Lent begins Feb. 26 and though you might give something up, you won’t have to sacrifice taste, quality, variety or value if you shop at Strack & Van Til.

In fact, Strack & Van Til has everything you need to observe Lent, including the best fish and seafood selections for meat-free Fridays.

“Every Friday during Lent we’re serving up our Friday Night $5 Fish Fry,” said Strack & Van Til Seafood Department Director Gary Teachman. “Try our Tilapia or Swai (Basa) Dinner each include a half pound of seafood, a half pound of fries and quarter pound of our delicious cole slaw, all for just $5 per dinner.

“Many of our customers say our selection is the best in Northwest Indiana,” Teachman said. “And that’s no fish story.”

Don’t miss tasty Catfish, Ocean Perch, Orange Roughy, Tilapia, Lake Perch and more. Make it a meal, with a half pound of seafood, a half pound of fries and a quarter pound of cole slaw, starting at $5.99. There are also Catfish nuggets or steaks, plus a fish sandwich combo meal.

Add an order of savory sides such as crunchy Hush Puppies, tender Breaded Green Beans, gooey Mozzarella Sticks and flavorful Sweet Potato Fries.

You also won’t have to spend time preparing your meal. The Strack & Van Til Seafood Department will cook your fish and seafood for you, just the way you like it.

“Prefer your fish or seafood fried? We’ll cook it while you wait,” said Teachman. “Just place your order at the Seafood counter and for $1 more per pound, we’ll fry it in your choice of our traditional Signature Batter, Lemon Pepper or Cajun breading flavors.”

If you like your fish grilled or steamed, the Strack & Van Til Seafood Department in most stores can do that while you wait, as well.

Feeding a family? Our popular Family Seafood Dinners include 32 ounces of cooked, breaded seafood to feed four people. Treat them to Catfish, Tilapia, Ocean Perch, Swai/Basa, Lake Perch, Orange Roughy, shrimp and more, starting at $13.99 each. Or, serve our mouth-watering Bucket of Shrimp that features 24 of our famous, extra-large Breaded Fantail Shrimp for just $12.99 every day.

What’s the old saying – there are plenty more fish in the sea? At Strack & Van Til, you’ll find more fish dishes for Lent in the Deli Department. Try our hot and ready, breaded Pollack fish patty sandwiches with American cheese on a steamed bun, or bite into a seafood, tuna or egg salad sandwich on bread or a flaky croissant.

Fish and seafood are just one delicious part of the story: Other great Lenten meat-free options include crispy potato pancakes, freshly tossed salads, cole slaws, pasta salads, tuna, egg or seafood salads, hard-boiled egg six-packs from our Salad Bars.

“Enjoy our array of meatless soups, like chunky Clam Chowder, luscious Lobster Bisque, Creamy Tomato and heavenly Broccoli Cheddar,” said Deli Director Kristin Snow. “They’re filling and satisfying, as well as rich in flavor.”

If you’re a cheese lover, be sure to pick up Deli cheese pizzas, three-cheese grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, or grilled cheese and quesadillas made with Chihuahua cheese.

When it’s time for Lent, it’s time for all the easy ways to enjoy a good meatless meal, made possible by your local Strack & Van Til.