The shopping list for Sukkos has a way of spreading across several pieces of paper. There is the first-night meal, something for guests who may stop by, food for a Chol Hamoed outing, and whatever you promised to bring to someone else's sukkah.
Before adding another item, put the meals in order. It is much easier to choose food when you know which table it is meant for.
Start with the Israel dates
In 2026, Sukkos begins at sundown on Friday, September 25. In Israel, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are observed together from Friday evening, October 2, through Saturday night, October 3. If you are ordering from overseas, use the recipient's Israel schedule when arranging delivery. Hebcal's Israel calendar.
Write down the date you need the food, the address where it should arrive and who will receive it. That last detail is easy to miss when several relatives are involved in planning the same meal.
Give each meal a job
Try dividing your list into three groups:
- Meals you are hosting. Count the people you actually expect and decide which dishes you want to prepare yourself.
- Meals where you are a guest. Ask the host what would help before ordering a surprise contribution.
- Flexible food for the week. Plan something practical for the evenings when everyone comes home at a different time.
You do not need a different centerpiece for every meal. You do need to know whether the food you order is ready to serve or needs cooking, and whether your kitchen has room for it.
Our meat boards, salmon boards and ready-to-cook meats and cholent serve different kinds of plans. Check the individual descriptions instead of assuming they all arrive with the same preparation requirements.
Match delivery to the address and the date
Eitz Chaim Beef's holiday delivery guide uses numbered options for different areas and delivery periods. Choose the option that matches both your location and the date you need. An area appearing on the guide does not make every option appropriate for it.
The guide also asks customers arranging deliveries for multiple dates to place those orders directly with us. If the checkout choices are unclear, get in touch before submitting the order.
Holiday routes and available slots can change. Treat the live delivery guide and your order confirmation as the working instructions, rather than an old message or last year's screenshot.
Ordering a gift from abroad
A few details make the handoff easier:
- Use the recipient's full address, including the apartment or relevant entrance information.
- Have a reachable local phone number.
- Check that someone can receive and refrigerate the order.
- Find out which kashrut supervision and dietary requirements the household needs.
- Check how to include your name or gift message, so the recipient knows whom to thank.
If the delivery is going to a hotel or another managed building, arrange the handoff with the recipient and the property. A booking address alone does not tell the driver who can accept food.
Leave room in the fridge
Think about the actual packaging and board size before the delivery arrives. A fridge filled with drinks can leave surprisingly little space for a meal.
Once you are serving outdoors, bring out manageable amounts and replenish as needed. Refrigerate perishable food promptly; USDA advises a two-hour limit out of refrigeration, reduced to one hour when the temperature is above 90°F/32°C. Follow the product's storage instructions too. USDA food-safety basics.
A short, organized order is easier to enjoy than a long list of last-minute decisions. Choose the meal, check the delivery details, and leave yourself some time to sit in the sukkah with everyone else.
Browse the full shop, or contact Eitz Chaim Beef to discuss an order across more than one date.