5 items you’ll want to have to get your holiday cooking done

The holidays are upon us and for a lot of us that means a lot of cooking and baking. And that means making sure that we have what we need in our fridge and pantry. Of course, it also means that sometimes we are looking for recommendations about even some of the common items we need to get things going in the kitchen.

So whether you are looking for a new Extra Virgin Olive Oil to add to your cooking routine or a brand of butter that delivers every time, then we have some suggestions for you. And after cooking with all of these products ourselves, we are definitely keeping them at the top of our shopping lists.

So what is making our holiday shopping lists this season?

5 must have items to add to your holiday grocery shopping list to get your cooking done all season long

• Piro Extra Virgin Olive Oil – One of the best olive oils I have ever tried, Olio has a clean flavor that makes it perfect for not only cooking (roasted zucchini with garlic was amazing), but also for making your own custom bread dippers. Add in some seasonings to this EVOO and you have the perfect additions to your appetizer tables from now through the new year (and beyond).
• Minerva Dairy Butter – Whether you need Salted, Unsalted, or a flavored butter, Minerva Dairy has us covered. And they have us covered with the kind of butter that takes our cooking to the next level. Not only is their Garlic Herb Butter amazing for making quick and easy garlic bread and sauces, but they even offer flavors such as Maple Syrup Butter (which we are going to need in our lives next!) and Lemon Poppy Seed Butter (which also sounds like magic). No matter what you are cooking or baking this holiday season, Minerva Dairy is the butter brand we are reaching for first!
• Bread Cheese – While it may sound a bit odd, there is something to be said for a cheese that has been baked until a crisp, caramelized outer layer forms. And why does this make our list of must have grocery items? Because it can be used as an appetizer all on its own or it can be added to any number of unique dishes. Plus, it honestly tastes amazing!
• Feltman’s Thick Cut Bacon – Is there anything better than bacon? How about thick cut bacon from Feltman’s of Coney Island? When it comes to versatile products, bacon is the way to go. And at the holidays, we want the good stuff, whether we are eating crispy strips for breakfast or wrapping them around scallops as part of our holiday appetizers. And after enjoying Feltman’s Thick Cut Bacon, we will never go back to any other brand.
• Silk Dairy Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative – As soon as I got this Whipping Cream in hand, I knew I needed to give this one a try to see if it lived up to its dairy cousin. And it definitely does. I used this to make a cream sauce for pasta and it was just as tasty as when I use regular cream. And knowing that this product can be used for both baking and cooking applications means that this is one ingredient that we will need in our fridge all season long.

What items must you have on your holiday cooking list? Are any of these items your must haves? Let us know.