VG Blog

Ok, we get it. The first official day of fall is over a week away, and a lot of people don’t want summer to be over. But let’s face it—the days are getting cooler, there’s a chill in the evening air, pumpkin spice is on the menu everywhere you go, and a serving of warm, delicious, fall comfort foods doesn’t sound bad at all. In conclusion: it’s basically fall, so let’s embrace it.

The days are growing shorter, Labour Day has come and gone, and school is back in session. If you’ve got kids at home, this means you’re back to making school lunches five days a week from now until next June. Even if your kids are old enough to pack their own lunch bags—one of the best parenting milestones, honestly—it means stocking the kitchen with family-friendly, school safe items that will actually get eaten. It can be a challenge, but VG Meats is here to help.

Summer always seems to fly by—the stretch between Canada Day and Labour Day truly passes in an instant. Whether you’re ready for fall or clinging to the last few weeks of this gorgeous season, we hope you’ve got something fun planned for the long weekend. And if you haven’t made plans yet, might we suggest an end of summer BBQ?

When it rains, it pours—but sometimes, that’s a good thing! We’ve had a busy couple of weeks at VG Meats and there’s no sign of things slowing down any time soon. Believe us, we’re not complaining. Between an exciting television appearance, some farm tour planning, summer holidays and the fall season ahead, there’s a lot going on (and it’s wonderful).

If you’d like to know more about where your food comes from, how it’s raised and what regeneration looks like in action, we’ve got good news—you can now use your Solar Dollars to book a tour of Hillview Farm in Haldimand County! This is Cory Van Groningen’s own farm where he and his family raise cattle, chickens, ducks, lamb and more. The first tour of the season will be on Wednesday, September 3rd starting at 1pm with additional tours on September 10th, 17th and 24th. Each farm tour will be approximately two hours in duration.

We love the summer months for plenty of different reasons—the sunshine and warm weather, enjoying beautiful nature in bloom, and endless meals cooked outdoors, for example—but one reason that will always make the list is our pasture-raised poultry.

We love the August long weekend. The midway point of summer, it’s known for giving us beautiful weather, fun in the sun and plenty of opportunities for rest and relaxation. Whether you’re going camping, staying home, visiting the cottage or lounging poolside this August long (side note: we all need more friends with pools!), we hope you have a fantastic Civic Holiday.

We love summer + local food—it’s a perfect combination! If you feel the same, here are a few more specific combinations to try in the weeks ahead. These simple meals are outstanding in every way—plus, you’re supporting local farmers with every delicious bite!

When it’s this hot outside, a crisp green salad with protein is an incredibly appealing dinner option. We love summer salads because they’re easy to prepare, surprisingly hearty, delicious and packed with vitamins and nutrients. You can use freshly grilled steak, chicken or pork but leftovers work just as well.

Summer is made for good times: backyard BBQs, pool days, hiking at the local conservation area, weekend trips to the lake, camping and of course, the classic Canadian road trip. No matter how you’re spending July and August, we bet you’re going to be hungry—so, why not be prepared?

Some like it mild, but some like it hot—and at VG Meats, we’ve got something for everyone! With Canada Day coming up on Tuesday, July 1st, we thought we’d share some product recommendations that will add a little spice to your life (and your holiday BBQ).

No matter how much you love our classic beef burgers, it can be fun (and delicious) to switch up your burger routine. Here are three ideas from the VG Meats team.