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Cinco de Mayo (May 5th in Spanish) is a celebration for Mexican-Americans and many others to honor Mexican pride and heritage in the United States. People all over the US celebrate Cinco de Mayo for various reasons. They also celebrate with different events from educational events at schools to street fairs. Food and drinks are also diverse but they are definitely abundant. Here are some of my favorite foods and drinks to celebrate the fiesta of Cinco de Mayo this weekend.

1. The Taco Bar! If you’re going to have a fiesta for Cinco de Mayo, what better way than have people to make their own tacos? Get your quick & easy Pork Taco recipe. First you need the tortilla. I prefer corn tortillas for taco bars. Next, make the taco bar. Put each topping you want to use into a small bowl or ramekin so people can fill up the taco as they wish.

You can pick as many of the below topping options as you like:

  • Beans: try refried beans, black beans, or pinto beans
  • Meat: try shredded chicken, sliced pork, grilled steak, or grilled fish
  • Salsa or diced tomatoes
  • Guacamole or sliced avocado
  • Shredded cheese
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Chopped green onions, red onions, or yellow onions
  • Sliced olives
  • Shredded cabbage or lettuce
  • Sour cream
  • Sliced limes so people can squeeze some lime juice over their taco
  • Get creative and add any additional topping you want! Your options are open.

2. Enchilada Time! I love enchiladas and they are easy to quickly make. You can also make a bunch, so it’s great to bring to a party where there are a lot of people to feed. Enjoy your kid-friendly and kid-approved Tofu Broccoli Enchilada recipe. You can always substitute the tofu & broccoli for some shredded rotisserie chicken.

3. Quesadillas! Another super speedy and simple recipe. I prefer flour tortillas with this one. Get 2 tortillas. Top 1 tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese, shredded rotisserie chicken (it’s already cooked and ready to go), and salsa. Put the 2nd tortilla on top. Broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is slightly browned. Slice like a pizza and serve with any additional topping such as from your taco bar! The above photo is a chicken quesadilla.

4. Crunchy Munchy Chips! I love chips. I love the salty crunch and I love dipping chips into salsas, guacamoles, and more. Watch a video with Lilliana and myself making Pita Chips for a healthier, lighter version than regular chips.

5. Margarita Madness! Watch out for those margaritas during this fiesta. They can pack on the calories so quickly from the mixer and add up to about 500 calories per 5 ounce drink! Instead, get a good tequila and drink it on the rocks with some fresh limes. A serving (which is 1 shot/1.5 ounces) is less than 100 calories. If it’s too strong for you, add a little bit of soda water. This way, you also drink less because it’s hard to chug a strong drink.

I hope you have an amazing fiesta this weekend. It’s all about Family. Food. & Fiesta!

By Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN