The CDC has recommended against large family gatherings for the coming holidays, so make your smaller gatherings more special by ordering in takeout or even getting catering and having plenty of yummy leftovers - a quintessential part of holiday joy.
Why catering (or a big takeout order)? Well, this year has been hard enough, quite frankly. A lot of your favorite food places have been adapting like crazy to meet the needs of today and have put substantial effort into protecting your food. You can both show your appreciation and take a load off of your own shoulders by throwing your business their way. Treat your family to some tasty feasts and relax together.
Order some sweet delivery in time for Halloween. Look online for those great package deals on: Cupcakes, Specialty Cakes, Doughnuts, Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, etc. Why risk your kids asking strangers for candy this year when you can bring the sugar rush to you? If they’ve gotta have their favorite candy, grocery delivery options are out there and likely have you covered. But you could make this year special by having a Spooky Movie Night in and having the treats come to your door. Check your local bakeries and specialty food shops beforehand to see if they have specific pre-order windows of time.
Send a pie to someone you love! Let them know you are thinking of them. And/or get some pie(s) delivered to you that remind you of cherished childhood memories. Remember to count your blessings in these trying times and show gratitude when you can. It will be a spot of relief for you to hold onto.
And boy oh boy, is December jam-packed with holidays! And a great number of birthdays, we’ve found. This is the perfect time to take these tasty shortcuts that will save you time and headaches.
Some Los Angeles area-specific suggestions:
Urth Caffé has excellent catering but they also have an entire collection of must-have seasonal holiday pies that you can pre-order for pickup just in time for Thanksgiving. They have Urth Sweet Potato Pie, Apple Tartin, Pumpkin Fondant Cake, Apple Pie, Victory Vegan Gluten-Free Pumpkin 8" Pie, Pecan Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and of course - their famous Classic Pumpkin Pie. Read our Foodie Review: Urth Caffé for helpful insights into their menu. And direct your orders or further inquiries to their website at https://www.urthcaffe.com/.
Lemonade is currently offering a special TREAT with a thus-named code if you order over $250 of catering. Add a small dessert tray and a gallon lemonade of your choice and make sure to use the code TREAT at checkout to receive them free with your order. Valid at all participating Lemonade restaurants through October 31, 2020. Excludes airport and university locations. Discount may not exceed more than $64 off total order. Check out our Foodie Review: Lemonade - California Comfort Food and then head over to their website at https://lemonadela.com/ if you’d like to make an order.
Tender Greens is great for when you’re looking for a feast of healthy and tasty food. They have family meal options available for delivery and they also offer fantastic brunch items on weekends between 10 and 3. Be sure to check out their location-specific catering menu PDFs available on their website at https://www.tendergreens.com/ for answers to any catering related FAQs you might need answers to.
Porto’s Bakery and Cafe has some great Bake At Home options - where they ship their best-selling pastries nationwide frozen and unbaked so you can pop them in the oven and savor them fresh and warm. And while they aren’t currently offering catering, they are amazing at filling large orders including a plethora of sumptuous goodies from their sweet and savory bakery items and their outstanding signature cakes. Note: Aside from their shipped nationwide menu, they are currently only available through in-car pickup. Check out our Foodie Review: Porto's Bakery and Cafe for more details and conduct your orders on their website at https://www.portosbakery.com/.
More available nation-wide:
The Honeybaked Ham Company has great family meals and dinner packs with mouthwatering sides and offers local delivery available at participating HoneyBaked store locations through Doordash and Uber Eats. And go to their website at https://www.honeybaked.com/ if you’d like to order one of their famous honeybaked hams to be shipped to your door.
Panera Bread offers many awesome Family Feast Value Meals, which can be customized into your family’s chosen combinations, and they have great catering options too. Their Value Meals are available to order online for delivery through their website at https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/home.html and you can add on other delicious items to your order as you’d like. These feast meals are not only great value but they are perfect for small family orders too. Get as much or as little as you’d like.
Corner Bakery Cafe has extensive catering options at great prices. So, treat yourself to some of their yummy seasonal baby bundt cakes and take advantage of their catering which now has individual packaging and contact-free delivery available. You can contact your local cafe or order online at https://www.cornerbakerycafe.com/.
And, of course, whatever restaurants or eateries are near you!
Check the websites and catering menus of your local favorite food places and find out if they’re a practical option for your needs. Compare a few. Maybe get some input from your family and/or select guests and get them excited about attending your get-together - especially if they feel invested by having a say in the menu. Put it to a vote if you have to, perhaps revealing the winning menu in person at the feast. Have fun with it!
Take a break from the stress of holiday prep and enjoy yourself. Try having your holiday feast catered.
If you have any special delivery and/or catering ideas or plans, share them in a comment below. And don’t be afraid to get creative this holiday season with how you tackle the current logistical and safety challenges of family feasting. For example, with Halloween right around the corner, how do you plan to handle the holiday this year? We hope this article gave you some good ideas. Stay safe and happy eating!
