Paczki

Quality Dairy has been serving up authentic paczki since 1978, long before paczki became a seasonal trend. Unlike the donut-style versions you’ll find at big box stores, Quality Dairy’s paczki are made from a traditional Polish recipe entrusted to them by a bakery in Hamtramck, the heart of Michigan’s Polish food culture. Each year, QD features more than a dozen flavors, blending classic favorites with new, limited-time varieties that rotate in for a season or two—giving paczki lovers something familiar to return to and something new to discover every Paczki season.

2026 Paczki Flavors

Apple
Blueberry
Caramel Apple Select
Peanut Butter Select
Cream Cheese
Chocolate
Crème
Custard
Death By Chocolate
Lemon
Raspberry
Strawberry
Prune (last weekend only)
Banana
Black Forest Cherry Crème

Quality Dairy Announces Paczki Palooza 2026 — Bigger, Bolder, and Kicking Off QD’s 90th Anniversary Celebration

Lansing, MI — Quality Dairy is proud to announce the return of Paczki Palooza, the ultimate celebration of Lansing’s favorite pre-Fat Tuesday tradition. This year’s paczki-eating showdown will take place on Friday, February 13 at 3:00 PM at the Reo Town Clubhouse, and promises to be the biggest and most exciting Paczki Palooza yet.

New for 2026, six contestants will compete in a five-minute paczki-eating contest, all battling for cash prizes benefiting their designated charities. The competition has expanded in both scope and spectacle, raising the stakes — and the fun — for participants and spectators alike.

Quality Dairy is excited to welcome LAFCU back as a co-sponsor of Paczki Palooza for the second consecutive year. In a continued show of community support, LAFCU has once again agreed to match Quality Dairy’s cash prizes for charity, effectively doubling grand prize, from $500 to $1000!

Adding to the indulgence, all Quality Dairy paczki flavors will be sampled at the event, and attendees are encouraged to come hungry. As an added bonus, everyone who attends will leave with a coupon for a complimentary four-pack of Quality Dairy paczki.

Meet the Contestants
This year’s lineup features a mix of returning champions, community leaders, and local personalities:

Mark Lawrence – Chief of Staff for Mayor Schor | Representing Red Cross
DeSean Whipple – DJ from Power 96.5 | Representing Haven House
Akiem Harshman – Returning Champion | Representing Judson Memorial Baptist Church
Halatu Musa – Food influencer | Representing the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Terry Stevens – Q106 | Representing National VFW Home
Brian Farnham – Board President for Community Circle Players | Representing Riverwalk Theater

Unlike previous years, contestants were invited directly, allowing Quality Dairy to curate an exciting and diverse group of competitors.

The event will be televised by WILX, with live streaming on Quality Dairy’s Facebook page, ensuring fans can tune in whether attending in person or watching from home.

More than just a competition, Paczki Palooza also serves as the official kickoff to Quality Dairy’s 90th anniversary celebration, marking nine decades of serving the Greater Lansing community. Anniversary festivities and special moments will continue throughout the year.

The public is encouraged to attend, cheer on the contestants, enjoy paczki samples, and celebrate a beloved Lansing tradition that blends fun, food, and philanthropy.

Prizes: