When we think about Halloween we think about ghosts and witches and eating lots of chocolate and sweets, but this hasn’t always been the case. Halloween or Allhallowtide was first celebrated around 2000 years ago. It was the time of year to celebrate the end of the harvest and the start of the new year in a festival called Samhain. Which was in fact a garlic festival. At that time Halloween had no tricks, only treads for October.
Later as Christianity grew across Europe, the eve of 31 October became known as the feast of All Saint’s Day. It was a day to remember the dead, including saints and martyrs.
Around the 1850s, America was flooded with new immigrants, including millions of Irish. They brought their traditions with them and helped popularise the holiday. The old garlic festival was mixed with superstition, saints and the dead and slowly evolved into what we have today.
Our favourite treats this Halloween
At Medfood we don’t have tricks, only treats this October. And in the tradition of Samhain we want to start by celebrating our delicious garlic products.
Pickled or pearl garlic has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. As well as being an antioxidant, garlic is also known for boosting the immune system and is packed with calcium, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.
Our whole garlic products are delicious, crunchy and perfect in food or on their own. Try them simply preserved in vinegar, with herbs for a fresh taste or with chilli for a nice heat kick.
Swap the sweets with olives
Treat the little trick or treaters to some olives with our new Deli Snack pots. Olives are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and healthy oils. Our new Deli snack pots are mess free, healthy and delicious. The small packs are perfect for snacking on the go. Try the green olives marinated with lemon, garlic and rosemary or the green olives with red peppers and garlic. You’ll be warding off the bad spirits as well as tooth cavities with this healthy alternative.
Surprise them with chocolate that’s different
Forget the bog standard chocolates that you find in the supermarkets. Why don’t you treat your visitors with chocolates stone? These little morsels look exactly like stones with smooth milk chocolate on the inside and a crunchy candy shell on the outside. The perfect trick or treat?
Milk chocolate sunflower seeds are also a great alternative and healthy too. Crunchy and fresh sunflower seeds are covered with smooth milk chocolate and coated with a crunchy candy coating. They are fun to eat and the colours are striking too. Perfect for Halloween.
Bring the tradition of harvest back to life
If we think that Halloween started with the end of the harvest, then it makes perfect sense to bring the idea of the harvest back. Harvest is always the time of abundance and nothing conveys this more than the Medfood Special Mix Raw. This delicious blend of raw nuts and dried fruits bring together our more popular products.
Our special mix contains raw cashew nuts, pistachios and our best quality Chilian hand cracked walnuts. Mixed with green raisins, raw almonds, raw hazelnuts and baby yellow figs. Not only does this mix look like an abundant harvest but it tastes like it too. So it’s the perfect swap with chocolates and sweets and a throwback to how the Halloween tradition started.
Happy Halloween!
If you would like to discuss your business needs with us and talk to us about our range of products, call our sales team on 020 8965 6528 or contact us for more information.
