Mia Teal
Marketing Strategist
It is the most wonderful time of the year (cue Andy Williams) and we are ready to dive into the savory meals & sweet desserts. At Price Chopper & Market 32, we have everything you need for your holiday cooking & baking.
Whether you’re hosting a grand feast, planning a cozy evening by the fire, or simply looking to impress your guests with something new, holiday recipes offer endless possibilities to make your celebrations memorable.
Let’s take a look at our festive lineup!
Festive Appetizers
Festive Main Courses
Festive Desserts
Festive Drinks
Happy Holidays from Price Chopper & Market 32!
Written by our friends at the American Dairy Association
The holidays are here, and New York dairy farmers are bringing seasonal magic from fresh milk to artisanal cheese and everything in between. Make your celebrations unforgettable by embracing the delicious versatility of dairy! Whether you’re warming up with creamy hot cocoa, sharing festive holiday eggnog, or serving a crowd-pleasing cheese board, dairy brings richness and joy to every dish. Here are seven ways dairy can turn your holiday into a true Holi-Dairy Magic experience.
1. Rich Tradition and Comfort
Dairy has been a holiday staple for generations, adding rich flavors and comforting textures that bring people together. From creamy mashed potatoes and buttery cookies to hearty casseroles, dairy elevates classic holiday meals.
2. Flavor and Versatility
Milk, butter, cream, and cheese enhance both savory and sweet dishes, offering depth, richness, and balance. With dairy, you can make any holiday recipe memorable for family and friends.
3. Nutritional Benefits
Dairy isn’t just for indulgence; it’s packed with essential nutrients like calcium, protein, and vitamins D and B12. These nutrients support bone health, muscle function, and overall well-being—perfect for the bustling holiday season.
4. Sustainability
Many New York dairy farms prioritize sustainable practices. Choosing local dairy supports environmentally responsible farming and contributes to a healthier planet.
5. Elevating Traditional and Cultural Dishes
Dairy can enrich both traditional and culturally inspired holiday recipes. From adding cream to a classic Tres Leches cake to incorporating cheese in Mediterranean appetizers, dairy bridges flavors across traditions.
6. Holiday Desserts Made Better
Dairy is essential in holiday desserts, adding creaminess and indulgence to favorites like cheesecakes, custards, and whipped creams. It’s the smooth, satisfying touch every holiday meal deserves.
7. Perfect for Gifting
Homemade treats featuring dairy—such as butter cookies, fudge, or hot cocoa kits—make thoughtful and delicious holiday gifts. They bring a personal touch and the taste of home to any celebration
Check out these delicious Holi-Dairy recipes that can be made with real dairy.
Scan the QR code for this delicious Candy Cane Milk Recipe!
So, sip it, share it, and spread the cheer! Let the joy of dairy fill your holidays—and all year long!
Create the Perfect Charcuterie Board!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
What is better for snacking than a big, beautiful charcuterie board? Whether you are having a friend and family gathering, holiday party, or some sort of celebration, a charcuterie board is a great option. The best part is, there is no “right” or “wrong” way to create one, and you can theme the board to match the occasion.
What exactly is a charcuterie board? A charcuterie board typically contains some type of assortment of the following: Meats, cheeses, crackers, artisan toasted bread, fruits, veggies, olives, nuts, dips, desserts and whatever else you choose! Of course, you tailor your board to what you and your guests prefer. Additionally, with the holidays right around the corner, there are many fun desserts you can sprinkle onto your board.
