Feeding Your Fall Obsessions at IGA

From California to Connecticut, the flavors and fun of fall are swirling through the air. Whether you’re into crisp apple cider, flavorful pumpkin muffins, homemade butternut squash soup or pumpkin carving, locally-owned IGA grocery stores are serving up the unique flavors and experiences of fall in original and exciting ways. And better still, they’re working with local growers and producers to source fall staples like apples, squashes, pumpkins, and gourds, ensuring you have access to the freshest ingredients around.   

Want to feed your fall obsessions? Your local IGA has the answer! Let’s take a look at some of the local, fresh offerings you can find at IGA stores across the country:

Bob's Windham IGA in Willimantic, Connecticut

From apple cider donuts so fresh from the orchard they arrive warm, to ready-to-cook seasonal squashes, Bob's Windham IGA is the ultimate destination to feed your fall cravings.

Love butternut squash soup but intimidated by the oddly-shaped vegetable? The produce butcher at Bob's Windham IGA has your back! With acorn and butternut squashes pre-sliced, you'll be able to mark your meal prep as done and enjoy the savory squashes in no time. And don't forget to round out your meal with some fresh pressed apple cider from Buell's Orchard, located just 25 minutes down the road, and available at Bob's Windham IGA. 

Archie's IGA in St. Maries, Idaho

The art of decorating a pumpkin is not to be taken lightly. It requires creativity, precision, and most of all, patience. And while not everyone is up for the task, one group in particular most certainly is: the third graders of three local elementary schools. 

Every October, the third graders each receive a complimentary pumpkin from Archie's IGA to decorate as part of the town's annual pumpkin-decorating contest. The pumpkins are displayed in-store for shoppers to enjoy and ultimately for the esteemed panel of Archie's IGA judges to announce the grand prize winner. And what is the grand prize, you ask? The winning student receives an ice cream social for their entire class! 

Harvest Market IGA, Fort Bragg, California

You'll want to don your very best plaid flannel shirt and wide brim hat when you walk into Harvest Market IGA, because their fall spread will have you thinking you're visiting an idyllic New England coastal town. From their pumpkin patch at the front of the store to their savory autumn display in the deli, Harvest Market IGA is bringing their autumn A-game and you won't want to miss it.

Life's short, so let's start with dessert first! With the warm-from-the-oven pumpkin cake donuts, frosted perfection pumpkin cream cupcakes, and fall-theme eclairs, the bakery will have you wanting for nothing and everything at the same time. Still craving some sweet fall goodness? Step up your Halloween candy spread with their spooktacular gummies. 

Now that we've indulged our sweet tooth, it's time to dive into the savory stuff. You'll have your family rushing to the table when you bring home a delicious stuffed acorn squash, Mexican corn salad, and butternut squash polenta. 

And of course it wouldn't be Halloween without a visit to the pumpkin patch. Harvest Market IGA puts out an impressive array of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes, including that massive centerpiece pumpkin. Whoever can most accurately guess its weight gets to take it home as their own real-life Charlie Brown great pumpkin.

Whether you're hoping to hunker down at home with a warm cup of cocoa by the fire or bundle up for the smell of crisp fall air and the crinkle of dried leaves under your feet, these fun fall activities should inspire you to seek out your local IGA to see what adventures await!