From sweet cinnamon breakfasts to complete Thanksgiving dinners, Cracker Barrel is bringing holiday comfort food to the table with new menu items, returning favorites and convenient meals for families celebrating at home.

Food & Drink | STM Daily News

The holiday season is approaching, and Cracker Barrel is getting an early start on the festivities with a lineup of comforting seasonal dishes, festive beverages and ready-to-serve Thanksgiving meals.

The restaurant chain announced its 2026 holiday menu on October 20, introducing new Cinnamon Swirl Pancakesand a Country Fried Turkey Sandwich, alongside returning favorites such as Country Fried Turkey and Cinnamon Swirl French Toast.

For families looking to simplify Thanksgiving preparations, Cracker Barrel is also bringing back its popular Heat & Serve meals, offering complete holiday dinners that can be prepared at home in two hours or less.

The seasonal offerings are part of the company’s “Get Your Season’s Worth” holiday campaign, which encourages customers to celebrate everyday moments throughout the season rather than saving all the festivities for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

New Holiday Flavors: Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes and Country Fried Turkey Sandwich

Two new dishes are taking center stage on Cracker Barrel’s holiday menu this year.

Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes

For breakfast lovers, the new Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes combine the comforting flavors of cinnamon rolls with Cracker Barrel’s signature buttermilk pancakes.

The fluffy pancakes feature a rich cinnamon filling swirled throughout and are finished with a drizzle of sweet cream cheese icing.

The breakfast comes with two eggs and a choice of thick-sliced bacon or smoked sausage.

It’s a festive twist on a traditional pancake breakfast, offering something a little sweeter for customers looking to start their day with a taste of the holidays.

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Country Fried Turkey Sandwich

Cracker Barrel is also introducing a new handheld version of one of its popular seasonal dishes.

The Country Fried Turkey Sandwich features a crispy, breaded turkey tenderloin topped with gravy and cranberry relish, served on a toasted bun.

The combination brings together several familiar Thanksgiving flavors in a sandwich that customers can enjoy without waiting for the holiday itself.

For those who enjoy the traditional combination of turkey, gravy and cranberry sauce, the sandwich offers a convenient alternative to a full holiday dinner.

Returning Holiday Favorites

Along with its new offerings, Cracker Barrel is bringing back several seasonal favorites that have become familiar parts of its holiday menu.

Country Fried Turkey

The returning entrée features hand-breaded turkey tenderloins topped with creamy herbed pan gravy.

It’s served with country sides, cranberry relish and a choice of buttermilk biscuits or corn muffins.

Cinnamon Swirl French Toast Breakfast

This returning breakfast favorite features cinnamon streusel bread dipped in Cracker Barrel’s signature batter and cooked until golden brown.

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The French toast is topped with cinnamon and cream cheese icings and served with two eggs and a choice of bacon or smoked sausage.

Rich DIY Hot Chocolate

For customers looking for a warm seasonal treat, Cracker Barrel’s returning hot chocolate comes topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

Guests can personalize their drinks with a selection of toppings.

Cinnamon Swirl Latte

Available hot or iced, the Cinnamon Swirl Latte features sweet cinnamon flavor, whipped cream, an icing drizzle and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Together, these returning favorites provide customers with several ways to enjoy familiar holiday flavors throughout the season.

Thanksgiving Dinner Without Spending All Day in the Kitchen

For many families, Thanksgiving is about gathering around the table, sharing a meal and spending time together.

However, preparing a traditional Thanksgiving dinner can require hours of cooking, planning and cleanup.

Cracker Barrel is offering an alternative with its Thanksgiving Heat & Serve meals, designed to provide a complete holiday dinner with significantly less preparation.

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According to the company, the meals can be heated and served in two hours or less.

Two options are available for families of different sizes.

