December can often be a mad dash toward year’s end as result of pressing work deadlines coupled with last-minute holiday shopping. And frenzied schedules can turn meal planning into one more item on a massive to-do list. If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed—and underfed—give yourself permission to simplify duties on the home front by letting a Wisconsin business do the cooking these last few weeks of 2020.
Whether you’re on the hunt for allergen-friendly, traditional holiday fare (such as vegan stuffing and gluten-free pies) or a hot lunch to get you through another few hours while working from home, this local food cooperative has the sustenance you’re craving. “We are indeed offering ‘heat and eat’ meals and sandwiches/wrap meals for curbside pick-up at all three stores—plus recently added salads and wine (and other beverages) to the menu—so you can have a full meal,” says Willy Street Co-op communications director Brendon Smith. “Also out of an abundance of caution for both customers and staff, we have kept our customer capacity at or below 25 percent at all three of our stores (half of the maximum allowed by Public Health). We have heard a lot of appreciation for our precautionary measures, but we still want to be a resource for a quick lunch or a family dinner.”
Short Stack’s holiday offering this year is a “Pie of The Month” subscription. Treat yourself or someone special this holiday season to three-, six- or 12-month gift of one petite or full-size pie per month. “All of the restaurants in our Madison community are suffering right now during Covid, and we’ve all been forced to get creative and pivot and come up with fresh new ideas and additions to our concepts to keep the lights on. Our incredible (and Best Of Madison award-winning) pastry chef Kate Schommer started making pies for special holiday pick-ups earlier this year—and they’ve been a hit. It was actually her husband that came up with the idea of offering a pie subscription and the idea grew from there,” says co-owner Sinéad McHugh. “There is also the option of two set seasonal flavors plus the “Blind” pie, which is a play on our regular (“surprise”) Blind specials we’ve served on our menu since we opened in 2014.”
“I can’t think of a single person that wouldn’t experience joy if an Uncle Mike’s kringle showed up on their doorstep,” says Brenda Krainik, director of marketing and communications at Greater Green Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Having this award-winning bakery in Green Bay is awesome. What’s even better is that they ship this tasty treat all over the country!” So if decadent treats on Christmas morning sans hours of the labor in the kitchen sound ideal, Krainik affirms placing an order stat is a decision you won’t regret. “What’s amazing is the bakery always has around 10 flavors in stock. But when it comes to the holidays, Uncle Mike’s ups their holiday game by adding flavors like the Brandy Old Fashioned and the cranberry pecan that will knock your socks off.”
For those whose annual celebrations occur a different time of year or are longing for a holistic reset at the conclusion of a very challenging year, KOSA is now offering monthly Ayurvedic Comfort Food Meal plans. “When we get out of balance, we don’t feel well. And what we eat is a major way to counteract all the external factors we can’t control in the world around us,” says KOSA owner Shilpa Sankaran. “And since food is the at the center of Ayurvedic practice, we’re preparing warming, grounding and nourishing dishes and beverages to help people feel better and ward off symptoms like anxiety, insomnia and indigestion that can creep up during the winter months. Get ahead of your New Year’s resolution by making healthier choices now.”