Whether it’s mom’s secret-recipe stuffing, grandma’s traditional pecan pie or dad’s Christmas meatballs, cooking and eating special foods together are holiday highlights for many families. Yet, no matter how full the holiday table is, there’s always room for a new dish to spice things up.

“People are always looking for new ideas for cooking or baking at the holidays, and for new ideas for spending time with their kids and making memories at the holidays, and depending on the class they choose, they can do both,” said Elise Kunkel, marketing specialist for Martin’s School of Cooking.

Martin’s Supermarkets offers a variety of both hands-on and demonstration-style cooking classes for adults and children, serving an estimated 4,000 customers throughout each year.

Classes are offered at their Granger, Ind., Warsaw, Ind. and Stevensville, Mich. stores. Each one has a fully-equipped kitchen facility where cooking school students can learn new recipes from one of Martin’s carefully-selected professional chefs.

And, whether one is a novice cook or a well-seasoned chef, the classes at Martin’s have something to offer everyone.

“I myself have learned a lot of tips and tricks over the years from our chefs,” Kunkel said.

Martin’s also makes it convenient to obtain the ingredients so that students can duplicate the recipes when they return home.

“For everything that they make, we want people to be able to purchase the ingredients here at Martin’s,” Kunkel said, “and they get to try everything the chefs make.”

A complete listing of Martin’s upcoming cooking classes can be found at http://www.martins-supermarkets.com/cookingschool. One of the highlights of the holiday season at the Granger store will be “Seasonal Unique Treats” from 6 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 16. In this class, Chef Stevie DeBlase will be demonstrating how to make “perfect” pie crusts and some very special brownies.

An upcoming holiday-themed class at the Stevensville store will be “Hungarian Kiflis for the Holidays” from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. There, Chef Suzanne Wilson will be teaching students how to make buttery, rolled Hungarian cookies that are filled with nuts or fruit.

Martin’s also provides fun opportunities for children to make traditional favorites.

“Our Junior Chef class is coming up, and it’s a big deal. Kids love to come to it. It’s a hands-on class for kindergarteners through fifth-graders, and they make a lot of different things. They get to eat them there, and they make a lot, so they get to take some home, too,” Kunkel said. “It’s a great way for parents to finish their holiday shopping and send their kids to cook with us in our kitchen.”

Chef Darcy Bloss will be teaching the Junior Chef class, “North Pole Nibbles,” at the Granger store from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 19, and at the Stevensville store from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 21. Treats to be made include Candy Cane Fudge, Sugar Plum Fairy Wands, Reindeer Treat Snacks, Christmas Tree Pizzas, Snowmen Stackers, Santa Grahams and Polka Dot Elf Pops.

As an added bonus at the holidays, Martin’s is offering an extended “Hot Cyber Monday Deal” through Dec. 15. Students can receive a $10 discount when they purchase two or more tickets for any December class.

“Whether you like to cook, or just eat, or if you enjoy eating and watching cooking shows, this is definitely a great place to be,” Kunkel said.