Thanksgiving Heat & Serve Turkey Family Dinner — Approximately $119.99

Designed to feed four to six people, this meal includes:

• One oven-roasted turkey breast
• Sweet potato casserole
• Green beans
• Cornbread dressing
• Turkey gravy
• Cranberry relish
• Sweet rolls

The Family Dinner offers a traditional Thanksgiving meal without requiring customers to prepare each dish from scratch.

Thanksgiving Heat & Serve Turkey Feast — Approximately $189.99

For larger gatherings, the Turkey Feast serves eight to ten people and includes:

• Two oven-roasted turkey breasts
• Sweet potato casserole
• Green beans
• Mashed potatoes
• Cornbread dressing
• Turkey gravy
• Cranberry relish
• Sweet rolls
• Pumpkin pie
• Pecan pie

The larger meal includes dessert, making it a more complete option for families hosting Thanksgiving celebrations.

Important: Prices are approximate and may vary by restaurant location.

Holiday Pies for the Dessert Table

Customers who prefer to prepare their own Thanksgiving dinner but want to save time on dessert can also purchase Cracker Barrel’s fresh-baked holiday pies.

Available flavors include pumpkin, pecan, chocolate pecan and cinnamon roll, among others.

Pies are typically priced around $14.49 each, depending on location.

These desserts provide an additional option for holiday hosts who want to spend less time baking while still offering familiar seasonal favorites.

When Can Customers Order Thanksgiving Meals?

Cracker Barrel began accepting Thanksgiving Heat & Serve pre-orders on October 20.

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Customers can place orders through the company’s website or mobile app.

Thanksgiving meal pickup dates: November 21–29, 2026.

With Thanksgiving falling on Thursday, November 26, customers have several pickup dates available to accommodate their holiday plans.

The company recommends ordering ahead to secure the desired meal and pickup date.

The seasonal restaurant menu is also available for a limited time at participating Cracker Barrel locations nationwide.

Celebrating the Little Moments of the Holiday Season

Cracker Barrel’s holiday campaign focuses on the idea that memorable gatherings don’t always have to happen on major holidays.

Sometimes, a family breakfast, a weeknight dinner or an unexpected gathering can become a meaningful holiday tradition.

“Some of the best holiday memories happen when you’re not planning on making them,” said Sarah Moore, Cracker Barrel’s chief marketing officer.

The company hopes its seasonal menu will encourage customers to enjoy those moments throughout the holidays.

The strategy also reflects a growing interest in convenient meal options that allow families to enjoy traditional holiday foods without spending an entire day preparing them.

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A Taste of Tradition for the Holidays

Founded in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 1969, Cracker Barrel has built its reputation around homestyle meals, country hospitality and traditional American comfort food.

Today, the company operates approximately 660 restaurants across 43 states.

Its 2026 holiday lineup continues that tradition by combining familiar seasonal dishes with new menu offerings and convenient take-home meals.

Whether customers are interested in cinnamon-filled pancakes for breakfast, a country fried turkey sandwich for lunch or a complete Thanksgiving feast at home, the restaurant is offering several ways to enjoy the flavors of the season.

And for families who would rather spend Thanksgiving visiting with loved ones than managing a kitchen full of pots and pans, the Heat & Serve meals may be an appealing alternative.

Where to Find More Information

Customers can explore the holiday menu, check local availability and place Thanksgiving meal pre-orders through the official Cracker Barrel website or mobile app.

Website: CrackerBarrel.com

Source: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., news release dated October 20, 2026.

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Celebrate the Return of Fall with One-Pot Ratatouille Spaghetti

(Feature Impact) As the seasons change, you don’t have to overhaul all your meal plans immediately. Usher in the arrival of autumn with recipes that blend fresh, summery produce with warm fall flavors.

This Ratatouille Spaghetti recipe is a perfect way to make the most of those last few harvests from the garden or trips to the farmer’s market. Create layers of rich flavor by taking your time with each vegetable – first browning the eggplant then softening the zucchini and tomatoes before adding flavorful aromatics like garlic and thyme to make the whole house smell delicious. The addition of chickpeas or cannellini beans boosts the protein and fiber in the meal, and you can use a high-protein or whole-grain pasta for even more nutrition.