Unsure of where to begin? We have you covered. The volume of items you need depend on how many guests you are providing for. Here are a few popular items for each category:
Meats: Prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, ham, smoked salmon
Cheeses: Goat cheese, Feta cheese, Swiss cheese, blue cheese, Brie Cheese
Crackers: PICS Oil & Herb Crackers, Wheat Thins, Ritz Crackers, pretzels
Artisan Bread: Ciabatta, sourdough, French, rye
Fruits: Grapes, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, figs
Veggies: Carrots, celery, snap peas, grape tomatoes, broccoli, pickles
Olives: Castelvetrano olives, Kalamata olives
Nuts: Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans
Dips: Hummus, cream cheese, salsa, guacamole, honey, fig spread
Desserts (for holidays or any occasion): Chocolate covered strawberries, jellybeans, mints, candy corn, Hershey kisses, mini cookies, mini candy canes, peppermint bark, M&Ms
Charcuterie boards are a fun way to let your creative mind flow, as well as giving your guests something to admire. Enjoy!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
We get it—the holiday season can be hectic! Between gift shopping, wrapping, baking, and decorating for Santa, there’s a lot to juggle. That’s why at Price Chopper and Market 32, we’re here to help save you time and money with our meal solutions. Each week, we offer a Meal Plan to help you prepare for the busy week ahead.
Additionally, the next time you are shopping online or in store, check out our Meal Solutions. This wide variety of foods includes soups, salads, sandwiches, wraps, sushi, and rotisserie chicken. There is an option for everyone!
If you are passionate about cooking and would like to check out some of our previous simple, budget-friendly meal plans, take a look below!
Previous Meal Plans
- Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese ; Chicken, Asparagus, & Potatoes ; Chicken Spiedie Sandwiches
- Mushroom Swiss Burger ; Beef Tacos ; Beef Nachos
- Tomato Basil Shrimp Pasta ; Sheet Pan Salmon
- Traditional Lasagna ; Sloppy Joe Sandwiches ; Taco-Loaded Baked Sweet Potato
- Apple-Cinnamon Pancakes with Sausage ; Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
More Easy Meals
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
There’s something almost magical about making bread from scratch. It’s a practice that’s been around for thousands of years, and yet it still brings people comfort and joy. When the smell of fresh bread fills your kitchen, it’s hard to resist the urge to tear into a warm slice, especially when you know it came from your own hands.
At Price Chopper & Market 32, not only do we have all the bread-making essentials, but we have delicious bread recipes for you to replicate! Homemade bread brings a unique warmth and charm to any holiday gathering, transforming a meal into a truly memorable experience. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, & Hanukkah around the corner, your guests will love our bread recipes!
Bread Recipes
Chocolate Chip Challah Bread with Pumpkin-Maple Butter: Pumpkin & maple flavors are all around us this time of year! Check out this incredible, mouthwatering recipe.
Croissant Bread Pudding: Croissants, pecans, cinnamon, & vanilla? Say less!
Cheddar-IPA Bread: This cheesy bread is to die for!
Honey-Bacon Skillet Cornbread with Red Pepper Jelly Butter: What a mouthful! If you enjoy cornbread with your Thanksgiving meal, then this is a must-try!
Spiced Apple Coffee Cake with Pecan-Oat Streusel: This incredible coffee cake is perfect for breakfast or a dessert for your guests.
Check out our latest bread recipe...
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
December 24th is National Eggnog Day, which is very fitting for this time of year. Eggnog can be purchased in the Dairy Section at any of our Price Chopper and Market 32 locations. If you want to try and make your own eggnog this holiday season, then this is the article for you! We have all of the fresh, delicious ingredients for this festive drink. Be sure to browse through our Price Chopper Website and our Price Chopper Ready for more holiday recipes.
What is eggnog? For those of you who may have never tried this drink, eggnog is a creamy, sweet mixture of milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, and spices. Often, people may mix rum, bourbon, or brandy in eggnog as well. There is always an option for everyone, and there are many ways to make your eggnog dairy-free or vegan.
Ingredients needed:
3 cups PICS whole
1 cups PICS heavy cream
2 PICS large eggs
½ cup PICS granulated sugar
1 teaspoon PICS vanilla extract
½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
½ cup Dark Rum (optional)
6 Cinnamon sticks (optional)
Step 1: Heat milk and cream on medium heat until steaming. Whisk occasionally.
Step 2: Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a separate bowl. Carefully add in ⅓ of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk combination to temper the eggs. Be sure to keep mixing.
