Halloween Made Easy – At Vince’s Market
This year, I’m hoping to be better prepared when the kids come knocking. Which means a trip to Vince’s for hassle-free meal items, desserts and snacks for the family. And beforehand, I’ll grab a pumpkin and a few gourds to whip our décor into seasonal shape.
I like to call it “Halloween Made Easy.” And it starts with dinner on the 31st.
Last year it went like this: rush home from work, put together something nutritious, sit down with the family – and hope that trick-or-treaters don’t start arriving mid-meal!
Which they did, so this year I’ll be bringing home a few of our Vince’s Own heat-and-serve (or ready-to-serve) meals: comfort foods like mac and cheese, cabbage rolls, meat pies, or perhaps one of several varieties of lasagna.
I’m also partial to Vince’s roast chicken (a family favourite), but our prepared foods department offers no shortage of other chicken variations. There is Thai chicken, Teriyaki chicken, butter chicken, chicken alfredo, chicken wings, fingers and cutlets.
Pizza is one of the easiest choices, as it can contain several food groups! You can choose from favourites that include deluxe, veggie, three-cheese, or cheese & pepperoni. All of which pair nicely with a healthy Vince’s Own salad like Caesar, Greek, Cobb, garden, spring mix, and more.
I’ll follow that up with a Vince’s Own pumpkin pie – with whipped cream. Yes, you can get the ‘real deal’ in an aerosol can (a real time saver). We also carry Halloween-themed sugar cookies and gingerbreads, along with cupcakes adorned with seasonal sprinkles.
And later, while you’re handing out the goodies, instead of ripping open all the bite-sized treats intended for the kids, why not grab a few items from our bulk section. Like our chocolate-covered almonds, yogurt pretzels, chocolate macaroons, and more. They’re yummy, and afterwards you won’t be left with a pile of plastic wrappers.
I don’t, however, have any tips for dealing with the aftermath of the evening – which could be several pillowcases full of candy. In my household, it was typically a net gain, with two kids bringing home far more than I handed out at the door.
This year, neither of them will be trick-or-treating, so here’s to hoping for a minimum of leftovers at the door, and no ‘sugar rush’ over the next few days.
Until next time…
— Neil
