Food Is The Perfect Gift For The Holidays!

Preparing for the holidays can be a stressful time of the year,  whether that be at home or in your school kitchen. By enlisting our Foodservice vendor partners, AEA Purchasing can help by taking the stress out of menu planning for your in-person or grab-and-go customers. 

If you are looking to brighten spirits and excite your customers, consider using these easy to follow, standardized recipes for fun twists on traditional favorites!

Life is Short - Eat Dessert First! These delicious recipes are sure to tempt the taste buds of your cafeteria goers! Quick Mango Breakfast Rolls are a creative twist on a classic breakfast roll by adding frozen mango chunks and favorite holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The classic Strawberry Shortcake is very simple and uses frozen strawberries to make preparation easy. Find the Dole Holiday Recipes here! 

The holidays are ALL ABOUT THE TRADITIONS and what says tradition more than time with your favorite people and a golden brown turkey?  Your favorites with Jennie-O are helping to bring the traditions of TURKEY to the trends of the 2020 lunchroom!  Explore not one but TWO great recipes shared by Jenni-O using market basket and USDA favorites. Turkey, dressing and cranberries, oh my! The Gobbler Sandwich has all of the favorites -- sliced turkey, made from scratch stuffing, and cranberries nestled in a hearty, whole grain roll! The Ultimate Turkey Pot Pie recipe just makes you feel warm & satisfied.  This easy to assemble pot pie uses fully cooked shredded turkey, gravy, potatoes, carrots, onions and a quick homemade crust! 

Sometimes the best gifts are the ones that surprise us! How many of us grew up with a cheeseball or cheese tray at every holiday gathering? Why not incorporate those same traditions in your lunch menu this year? Looking to surprise your lunch line with a festive twist on CHEESE? Look no further! Land O Lakes has provided this great Ultimate Pimento Cheese recipe with a bonus step-by-step video!

As we wrap up the holidays, Hormel Foods shares a great idea to “wrap” your taste buds in fall favorites like green apples and red grapes, blending them into the hearty holiday favorite of oven roasted turkey. Wrap up your year serving this sure to please Turkey Apple Wrap!

Even for foodies, the holidays can be festive and fun! The team at AEA Purchasing hopes everyone enjoys spicing up their menus using great market basket products that your customers know and love! If you try one of these recipes in your kitchen, we'd love to hear your feedback. Share your photos and student reviews with us! We would love to see how you shared the perfect gift for the holidays --FOOD!  

For more information on AEA Purchasing's Foodservice procurement program, email megan@aeapurchasing.org.