Step 3: Transfer the milk & yolk mixture into the pot on the stove, and cook until thickened (about 5 minutes, or until mixture reaches 165°). Whisk continuously. At this point, you can add in alcohol for a spiked eggnog drink, OR wait until the very last step to beat in alcohol.
Step 4: Strain eggnog through a fine-mesh strainer and whisk in vanilla and nutmeg. Refrigerate eggnog for at least two hours.
Step 5: If you did not add in alcohol in step 3, you can beat it now on medium speed. Otherwise, pour into glasses, add some PICS whipped cream, and enjoy!
Dairy-Free Eggnog:
There are many different add-ins and recipes for dairy-free eggnog, but there are some key factors that stay the same throughout all dairy-free eggnog recipes: Omit the regular milk and cream and use almond, soy, coconut, or oat milk. People often use 2-4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey in dairy-free eggnog.
Check out the full recipe here!
Vegan Eggnog:
Vegan eggnog calls for plant-based milk as well as the option to add in 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil for a creamer drink. All of the spices stay the same.
Check out the full recipe here!
We hope you have a safe and happy holiday!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
The Christmas holiday is a beautiful time of year. For many people, ornaments are continuously collected from their children while in grade school, family trips, and other memories throughout the years. No matter your age, you are never too old to create an ornament to hang on the tree. Let’s take a look at making meaningful ornaments with food that you can purchase right at your local Price Chopper and Market 32 store. This is a great family activity that will bring laughs and beautiful memories.
Salt Dough Gingerbread Men
As the name suggests, these gingerbread men are going to be salty, so not ideal for eating! They are, however, ideal for ornament-making. The salt helps preserve the ornaments. After all, these gingerbread men are made for hanging on the tree – not for eating!
What you will need:
1/4 cup ground ginger
1/4 cup ground cloves
1 cup salt
3 cups flour
1 1/2 – 2 cups water
Parchment Paper
Baking Pan
Twine/ribbon/string
1 straw
Directions:
Mix dry ingredients together & slowly add the water. Roll the dough so that it is about 1/4 inch thick and create your desired shape. Use a straw to poke a hole in the top for the string later on. Bake at 250°F for 1-2 hours and let cool. Once dried, decorate and hang!
Melted Peppermints
This craft is simple, yet intriguing! You can use red or green peppermints here, or even a mix of both!
What you will need:
Peppermint Candies
Cookie Cutter
Parchment Paper
Toothpick/straw
Twine/ribbon/string
Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with cookie cutters of choice, and spray the inside of each cutter. Line the peppermints inside the cookie cutters and bake at 350°F for 3-9 minutes, but please pay attention to how quickly they are melting. Once the candies have melted together, remove from the oven. Gently use a toothpick or straw to poke a hole in the top of the ornament and let them completely harden. Remove the cutter from melted mints and hang!
We wish you a safe & happy holiday season!
The Salvation Army Bell Ringer
When 72-year-old Ed Evans read in a newspaper article that his local Salvation Army wasn’t going to be able to put out all their Red Kettles for the annual fundraiser because of a shortage of Bell Ringers, he knew what he had to do.
“I had previously volunteered in a Salvation Army shelter helping to serve lunch and I really enjoyed my experience there,” Evans said. “With no golf matches, garden or lawn work to do in the winters of upstate New York, I knew I had the time to volunteer my services as a Bell Ringer.”
The Red Kettle fundraiser helps The Salvation Army provide local families and individuals in need with food, clothing, and other resources throughout the year, as well as presents under the Christmas tree for local children. And, as the need for Salvation Army assistance has continued to increase due to current economic hardships, so has the need for volunteers.
Whether it’s ringing bells at a Red Kettle for a couple of hours, sorting donations of toys and clothing, or helping parents pick out that perfect Christmas present for their child at a Salvation Army toy shop, volunteers are the backbone of The Salvation Army.
