Bear in mind that you will be eating after having imbibed two cups of wine, and lots of matzah and marror, so you may not be too hungry.

Can you suggest a Haggadah I can print online?

Choose from a number of options. Pick one to fit your style and print as many as you need. Print my Haggadah

Essential Seder Recipes

Here are some essential recipes for your at-home-seder.

For further information, including FAQ's for at-home-seders, see here.

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