Ideas to Spice Up Memorial Day Cookouts

We’re all about traditions here at Hickory Farms. After all, we’ve been an American tradition for over half a century! But we also love taking traditions and adding fresh flairs to personalize them and make them even more special. So when honoring troops with family and friends this Memorial Day, why not skip the same-old routine, and try to spice it up?

A Memorial Day cookout doesn’t have to be the same every year, instead of the regular routes, try one of these creative alternatives.

Instead of only relying on flags and red, white and blue décor…
Incorporate foods and dishes in your Memorial Day menu that show your patriotism. You can also honor a soldier currently overseas by serving up his or her favorite foods.

Photo via Moonlightrainbow.tumblr.com

Instead of sticking to only hamburgers and hotdogs…
Try throwing unique foods on the grill like salad and fruit. This grilled apple salad from Southern Living looks delicious. And in case you missed it, we recently wrote a post on yummy grilled fruit desserts – be sure to check it out!

Photo via Southern Living

Instead of an ordinary cooler…
Try serving drinks in an unexpected way. We love this creative DIY watermelon cocktail keg idea!

Photo via SheKnows

Instead of your typical food spread…
Create a build-your-own station! It could be a build-your-own drink or build-your-own dessert bar. We love the idea we came across on Design Indulgences for creating a build-your-own fruit pizza bar! It’s a wonderful way to make food more fun for friends, family, and guests.

Photo via Design Indulgences

How do you plan to spice up your Memorial Day cookout? Share your favorite tips, tricks, and ideas in a comment or on our Facebook page.

Celebrate National Military Appreciation Month with Military Gifts from Hickory Farms

“The strength of our nation is our Army; the strength of our Army is our Soldiers; the strength of our Soldiers is our families.” – United States Army

showing appreciation for military families

Photo via Army

May is Military Appreciation Month, a month-long observance dedicated to taking time and special care to honor the brave individuals that serve our nation. As a part of Military Appreciation Month, we celebrate Military Spouse Appreciation Day on May 10^th, Armed Forces Day on May 18^th, and Memorial Day on May 30^th.

Military Appreciation Month is a wonderful opportunity to show love and support for our soldiers and give back to the very people that sacrifice so much for us. And what better way to show your love and appreciation than by sending thoughtful comfort foods that bring soldiers the love and warmth of home?

Hickory Farms would like to help spouses, family members, friends and other citizens show their love and appreciation to soldiers by offering them special military gifts that are eligible for free APO/FPO delivery. Made with delicious food products and nostalgic authenticity, these gifts are packaged with love to ensure that soldiers know just how much you care.

Spouses, family members, and friends can select Our Deluxe Signature Sausage & Cheese military gift. This gourmet food gifts features signature Hickory Farms flavors that instantly remind soldiers of their favorite family and holiday memories. To read more about the quality ingredients and tasty treats included in these gift boxes, head to the Military Gifts section of our website.

Have you ever sent Hickory Farms to a solider? How did they like it? Or, tell us about your soldier in a comment below and share how you plan to show them your love and support this month.

Easter Traditions from Around the World

Hickory Farms is a holiday tradition that Americans have been enjoying for more than 60 years. And while we look forward to egg hunts, family brunches, and other Easter traditions, this spring, people all over the globe will be celebrating their own special traditions on Easter.

Flying Kites

Burmese tradition is to fly kites on Good Friday. The story goes that a British teacher was trying to teach the story of Jesus’ ascension to his Sunday school class. He used a cross-shaped kite soaring up into the sky to visually demonstrate the lesson.

Photo via Brent Danley/Flickr

Smingus-Dyngus

This unusual sounding tradition comes from Poland, and, if you have sons, be careful of letting them learn about this one! On Easter Monday, boys try to splash water on as many people as they can, using anything from buckets to water guns. It’s believed that girls who get splashed will be married in the coming year. The splashing tradition is thought to stem from the baptism of a Polish prince on Easter Monday in 966 AD.

Photo via Alex Ridgway/Flickr

Breaking Pots

If you ever find yourself on the Greek island of Corfu on the Saturday before Easter, make sure to watch out for falling pots. The locals traditionally throw out pots and pans from their windows and let them break on the streets. One theory of how this tradition originated is that by breaking all of their old pots, people are symbolizing their readiness to collect new crops in new pots in the coming spring.

Photo via pberry041655/Flickr

Painting Eggs

Interestingly enough, egg painting pre-dated the advent of Christianity, and it actually has a rich history in Sorbian culture. Hand-painted Easter eggs in Sorbian tradition feature intricate designs and beautiful colors made with a variety of techniques and materials. The most popular color in Sorbian egg painting traditions is red, since it represents the resurrection.

Photo via abac077/Flickr

If your Easter celebration includes a special family dinner or brunch at home, serving delicious, but easy to prepare dishes is a huge win to keep your stress-level low and your family fun high! Make this Easter special with a HoneyGold® Ham or gourmet sausage and cheese from Hickory Farms.

If you’ve got a great dish or tradition to share, we would love to hear about it! You can also check out our Pinterest page for some of our favorite ideas.

What are your favorite Easter traditions? Share it with us on our Facebook page