7 Food and Activity Pairings for Tax Season

Trust me, I have been where you are. It’s tax season and you are at a loss again. You ask yourself, what forms do I need to fill out? Should I itemize or not? What do I do if I owe money?

Thank you for coming along on this journey.

Let me be your culinary guide to this annual, late winter ritual.

7 Food and Activity Pairings for Tax Season

1.  Quandary #1: What recipe can I prepare while I am gathering my wage statements from the past year? Well reader, I am glad that you asked. Twice baked potatoes pair well with the arduous process of locating your W-2’s. Try this recipe from Ali Slagle from the New York Times, it’s ready in only about one and a half hours. Get it? Cute right? W-2 and twice baked potatoes both have two in them. If you need sustenance to get you through locating your Identity Protection (IP) PIN, finding last year’s tax returns, and gathering your bank account numbers, this recipe can also sustain you.
2. Quandary #2: What recipe goes well with filling out the 1040 or 1040 SR? You’ve come to the right place in asking me. The 1040 and the 1040 SR (for tax payers age 65 and older) pairs well with the classic recipe Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic. This being a culinary classic is especially suited to those filling out the 1040 SR. If you plan to itemize your deductions, make this recipe.
3. Quandary #3: My situation is a little different. I plan on filling out the 1040 EZ. Do you have a food recommendation for that? I do have a recommendation. Your situation sounds a little simpler this year than those filling out the regular 1040. Lucky you! Because you have an EZ form I recommend whipping up a cup of Kraft Easy Mac. It goes well with your tax form.
4. Quandary #4: I have started a new business this year. I have recently applied for an EIN or a Federal Employer Identification Number. What recipe ideas do you have that compliment this process? I am glad you asked. You have come to the right place. I have two ideas. First, you might try making this recipe for an Eintopf, which is a stew made with braised short ribs, fennel, squash and sweet potatoes. If that does not suffice, I would recommend an Einkorn (an ancient grain) Risotto With Fresh Herbs.
5. Quandary #5: I have complicated tax situation this year, what foods do you recommend as a good accompaniment for driving to my tax preparers office? I would recommend that you purchase this Snack Bowl from Amazon.com that can by positioned on top of you Stanley 40 oz Tumbler to create a snack caddy where you can munch on cheeses and small bites while you are driving.
6. Quandary #6: I will never finish filling my taxes by the tax due date of Monday, April 15, 2024, do you have any specific sources of recipes that would be good for a person in my situation? I recommend that you contact your local Extension Office, these offices are run by university employees and volunteers that are experts in local crops, landscaping, soil, gardening, cooking and food preservation. Here is a link to recipes from the Penn State Extension office.
7. Quandary #7: I just received my tax refund in the mail. Do you have any restaurant recommendations for a person in my situation? I recently saw a list of current most expensive menu items at Fast Food Restaurants. You can purchase 36 pieces of Traditional Wings at Pizza Hut for $58.99. Here is the complete list. Treat yourself, you deserve it.