The colder days of winter are here to stay for a while, and with magical holiday gatherings on the horizon, it’s a great idea to think about what delicious items will grace your table this year. From savory cheddars that complete a holiday charcuterie board to classic cheesecakes and eggnog that every festive celebration needs, there are so many wonderful dairy items to incorporate into your holiday menu planning.  

Best of all, choosing locally produced dairy products from Washington’s dedicated dairy farmers means you’re not only filling your belly with nourishing foods, but also supporting your local community.

Ryan Mensonides, owner of Enumclaw-based Mount Rainier Creamery, shared that the flavor and craftsmanship that come from local dairy farms are unmatched. He said, “With local dairies like ours, we’re able to do small batch production – which is slower and more cumbersome – but makes for a very rich flavor. Our carbon footprint is drastically reduced as well when we produce local, and our customer buys local.”

Must-Have Dairy Products for Your Holiday Table

Dairy pairs well with an array of dishes. From breakfast to dinner, to the snacks in between, adding more dairy into your meal planning is easy. For breakfast, add a splash of milk to your coffee or add a side of yogurt to your bowl of cereal. For a blustery winter day, go for the classic grilled cheese with piping hot tomato soup, or throw together some savory macaroni and cheese. For dinner, don’t forget the mashed potatoes! Use real butter, yogurt or whole milk when mashing your potatoes – you won’t be disappointed.

And what would the holiday season be without an ice-cold cup of eggnog?

Mensonides explained that their eggnog is not to be missed. The creamery team worked alongside the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center and created a recipe from scratch for non-homogenized eggnog. Crafted with only pure cane sugar, no high fructose corn syrup, and guar gum rather than products like carrageenan, Mount Rainier Creamery’s eggnog uses fresh, liquid eggs rather than powder, and organic milk and cream as the base. As for the spice, the eggnog features fresh spice blends from a small local company out of Sumner, Washington. The result: a wholesome, delightful drink that will bring instant holiday cheer.

“It’s small-batch and unique,” he said. “You won’t find another eggnog that tastes like ours.”

Once the busy holiday season is over, it’s a great idea to keep dairy products in your daily diet rotation. Mensonides recommends incorporating more whole milk in saying, “This type of milk has a very rich texture and a stronger naturally sweet flavor. At Mount Rainier Creamery, we do not homogenize, and we process whatever fat level comes out of the cow that day. I will always champion whole milk. It is rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D, and the fat is healthy fat that the body uses in a healthier way than other types of fats found in food today.”

To learn more about the commitment and expertise of Washington dairy farmers, get special recipes that use fresh Washington dairy products, or read about the multitude of farms across the state, visit the Washington Dairy page here.