Good morning and welcome to your weekend reads, courtesy of The Conversation’s global network. While some of you may be out buying chocolate bunnies today, don’t forget spring is full of symbolic repasts, including Eid al-Fitr feasts, Passover Seders and Easter Sunday spreads.

To understand their religious significance, I’m starting with an explanation of Eid’s timing from Zuleyha Keskin at Charles Sturt University in Australia, an article about books that delve into Passover and the complexity of exile by Nancy E. Berg at Washington University in St. Louis and a fascinating read about how Easter eggs evolved from chicken to chocolate from Serin Quinn at the University of Warwick in the U.K.

Moving on to the great American egg hunt, Jack Buffington at the University of Denver outlines why the price of chicken eggs surged by 40 per cent south of the border in 2025, while Canadian egg prices are 50 per cent cheaper than in the U.S.

This is good news for Canadian hot cross bun makers, but did you know the sticky Easter treats originated in ancient Greece and may have been influenced by special breads baked for Passover? Darius von Guttner Sporzynski at the Australian Catholic University goes deep into the history of hot cross buns. “From ancient gods to modern supermarkets, these sticky spiced buns have crossed many borders and beliefs,” he writes.

When it comes to chocolate, the star of the secular Easter show, you might be surprised to learn some people think it tastes better at this time of year, but, as Australian professors Margaret Murray and Andrew Constanzo explain, it’s all a matter of taste, texture and smell. And if you’re trying to buy sustainable chocolate, Stephanie Perkiss at the University of Wollongong brings you the results of the Global Chocolate Scorecard, which includes the Good Egg award winners and Bad Egg losers.

We’ve all watched the kids compare the size and contents of their Easter baskets, not to mention their egg-hunt hauls, but Rebecca Merkley and Liza Kahwaji at Carleton University in Ottawa are more interested in how children share their spoils. They use the viral TikTok cookie challenge as a jumping-off point to explore how this prosocial behaviour develops and reassure parents that non-sharing offspring aren’t necessarily selfish.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go count jelly beans to make sure my two adult children get exactly the same amount, because sibling rivalry never ends.

Kim Honey

CEO|Editor-in-Chief TC Canada

Weekend Reads

Why Muslims often don’t celebrate Eid on the same day – even within one country

Zuleyha Keskin, Charles Sturt University

There are two major Eid celebrations each year. One marks the end of the month of Ramadan, while the other takes place during Hajj.

Passover: The festival of freedom and the ambivalence of exile

Nancy E. Berg, Washington University in St. Louis

The Passover Seder commemorates the escape from slavery in Egypt. But then came the 40-year wandering in the desert – a story that resonates with much of Jewish history.

Easter eggs: their evolution from chicken to chocolate

Serin Quinn, University of Warwick

Eggs have long symbolised rebirth and renewal, making them perfect to commemorate the story of Jesus’ resurrection.

Egg prices soar as outdated supply chains crack under pressure

Jack Buffington, University of Denver

Consumers and politicians blame cage-free egg laws and bird flu outbreaks for high egg prices. But the root cause is an outdated supply chain system.

Pagan loaves, Christian bread, a secular treat: a brief history of hot cross buns

Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Australian Catholic University

Do you prefer yours with sultanas and spices, or Vegemite and cheese? However you eat them, hot cross buns reflect centuries of tradition – and superstition.

What’s the difference between Easter egg chocolate and regular chocolate?

Margaret Murray, Swinburne University of Technology; Andrew Costanzo, Deakin University

Many people are convinced Easter egg chocolate tastes better than regular chocolate, and they may be onto something.

Here’s who topped the rankings in this year’s scorecard for sustainable chocolate – and which confectionery giant refused to participate

Stephanie Perkiss, University of Wollongong

The global Chocolate Scorecard evaluates traders and brands on efforts to address child labour, deforestation and other measures.

TikTok’s cookie challenge: Why some children share and others don’t

Rebecca Merkley, Carleton University; Liza Kahwaji, Carleton University

Sharing is about giving up personal resources to benefit others. It requires considering the thoughts, desires and needs of others, which can be challenging for young children.