The best part is, while this meal might taste gourmet, you can have it ready in less than an hour – and leave yourself with only one pot to wash afterwards. Even if it’s a school night, it only takes a few extra steps to make a spaghetti dinner feel a little fancier.

Discover more seasonal recipes at Culinary.net.

Ratatouille Spaghetti

Recipe adapted from Serious Eats
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1/2       cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  
• 1          pound unpeeled eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 4 1/2    teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  
• 2          large zucchini, divided
  
• 1          small yellow onion, chopped
  
• 6          cloves garlic, finely minced
  
• 1          tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  
• 1/2       teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  
• 1          can (12 ounces) chickpeas or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 4 1/2    cups water
  
• 1          cup jarred tomato puree
  
• 12        ounces dried spaghetti
  
• 1          orange, yellow or red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 3          medium tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  
• 1          cup packed fresh basil leaves, roughly torn
  
•             lemon juice, to taste

1. In large Dutch oven or stovetop pot, heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add eggplant and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; cook 8-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned and softened. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Wipe pot clean if remaining browned bits are starting to burn.
2. Cut one zucchini into 1-inch pieces. In now-empty pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add zucchini pieces, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is browned and softened. Stir in garlic, thyme and red pepper; cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Stir in reserved eggplant and chickpeas or cannellini beans.
3. Add water, tomato puree and remaining salt to pot then bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Add spaghetti, reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and cook about 8 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking, until spaghetti is almost al dente.
4. Cut remaining zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces. Add zucchini pieces and bell pepper to spaghetti and cook 6-8 minutes, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring often, until pasta is al dente and vegetables are tender. Stir in fresh tomatoes and basil; remove from heat.
5. Divide evenly among six bowls. Finish with squeeze of lemon juice for extra brightness, to taste, and garnish with extra olive oil, basil and crushed red pepper, if desired.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

SOURCE:

Culinary.net

Last Updated on October 29, 2026 by Daily News Staff

Christopher Damman, University of Washington

Each October, as the days shorten and the air grows crisp, millions of Americans prepare for the beloved – and often sugar-fueled – tradition of Halloween. From jack-o’-lanterns glowing on porches to costumes ranging from the whimsical to the gory, Halloween is a time of playful scares, childhood memories and, of course, candy.

But as the wrappers pile up and the sugar rush hits, there’s something far more sinister brewing beneath the surface: the negative effects of candy on your gut health.

Sugar and other ingredients in Halloween treats can cast a sickly spell on the trillions of microorganisms that reside in your gut, collectively known as the gut microbiome. As a gastroenterologist and gut microbiome researcher at the University of Washington School of Medicine, I have dedicated my career to decoding the cipher of how food affects this microbial community within your gut.

While no candy is truly healthy, some options are better for your gut than others. And there are ways you can help wake your gut from its sugar “spell” after holiday indulgence.

Gut-busting treats

What does all this candy do to your gut?

In a healthy state, your gut microbiome acts like a microbial factory. It digests nutrients your body can’t – such as fiber and colorful, health-conferring plant compounds called polyphenols – and produces important molecules called metabolites that protect against infection and support brain health. It also regulates metabolism, or the transformation of food into useful components that power and grow cells.

A balanced diet keeps your gut’s microbial cauldron churning smoothly. But the concentrated sugar, saturated fat and additives in candy can throw things into disarray by feeding inflammatory microbes that weaken your gut barrier – the protective lining that separates your microbiome from the rest of the body.

Once the gut barrier is breached, even friendly microbes can stir up inflammation, causing health issues ranging from overweight to obesity, infections to autoimmune disease, and mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s.

