Last updated on November 25th, 2020 at 11:25 am
Hatch Green Chile season is here until mid-September in more than 100 Food City, Bashas’ and AJ’s Fine Foods stores throughout Arizona. Now until Sept. 8, Arizonans are invited to a #HatchAtHome Challenge in celebration of the season. 
Food City, Bashas’ and AJ’s Fine Foods are wanting to see what their customers can make with Hatch Green Chiles during the next 30 days. They are inviting Arizonans to post a public photo or video on their favorite social media feeds, using #HatchAtHome for a chance to win a variety of at-home cooking supplies and a grocery gift card (valued at $1,000) or a runner-up prize of at-home cooking supplies and a grocery gift card (valued at $500).
On Sept. 9, grand-prize and runner-up prize winners will be randomly selected.
It has been months since the pandemic limited restaurant options and caused many people – even those who have never made a meal in their own kitchen – to cook more at home. Consumers now report cooking an average of six dinners at home a week, compared with 3.8 weekly home-cooked dinners in a 2018 survey. Due to stay-at-home and quarantine orders, everyone is spending more time cooking, watching TV, browsing social media and exercising at home.
While some are experiencing cooking fatigue in the kitchen, others have felt more empowered, discovering they enjoy preparing and eating homemade food more than expected. Some new recipes, habits and skills appear likely to last as consumers participate in more cooking projects at home.
The Hatch Green Chile harvest has become a culinary celebration in the Southwest.
Fresh, authentic Hatch Green Chiles can add flavor to any at-home meal, from cheeseburgers to enchiladas. The harvest timeframe is limited, so many people stock up during the season and freeze Hatch Chiles so they can use them year-round. Besides being tasty, green chiles also have many health benefits.
Special Hatch Green Chile offerings at stores 
Authentic Hatch Chiles will be available for purchase from now until mid-September at Bashas’ Family of Stores. Some stores will offer in-store specials made with Hatch Green Chiles.
Food City
Nearly all Food City stores will roast Hatch Green Chiles for customers at no charge. Dates and times of Hatch Chile roasts are available by calling or visiting your neighborhood Food City store. Special offerings include:
- Food City Bakery Departments: Hatch Green Chili & Cheese Bolillos and Hatch Green Chili & Cheese Corn Bread Muffins;
- Food City Deli Departments: Made-to-order Breakfast Burritos, Lunch/Dinner Deli Combo Plates/Burritos with Hatch Green Chile Beef, Pico de Gallo with Hatch Green Chiles and Salsa Molcajete with Hatch Green Chiles; and
- Food City Produce Departments: Roasted Hatch Green Chiles.
Bashas’
- Bashas’ Bakery Departments: Hatch Chili Corn Muffins and Hatch Chili Cornbread ;
- Bashas’ Deli Departments: Hatch Green Chile Rotisserie Chickens and Hatch Green Chile Meatloaf;
- Bashas’ Meat Departments: Villa Roma Hatch Chile grilling sausage; and
- Bashas’ Produce Departments: Roasted Hatch Green Chiles.
AJ’s Fine Foods
AJ’s will offer roasted Hatch Green Chiles in its produce department. Other in-store offerings include: Hatch Green Chile Gourmet Burgers, Sonoran Style Hatch Green Chile Dogs, Hatch Green Chile Meatloaf, Hatch Green Chiles stuffed with Cream cheese and wrapped in bacon, Hatch-Green-Chile-stuffed Pork Tenderloins, Hatch Green Chile Chicken Pot Pie, Hatch-Green-Chile-stuffed Sonoran style chicken breast, Hatch Green Chili Pork Stew, Hatch Green Chili Sushi Rolls, Hatch Chile meatballs, Hatch Chile sausage, Hatch Chile Crab Dip, Hatch Chile & Lobster Mac-n-Cheese and Hatch Chile Cornbread.
Bashas’ Family of Stores is based in Chandler, Arizona.
