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Passover Shopping Checklist
What to buy for the seder table, in the order you'll use it, plus the small extras people forget.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Jamie Geller's seder checklist goes in order of seder use: wine, karpas, salt water, matzah, bitter herb, charoses, and the food items here follow that same order, so nothing slips between the first cup and the last. Easily forgotten extras like tapers, toothpicks and new toothbrushes are on the list too, from the Jewish Moms & Crafters master list. It assumes you are hosting a seder at home. It leaves out Pesach cleaning and kitchen turnover, and your family's customs and your rabbi's guidance decide the finer points.
Why these items are on the list
- Last year's list, pantry checked. Copy the list, tick what you still have; non-perishables carry over from year to year.
- Haggadah, one per person. Reform Judaism's checklist says most Reform editions use egalitarian language and illustrations.
- Seder plate. Holds the symbolic foods; each one helps retell the Exodus story.
- Matzah holder or plate. Three ceremonial matzahs sit stacked; the middle one is broken for the afikoman.
- Three kiddush cups. One for the leader, one for Elijah, one for Miriam; everyone else uses regular glasses.
- Pillows for every chair. They let guests recline, and they soften hours on metal folding chairs.
- Candles and candlesticks. Tapers keep candles lit through the seder; the candle blessing is recited as the seder begins.
- Yaknehaz candle, if needed. Helpful in years when Pesach falls right after Shabbat, so you're doing Havdalah on seder night.
- Pitcher, bowl and hand towel. For the ritual hand washing; premoistened towelettes are the alternative.
- Afikoman holder and prizes. Hide more than one and give every child a prize; named mailing envelopes work.
- Feather, wooden spoon, paper bag. For the chametz search: sweep crumbs into the spoon, drop them in the bag.
- Kosher-for-Passover wine or grape juice. Geller's minimum is four 3-ounce glassfuls per adult; ask your rabbi whether 3 ounces is sufficient.
- Karpas vegetable. Follow your family custom; each person eats a small piece, so buy little.
- Salt for the salt water. Any salt works. It should taste recognizably salty, so test it before the seder.
- Matzah, several pounds. Geller: leader needs a minimum of three whole matzahs; each guest eats a set amount, so stock up.
- Sort whole matzahs into one box. The seder plate needs unbroken ones, so separate perfect pieces from broken ones before Pesach.
- Romaine and horseradish for maror. Geller used about two heads of romaine and half a large horseradish for twelve.
- Charoses ingredients. Geller's popular Ashkenazi version: apples, cinnamon, nuts, ginger, wine (added just before dipping); one large apple usually suffices.
- Shankbone or beet. Many families use a chicken or beef bone, and many supermarkets give them away.
- Hard-boiled eggs. Reform Judaism notes hard-boiled eggs may be served with the karpas as a first course.
- Toothpicks for matzah meals. Put them out at every meal where matzah is served.
- New toothbrushes. One of the items on Moms & Crafters' list that people tend not to think of.
On your phone it follows you through the shops, and you can add your own menu items as you go. Tick what you already own at home first, and what's left becomes the shopping run.
When to use it
Useful in the weeks before Passover, once you know who is coming to your seder.