During his multiple shifts as a Bell Ringer, Evans said he was heartened by the many shoppers who not only donated to the Red Kettle, but who also thanked him for volunteering.
“When kids asked about the Bell and Kettle, parents would explain about helping the less fortunate and would give them a dollar to put in the Kettle,” Evans said. “It felt great to be a part of this enlightening experience and to see the immediate reaction of a child’s contribution.”
Evans added that he had a lot of fun and met many interesting people during his multiple shifts as a volunteer Bell Ringer.
“A dollar here, five dollars there…one man put in a twenty,” Evans said. “A few even wrote checks or ran out to their cars to be able to contribute. At the end of each of my volunteer shifts I felt as if I had given $1,000 myself. I knew that the money I had help to raise would go on to help those in need in my community.”
To enquire about Salvation Army volunteer opportunities, call your local Salvation Army, or text “TSAVolunteer” to 31333
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
Can you believe it is November already? The end of the year brings all-things holidays, joy, love, and baking of course! Cream cheese is a staple in many United States households, but this time of year many will choose to bake with cream cheese. Whether you are making cheesecakes, cakes, brownies, or muffins, cream cheese adds a rich and creamy dimension that elevates your creations. At Price Chopper and Market 32, not only do we have a variety of cream cheeses, but we also have some incredible recipes on our website. Let’s explore some favorites!
- Cheesecakes are known for their dense, creamy texture. Price Chopper and Market 32 have many cheesecakes pre-made in the bakery, however, take a look at this Sweet Carrot Cheesecake and Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe if you would like to experiment on your own!
- What’s better than a pumpkin and cake combo? If you are looking for an easy recipe for a gathering, then you need to try this Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting!
- Blueberry French Toast Bake is the perfect Sunday morning breakfast! While the mornings are frigid, warm up with this delicious meal.
- Brownies are another common baking item that can be made with cream cheese to give it a dense, creamy texture. In our Red Velvet Brownie with Cookies & Cream Frosting recipe, you will explore making your own cream cheese to coat on the red velvet brownies.
Check out our YouTube for more recipes on baking with cream cheese!
Happy Pumpkin Spice Season!
Mia Teal
Marketing Coordinator, Paid Media
What a beautiful time of year this is! The weather is cooler, the leaves are falling, and there are pumpkins wherever we look. Even better, it is officially pumpkin spice season! Pumpkin spice items line the shelves at Price Chopper and Market 32, local coffee shops are advertising pumpkin spice lattes, and maybe you have even started carving pumpkins. We are surrounded by pumpkin spice, but how can one complain? Pumpkin spice has become so popular in the last two decades that Merriam Webster put the term “pumpkin spice” in the dictionary! Surprisingly enough, pumpkin is actually not in pumpkin spice. It is the lovely blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves that give us a feeling of happiness, warmth, and most of all, nostalgia.
At Price Chopper and Market 32, we have a variety of pumpkin spice products ranging from PICS pumpkin spice coffee, pumpkin spice coffee creamer, and pumpkin spice baking products. Be sure to check out some pumpkin spice recipes we love below.
Pumpkin Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting: The aroma of this delicious spice cake will fill your hearts (and bellies) with love! Be sure to grab spice cake mix and other PICS baking goods in our baking aisles!
Pumpkin Soup: This creamy, filling soup is the perfect fall lunch or dinner. Pair with Market 32 bread from the bakery section.
Pumpkin Pie Roll Ups: Whether you need an easy dessert for your guests or want to surprise the kids with a fun breakfast, these pumpkin pie roll ups are a favorite!
Pumpkin Shandy: All this talk about pumpkin foods, but how about this pumpkin drink? This easy five-ingredient drink is perfect for your guests, or just a relaxing night at home.
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes: These mini pumpkin cheesecakes are the best dessert for any fall party!
Harvest Chili: Hear us out on this one…pumpkin pie spice in your chili. Don’t knock it ‘till you try it! Besides, what’s better to have on a cold fall night than warm chili?
