Have Your Thanksgiving Dinner Waiting For You At Ukrop's In Richmond

Ukrop's Homestyle Foods

The holidays are without a doubt my favorite time of year. Being surrounded by family and good food makes the magic of this festive time all the better. Like most families, mine has a few traditions that are sacred: You'll always find the Phelps family enjoying our Thanksgiving meal at our beloved family farm; Christmas trees go up the Saturday after Thanksgiving (Don't rain on our merriment.), and Ukrop's White House Rolls (as the store describes them, "uniquely soft and fluffy with a tiny dusting of flour) are a staple at every holiday meal.

What is Ukrop's? Why are their rolls a staple? For those of you who were born outside of Central Virginia, Ukrop's Homestyle Foods is a family-run supermarket—a beacon of homestyle cooking—that's been serving Richmond, Virginia, since 1937. In Richmond, everyone and their mama knows and loves Ukrop's.

It's not just the rolls that are amazing at Ukrop's—practically any dish you can imagine is available through their chilled-prepared foods line. Mrs. Marshall's Potato Salad and their Rainbow Cookies are fan favorites and don't even get me started on their breakfast pizzas.

"In 1989 we began what we later called the "Delicious Decade," introducing Ukrop's chilled prepared foods created at our Central Kitchen (supplying Ukrop's markets)," says Susan Rowe, Ukrop's media spokesperson.

"What started as a line of ten ready-made dishes for customers, including Duchess Potatoes and Triple Cheese Macaroni and Cheese, expanded to a recipe file of 650 items," she says. The success of the chilled meals led to their holiday meal program in the 1990s, through which they hoped to offer customers "the gift of time," with ready-to-heat and enjoy turkey and ham dinners, Rowe says.

You read that right: Your whole Thanksgiving meal is waiting for you at Ukrop's.

Even after the supermarket's sale in 2010, demand for the holiday meals continued, so they began offering meals for pickup at their support center location in downtown Richmond.

Their most popular holiday dishes include their Sweet Potato Casserole, Corn Pudding, Cranberry Orange Salad, and, of course, their adorable and festive Turkey Cake.

They continue to receive thousands of holiday orders each year with a line of cars stretching around the block come meal pick-up time. One customer, a former Richmonder living in Texas, visits during the holidays, and orders her favorite sides for her family meal celebration, Rowe says.

Ukrop's Homestyle Foods

"Food evokes powerful positive memories it seems, and there's lots of nostalgia for our products, particularly during the holidays," Rowe says.

I may not be back in Richmond this year for Thanksgiving, but luckily Ukrop's White House Rolls are available in over 30 states. I've already found a local Kroger that carries them, so I can still enjoy a little piece of Virginia in Alabama.

Because of continuing supply issues in the turkey industry, Ukrop's is unable to offer turkeys as part of their holiday meals. Thanksgiving ham meals are available along with the rest of their traditional holiday sides. For local customers, you can find Thanksgiving sides in the following Richmond area stores: Kroger, Food Lion, Libbie Market, The Market on 25th Street, and Ukrop's Market Hall (first come, first served) beginning November 20.

Food fans can also order from their holiday menu beginning October 3. Happy (stress-free) feasting!