The Whole Foods Holiday Scavenger Hunt

I’m always a fan of being invited to fun events, and as I mentioned in a recent post, I’m always keen to see friends from different scenes. I didn’t really know what to expect when Whole Foods invited me to their Holiday Scavenger Hunt.

Yeah. That one running? That’s me.

I am SO GLAD Whole Foods invited me to their Holiday Scavenger Hunt.

I never get to chat in-depth with Michael Robertson (Granville Magazine), Mijune Pak (Follow Me Foodie), Claudia Kwan (PolyMedia Athlete), Richard Wolak (VanFoodster), Erin Ireland (It’s To Die For) and Cassandra Anderton (Good Life Vancouver), even though all of them are actually foodie friends of mine and we usually attend the same foodie events (restaurant openings, media events, etc). Also, it’d been ages since I saw Karen Hamilton (Tiny Bites). So, it was really good fun. For the first time in a VERY LONG TIME, I actually got to chat with my foodie media friends, and that was very pleasant.

Moreover, the event itself was a riot. We were given shopping lists and we engaged in a race throughout Whole Foods to find our items. We got to keep said items, and the winner (in this case, Erin Ireland) got to have a huge cart of food donated on her behalf by Whole Foods to the Vancouver Food Bank (one of my favorite charities).

Yeah, that’s Erin with the Whole Foods donation to the Vancouver Food Bank

We were also treated to a number of nibbles from their Holiday Menu (did you know you can order your Christmas dinner turkey with all the fixings and stuff from Whole Foods? No, neither did I).

Festive Party Starters (as sampled)

• Prosciutto Wrapped Melons: seasonal wedges of melon and figs wrapped in prosciutto (Small: $44.99, serves 8-10)
• Tomato & Bocconcini Skewers: cherry tomatoes, bocconcini and fresh basil served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette (Small: $49.99, serves 8-10)
• Chicken Crostinis: toasted crispy bread rounds topped with grilled chicken, olive tapenade, roasted red pepper and pesto cream cheese (Small: $44.99, serves 8-10)
• Smoked Salmon Crostinis: toasted crispy bread rounds topped with smoked salmon, capers and dilled cream cheese (Small: $44.99, serves 8-10)
• Tomato Crostinis: toasted crispy bread rounds topped with roasted tomatoes, chevre and basil (Small: $44.99, serves 8-10)

I also liked the fact that they offer “budget-conscious” options (as they sent me on their email)

For the budget-minded host with a family of ten on the way into town, a focus on presentation and portioning can help create the finest flavours of the season without sacrificing quality or funds. Whole Foods Market “small bites” recipes cost approximately $0.50 per piece and are sure to provide flair to your holiday spread!

Disclosure: While I got to keep the full basket of goodies I shopped for at Whole Foods, I’m not paid to write this post nor am I obligated to. It was just a fun event and enjoyed being a participant! As with anything I write on my blog, I retain editorial control at all times. If you have any questions or concerns, please do feel free to email me via my Contact form