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Sugar and inflammation impair your microbiome’s ability to digest food and regulate metabolism. Instead of producing healthy byproducts – such as butyrate from fiber and urolithin A from polyphenols – candy lacking these nutrients may trick your system into storing more fat, providing less energy for your muscles and brain.

Too much candy can also affect your immune system. A healthy gut microbiome helps your immune system distinguish between friend and foe, reducing the risk of infections and autoimmune disorders. Sugar and inflammation undermine the microbiome’s role in training the immune system to distinguish between harmful invaders and harmless substances. Without a carefully calibrated immune system, your body may not effectively clear infections or may strongly react to its own cells.

Neurologically, excess sweets can also affect the gut-brain axis, the two-way communication between the gut and brain. A healthy microbiome normally produces neurotransmitters and metabolites, such as serotonin and butyrate, that influence mood and cognitive performance. Sugar and inflammation adversely affects the microbiome’s role in mental health and cognitive function, contributing to depression, anxiety and memory troubles.

The candy conundrum

Not all Halloween treats are created equal, especially when it comes to their nutritional value and effects on gut health. Sugar-coated nuts and fruit such as honey-roasted almonds and candy apples rank among the top, offering whole food benefits just beneath the sugary coating. Packed with fiber and polyphenols, they help support gut health and healthy metabolism.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are chewy treats such as candy corn, Skittles, Starbursts and Twizzlers. These sugar-laden confections are mostly made of high fructose corn syrup, saturated fat and additives. They can increase the unsavory bacterial species in your gut and lead to inflammation, making them one of the least healthy Halloween choices.

Chocolate-based candies, however, stand out as a more microbiome-friendly option. While varieties such as Twix, Three Musketeers and Milky Way contain only a small amount of chocolate, pure chocolate bars – especially dark chocolate – are rich in fiber and polyphenols. In moderation, dark chocolate with at least 80% to 85% cacao may even benefit your gut microbiome and mood by encouraging beneficial bacterial species to grow.

Chocolates with whole nuts, such as almonds or peanuts, offer a boost of fiber, protein and omega-3 fats, making them a healthier choice. Dark chocolate with nuts is best. But when sorting through Halloween treats, Peanut M&Ms, 100 Grands and Almond Joys may be better options over Rolos, Krackels and Crunches. Even candies with processed nuts, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Butterfingers, retain small amounts of fiber and protein, making them preferable to nut-free options.

At the bottom of the list, along with chewy sugar candies, are pure sugar candies such as lollipops, Jolly Ranchers, gummies and Smarties. These sweets lack nutritional value, and their high sugar content can contribute to the growth of unhealthy bacteria in your gut microbiome.

In the end, all candies are high in sugar, which can be harmful when consumed in large quantities. Moderation and an otherwise balanced diet is key to enjoying Halloween treats.

Rebalancing after indulgence

If the microbiome is critical for health, and candy can disrupt its balance, how can you restore gut health after Halloween?

One simple strategy is focusing on the four F’s of food: fiber, phytochemicals, unsaturated fats and fermented foods. These food components can help support gut health.

Fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits and vegetables regulate digestion and nourish beneficial gut bacteria.

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Polyphenol-rich foods such as dark chocolate, berries, red grapes, green tea and extra virgin olive oil help reduce inflammation and encourage the growth of healthy gut bacteria.

Unsaturated fats such as omega-3 fats, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon can also support a healthy microbiome.

Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir and miso help replenish beneficial bacteria and restore gut balance.

To make tracking your diet easier, consider using a food calculator to measure how well your meals align with the four F’s and microbiome friendly options. Like a virtual “spellbook,” an online tool can help ensure your food choices support your gut health and ward off the effects of sugar overload.

As my daughters often remind me, it’s perfectly fine to indulge every now and then in a few tricks and treats. But remember, moderation is key. With a balanced diet, you’ll keep your gut healthy and strong long after the Halloween season ends.

Christopher Damman, Associate Professor of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, University of Washington

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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