VG Blog

With just days to go until Father’s Day, the four of us VG brothers are thinking about some of the many ways fatherhood has impacted our lives. First, there are all of the lessons we learned from our father, Wayne Van Groningen, who has been a leader not only in our family but also in the family business. Secondly, all four of us have been blessed with children of our own - a wonderful brood of next generation VGs that keeps on growing!

There’s just over a week to go until Father’s Day and if you haven’t planned your celebratory meal yet, now’s the time. Our retail locations in Simcoe and Stoney Creek are open for business and if you order online over the next couple of days, you can still get home delivery before Father’s Day weekend. Here’s a list of delivery locations, fees and other important details. Remember, delivery is FREE on all large orders!

We’re officially into June now, which means a few things: school (er, home learning) is almost over, summer is so close we can taste it and Father’s Day just a couple of weeks away! What better reason to fire up the BBQ and grill something delicious? Here are a few suggestions to help get you started.

Canadians have been spending a lot of time at home lately, and that means a lot of home cooking. You may be loving this time to experiment with baking homemade bread and testing new recipes, or you might be totally over it and bored with the same old dishes week after week. If you’re in the latter category, here are a few easy switch-ups that will make your favourites new again.

The Victoria Day weekend is here and we’ll be honest...the weather isn’t awesome right now. Who ordered this grey, damp long weekend?! (It wasn’t us.) Sure, it’s not ideal but summer will be here soon and when that sunshine hits Southern Ontario, we’ll be ready to enjoy it!

A mother has always worn many hats but over the last few months, she’s taken on more roles than ever: mother, household manager, homeschool teacher, good neighbour, partner, friend, volunteer and more. Some new moms have had to dive into parenting without the support of their village around them. Many grandparents are missing their grandkids and other family members. Our hearts go out to everyone who is working hard, making sacrifices and giving their all to their families. You’re incredible!

If you’re a mom (or a dad), you’ve probably cooked a LOT of meals lately. With thousands of kids home from school, there seems to be a never-ending stream of snack requests in every house across Canada. How many meals can one kid eat in a day?! The answer is hundreds. (We have kids - we get it.)

Moms are used to balancing a lot of things but lately, that need has been kicked into overdrive. Worker, childcare provider, household manager, homeschool teacher, family chef and crisis navigator - they’re doing it all and then some. With that in mind, we’d like to put it out there that Mother’s Day is juuuuuuust around the corner (it’s on May 10th this year, which is next weekend). Yes, we can see it on the horizon, and it’s time to get planning! Here are a few ideas from our team.

The last few weeks have introduced us to quite a few new faces (or emails and voices on the phone, at least!) as our home delivery service keeps booming. We’re glad for this new business and of course, always happy to hear from our longtime customers and friends. Please bear with us as we continue to make improvements, increase efficiencies and reply to your questions! It’s a busy time, but we are committed to serving you well.

VG Meats has always strived to offer exceptional products made here in Ontario at great value. As a family business with close ties to our community, we care about what we put out there and can stand by our good work. As the current situation with Covid-19 has created an increased demand for online delivery, we’ve dedicated ourselves to making improvements: more selection online, more buying options and faster delivery. You may have noticed some changes to our website over the past week - here’s a brief overview of what we’ve done and why. 

Hillview Farm is looking for a partner to produce vegetables and/or flowers on our land. Part of the VG Meats family business, Hillview is a regenerative cow-calf farm located in Cayuga, Ontario. We utilize sustainable agriculture practices and are working toward becoming a verified regenerative farm.

Easter weekend is here and while these are unique times, we hope you’re still able to celebrate and enjoy the holiday. Families may not be able to physically gather with those outside of their household, but we can all find a way to connect using technology like FaceTime, WhatsApp or other video chat options. You can even make a good old fashioned phone call!

No matter what your family does this weekend, we hope you find a way to establish a sense of togetherness and enjoy the day. Plus - a delicious turkey or ham dinner can really help you achieve that traditional Easter feeling!