Lent begins this Wednesday, March 2, and your local Strack & Van Til store’s Seafood Department is fully stocked with meatless options to make your Lenten meals easy.

Every week during Lent, enjoy the Friday Night $5 Fish Fry, featuring flavorful fish and seafood selections.

Choose from the Fantail Shrimp Dinner or Fish and Shrimp Dinner that each include a half pound of seafood, a half pound of fries and quarter pound of our delicious coleslaw, all for $5 per dinner.

Other varieties include catfish, ocean perch, orange roughy, tilapia, lake perch and more. Starting at $5.99, you’ll get a half pound of seafood, a half pound of fries and quarter pound of our delicious coleslaw.

Crunchy Hush Puppies, savory breaded green beans, gooey mozzarella sticks and tasty sweet potato fries are perfect as appetizers or as sides and are also available.

If you prefer a particular kind of fish, but don’t want the hassle or mess of frying it at home, the Seafood Department at Strack & Van Til will prepare it for you.

“Choose your favorite fresh fish, and we’ll fry it for you for an additional charge of just $1 per pound. You can even choose from three types of breading,” says Strack & Van Til Meat and Seafood Department Director Gary Teachman. “We’re happy to make your meal your way.”

If you’re fishing for other easy meatless meals for Lent, visit the Strack & Van Til Deli Department. Reel in hot and ready Panko breaded pollack patty fish sandwiches topped with American cheese and served on a steamed bun. Add two small sides and make it a meal for just $5.

Freshly tossed salads with a variety of greens such as spinach, kale and traditional romaine and iceberg lettuce are a healthy, meatless option. Enjoy coleslaws; pasta salads; tuna, egg or seafood salads, including the deli’s special Bang Bang Shrimp and pasta salad. This customer favorite includes tender shrimp, sweet imitation crab, crisp celery, water chestnuts and seashell pasta dressed in creamy, sweet chili garlic aioli and a splash of lime.

“Our meatless soups are flavorful, filling and satisfying, on their own or as an addition to your Lenten meal,” says Deli Director Kristin Snow. “Choose from chunky clam chowder, rich lobster bisque, creamy tomato and heavenly broccoli cheddar.”

Ready-made seafood, tuna or egg salad spread on bread or a flaky croissant and ready-to-use hard-boiled egg 6-packs make perfect Lenten staples. Macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, potato wedges, potato pancakes and Deli-fresh potato, cheese or kraut pierogi and other easy heat-and-serve items are all available in the Deli Department.

Cheese devotees will love the deli’s cheese pizzas and cheesy garlic or spinach and artichoke Giacobbino’s Flatbreads. Toss together a Caprese salad with fresh mozzarella that’s also delicious on tomato bread. Chihuahua cheese creates the perfect quesadilla and specialty cheeses are ideal for building a gourmet three-cheese grilled cheese sandwich, as in the recipe below:

Grilled Three-Cheese Sandwiches

(Taste of the South Magazine)
Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 8 slices white sandwich bread
• 4 slices yellow American cheese
• 4 slices Colby-Jack cheese
• 4 slices cream Havarti cheese
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, divided

Directions

Spread mayonnaise on half of the bread slices. Layer with one piece each American, Colby-Jack and Havarti. Cover with remaining bread slices.
In a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add two sandwiches; cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn, and cook until cheese is melted and both sides are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the remaining two sandwiches.