Tastes of October: A Month of Flavor and Fun
One of my greatest joys in life is food.
I love trying new restaurants, discovering a recipe I’ve never made before, and coming back to those comfort foods that immediately feel like home.
And I fully believe there is room for all of it.
I love working out, taking care of myself, and staying active. I also love a really good meal, dessert, and gathering around a table with people I care about. Balance works pretty well for me. ❤️
So, fellow foodies, October gives us plenty to celebrate!
It’s packed with food-themed months and days that can give you an easy excuse to try something new with your residents.
October Gives Us Plenty to Taste
October celebrations include:
🍰 National Dessert Month
🍕 National Pizza Month
🍝 National Pasta Month
🍏 National Apple Month
🍪 National Cookie Month
🥨 National Pretzel Month
🌭 National Sausage Month
🥗 Vegetarian Month
🍮 National Caramel Month
And there are plenty of individual food days throughout the month too, from tacos and cinnamon rolls to pasta, pumpkin, and chocolate.
Basically, October understood the assignment. 😂
Before you start planning nine different food events, though, pick one or two.
Choose something your residents would enjoy and turn it into an opportunity to gather, learn, share, or simply have a little fun together.
Try a Recipe Challenge
Choose a theme such as apples, pasta, tacos, or pumpkin and invite residents to make a favorite recipe at home.
They could submit a photo, share the recipe, or tell you the story behind it. If your property uses social media, you could create a property hashtag or let residents vote on their favorites.
Add a small prize if you want to make it a friendly competition.
Gather Around the Table
A themed potluck is an easy way to let residents do some of the creating.
Host a pasta night, taco night, dessert social, chili dinner, or favorite-family-recipe potluck.
One of my favorite things about food is that there is usually a story attached to it.
Ask residents:
Who taught you to make this?
When does your family usually eat it?
What food reminds you of home?
Now you have food and conversation.
Start a Little Friendly Competition
If your residents enjoy a good competition, host a cook-off or bake-off.
Let residents enter a favorite dish and create fun categories such as Crowd Favorite, Most Creative, Best Presentation, or Best Family Recipe.
Recruit staff members or community partners to judge.
And once again, if you need an impartial food judge, I am willing to make sacrifices for the good of resident services. 😂
Create a Community Cookbook
This could be such a fun keepsake.
Ask residents to submit a favorite recipe throughout October and compile them into a simple community cookbook.
Include the resident's name if they would like, along with a sentence about why the recipe matters to them.
Imagine giving residents a collection filled with recipes from their own neighbors. ❤️
Host a Budget-Friendly Cooking Class
Food prices make this an especially practical topic.
Invite someone to demonstrate an affordable meal using easy-to-find ingredients. Talk about meal planning, using leftovers, shopping seasonally, reducing food waste, or getting multiple meals from the same ingredients.
Send everyone home with the recipe and a grocery list so they can recreate it.
This could also be a great opportunity to involve a community partner who already offers nutrition or food education.
Add a Wellness Twist
If health or nutrition connects with your property's resident service requirements, October's food themes give you plenty to work with.
Try an apple tasting with information about different varieties. Invite a nutrition educator to demonstrate an easy fall recipe. Host a build-your-own parfait or snack station. Share ideas for adding fruits, vegetables, protein, fiber, or other nutritious ingredients to favorite meals.
Food can be delicious, comforting, nourishing, fun, and part of the traditions we love.
There is room at the table for all of it.
A Flavorful Month Ahead
You don't need a huge budget or elaborate event to use food as a way to connect with residents.
Share a recipe.
Put out some cider.
Host the taco night.
Ask someone about the dish their grandmother taught them to make.
Try something you've never eaten before.
Food gives us a reason to gather, and gathering gives us a chance to know one another a little better.
Pick one idea this October and invite your residents to the table. ❤️
I pulled together some recipe inspiration to help you get started with your own Tastes of October( here’s a link to some of my favorite recipes)
