As the holiday season arrives, tamales take center stage in celebrations across many communities. For generations, families have gathered together in December to prepare tamales — a tradition rooted in history far older than the holidays themselves. Tamales are one of the oldest prepared foods in the Americas, with origins dating back 7,000–10,000 years among the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, and Toltec cultures. According to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, they were created as a portable, pre-prepared food for warriors, hunters, travelers, and ceremonial gatherings.

Wrapped in corn husks or leaves, tamales were easy to prepare in large quantities, transport, and serve — qualities that continue to make them an essential menu item this time of year.

At M.C.I. Foods, Inc., we support operators who see increased demand for tamales during December and throughout the winter season. Our tamales remain a staple across K-12, military, healthcare, corrections, and convenience programs. Operators can explore our full tamale lineup here: Los Cabos Tamale Lineup.

The word tamale comes from the Nahuatl term tamalli, meaning “wrapped food.” The name reflects the defining feature of the dish: masa and filling carefully wrapped for cooking, transport, and sharing.

Historical accounts like the Florentine Codex, compiled in the 1500s, describe tamales produced in massive quantities for festivals and to feed Aztec armies. These writings highlight ancient systems built around batch production, consistency, and efficient distribution — the same operational needs that define today’s high-volume food service.

Supporting Your Seasonal Menu

To help operators promote tamales during December and beyond, M.C.I. Foods, Inc. offers Point-of-Sale (POS) resources ideal for holiday menus, winter promotions, and year-round service.
Access the POS library: Los Cabos POS

From ancient celebrations to modern holiday gatherings, tamales have remained one of the most enduring and adaptable foods ever created — a design perfected thousands of years ago that still supports today’s busiest food-service programs. As participation spikes in December for heritage comfort foods, M.C.I. Foods, Inc. is ready for the 2025-2026 tamale season with efficient batch production and a wide variety of sizes, flavors, and wraps. Whether filling planned menus or last- minute needs, M.C.I. Foods, Inc. has what customers require to keep their programs running seamlessly.

Sources:

• Smithsonian NMAI
• Detailed linguistic documentation can be found in Frances Karttunen’s An Analytical Dictionary of Nahuatl (University of Texas Press)
• Florentine Codex – World Digital Library