Halloween candy’s not even gone yet, but you’ll notice Christmas carols are being piped in over retail PA systems. That makes it official: 2018’s winter holiday season is now upon us.
That being the case, two major onion entities, the National Onion Association and the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee/USA Onions are ramping up their holiday onion promo programs with individual campaigns. At the NOA, recipes designed to pique consumer interest and further spark demand are being shared, and the IEOOC has rolled out the second phase of this season’s innovative three-part Brokers Incentive Program. This portion kicked off in mid-October and will run through early 2019, followed by the third phase starting in February and running into mid-April.
This three-part incentive program is based on the success of previous years’ contests, awarding points for each load sold. The points accumulated during each phase can be redeemed for tech-related prizes this season.
Each load of onions equals eight points, with a maximum of 1,000 points allowed for accrual per program period, and each portion of the program is offering more than $3,000 in prizes. Of course, all loads must be purchased from shippers located in the Idaho-Eastern Oregon shipping region, with a list available at http://usaonions.com/brokers/ or by calling the IEOOC office in Parma, ID, 208-722-5111.
This second phase has a “Healthy and Fit New Year” theme, and prizes include Amazon gift cards, NordicTrack recumbent bike, Varidesk desk and chair, FitBit Charge2, gift cards to Nike and Famous Footwear, AmazonBasics exercise mat and resistance bands. Deadline for forms is Feb. 28, 2019, and prizes will be sent on March 30.
It’s all good stuff, and while brokers are thinking sweat=fitness, foodies over there in at the corner table are looking at NOA recipes and thinking, “Dang! That looks good!”
René Hardwick, director of public and industry relations, told us she’s been busy posting festive fixin’ ideas on Facebook and gave us an NOA Onionista update for pleasing hungry crowds big and small.
“A roast turkey breast will be the star when served with lightly caramelized onions,” the narrative advised us. “Scalloped potatoes are a crowd favorite, and onions add the right amount of bold bite to balance out the creamy, cheesy goodness. When your meal calls for an easy side dish, no oven required, a mix of red cabbage and onions can really brighten up the table.”
Roasted Turkey Breast with Balsamic Onion
Of course, we should all remember “that onions can spice up any boring holiday leftovers,” and marinated or caramelized onions are fantastic on sandwiches or in wraps with leftover bird.
“You can also take a whole onion, hollow it out, and fill it with leftover casseroles, vegetables or stuffing and bake until tender,” the Onionista said. “After all of the holiday cooking, get out the slow cooker to give yourself a break from the kitchen. Add onions to your favorite slow cooker recipes to give them more mouthwatering flavor.”
René also graciously provided links to the NOA’s recipe page for recipes below:
https://www.onions-usa.org/onionista/roast-turkey-onions-cranberries/
https://www.onions-usa.org/recipes/288-Four_Onion_Scalloped_Potato
