Well, is it March? Anyone else just feel like time is flying by but standing still all at the same time? I am still processing March 2020 when we started quarantining. I cannot believe we are at a one-year anniversary. The plus side of all of this is that my social life and travel are reduced — mostly at a stand-still — which allows me extra time to do some life-long learning. I am tired of watching TV and I have seen just about all the re-run Hallmark movies during the week. Last night, I started random topic surfing on my phone, and stumbled across the month of March. There are so many fun things to learn about March and how it relates to us in the poultry industry.

March has always been the month that marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. I never really knew the true meaning of March until I started living up north. In Texas, we didn’t really have seasons; flip flops, jeans, short-sleeve shirts and maybe a cardigan were always the go-to weekend wardrobe. Up north, we still have 3-4 feet of snow on the ground and some of the drifts are taller than me.

March is the time when the weather changes for the better, the sun shines brighter and thanks to Daylight Savings we have longer daylight in the evening to enjoy the warmer weather. March is the month for change — a good change, time change, and a time for new beginnings. It seems like this time of year is also when new products always come to market. I am not in marketing, but it seems appropriate to launch new product items on the menu during March, to signify the time of change and the time for good things to happen. For us in the poultry industry, this is time for new chicken sandwiches to appear in fast food and local casual dining restaurants.

My best chicken friend Casey has taken this month of March and made it a mission to try all the new chicken sandwiches on the market. How fun is this new adventure? Casey has always been a promoter of chicken as she is a die-hard poultry scientist, like me. I spoke with her and asked her to share her top three lessons from this March adventure.

Lesson 1: “Get out of the rut of eating the same things.” Agreed. We are all in COVID-19 food burn out. We are all tired of cooking and eating the same things. Get out of the COVID dining rut and try a new chicken sandwich.

Lesson 2: “Try new things and do not be stuck in the same mindset.” We all may feel like chicken sandwiches are “the norm,” but it is March and it’s time to try new things. We may not be able to dine out fully due to COVID-19 restrictions, but with the weather changing we can get our food to-go and enjoy a day at the park with close friends and family. Also, we all may have some preconceived notions about a product, so she suggests to try it more than once and have an open mind.

Lesson 3: “There are some really good new chicken products on the market that everyone should get out and enjoy while supporting local businesses in times of need during COVID.” This includes local restaurants as well as chains. Local people are still working at those chain restaurants. An additional plus is that you are supporting the industry. Support! Support! Support!

Take advantage of March, the great weather, the longer daylight hours, the new beginnings for 2021 and enjoy a chicken sandwich tour. Send me your feedback and let me know of some of your lessons learned. Since I am a supporter of both of chicken and turkey, I do have one question for the turkey industry: When are the turkey cutlet sandwiches coming out?? Maybe this is something to think about for March 2022. Casey and I can always go on tour together next year!

Casey and the chicken sandwich tour

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