Tastes of October: A Month of Flavor and Fun

One of my greatest joys in life is food. I love trying new flavors, discovering creative recipes, and savoring those traditional comfort foods that feel like home. Honestly, one of the reasons I’m such a fitness enthusiast is because of my equal passion for food, I love balance, and I believe in enjoying every bite!

If you’re a foodie like me, October is your month. It’s bursting with fun food holidays that make it easy to celebrate everything from sweet treats to savory classics.

Did you know October is…

• 🍰 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 that’s just the start! Add in special days like Cinnamon Roll Day (Oct 4), National Taco Day (Oct 4), National Pasta Day (Oct 17), Pumpkin Day (Oct 26), and National Chocolate Day (Oct 28) and you’ve got endless ways to spice up your calendar.

Ways to Celebrate with Residents

The beauty of food holidays is that they’re flexible, you can keep it simple or go all out. Here are some fun, community-building ideas:

• Recipe of the Week Challenge 📝
  Pick a theme (like tacos, pasta, or apples) and challenge residents to make their own version at home. Have them share a photo and tag the property with a special hashtag. Each post = one entry in a gift card drawing at the end of the month.

• Themed Potluck 🍽️
  Choose one or two food holidays to highlight and invite residents to bring a dish that fits the theme. Think pizza night, pasta party, or a dessert table filled with cookies, caramel, and chocolate.

• Cooking Contest 🏆
  Host a lighthearted cook-off! Invite residents to enter their best dish, and ask local community partners or staff to serve as judges. Categories like Most Creative, Crowd Favorite, or Best Comfort Food keep it fun and inclusive.

• Recipe Swap & Cookbook 📖
  Encourage residents to share their favorite recipes tied to October’s food themes. Collect and compile them into a simple property cookbook, a keepsake everyone will love.

• Budget-Friendly Cooking Class 💲
  Highlight a low-cost recipe with simple ingredients and helpful tips for stretching grocery dollars. This can be done live, recorded, or even with a printed recipe card.

• Healthy Swaps Workshop 🥦
  For those looking to lighten things up, show how to take high-calorie favorites and give them a nutritious twist, like zucchini noodles instead of pasta, or baked apple crisps instead of pie.

A Flavorful Month Ahead

Whether you celebrate one holiday or a handful, October is full of opportunities to connect through food. These little traditions create big moments of joy and community, one bite at a time.

And don’t worry, here’s a link to some of my favorite recipes  to help you and your residents enjoy the Tastes of October!