Archive | Food Holidays RSS feed for this section

National Junk Food Day

Potato-ChipsJuly 21 is National Junk Food Day!




Read full storyComments { 0 }

Lemon Chiffon Cake Day






Sources: CNN’s Eatocracy, Punchbowl, Foodimentary

Read full storyComments { 0 }

Chocolate Covered Raisin Day

loose_raisins_600_2March 24 is Chocolate Covered Raisin Day! Chocolate covered raisins combine sundried grape morsels with milk, dark, or white chocolate to make a seemingly healthy and sweet snack treat.

The discovery of raisins is believed by culinary historians to have come about when people noticed grapes drying out while they were on the vine. They soon became the second most popular food sweetener after honey. Exactly when these sundried sweet fruits were combined with chocolate is unknown, but a popular German folk tale referencing a ”wenig Schokolade Ball,” or little chocolate ball is thought to be the first reference to the treat.

In 1927, the Blumenthal Chocolate Company created Raisinets, which were the earliest and most popular brands of chocolate-covered raisins. The brand was acquired by Nestle in 1984, and became a popular movie theater snack and the number one bestselling candy in United States history.

Raisins are an excellent source fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, and certain B vitamins. By adding a layer of dark chocolate to the outside of the raisin, you can add to the sweet treats health benefits because dark chocolate contains antioxidants and important minerals. Since there is also a fair amount of sugar in these treats though, be careful with how many consume! Unless you want a mouth full of cavities as well…

Don’t worry about those pesky side effects today though. Indulge and celebrate today by eating a handful (or two) of delicious chocolate covered raisins!

Sources: Punchbowl, National Day Calendar, Wikipedia

Read full storyComments { 0 }

Bock Beer Day





Sources: Wikipedia, Beer Advocate, Bayou City Sipping

Read full storyComments { 0 }

Oatmeal Cookie Day





Sources: Punchbowl, CNN’s Eatocracy, Foodimentary

Read full storyComments { 0 }

National Coconut Torte Day




Sources: CNN’s Eatocracy,, Wikipedia

Read full storyComments { 0 }

National Cereal Day

cerealMarch 7 is National Cereal Day! Cereal is a breakfast food that comes in all flavors, shapes, and sizes and is usually served with milk.

The word cereal was derived from Cerealia. This was an ancient Roman celebration that celebrated the goddess of grain, Ceres. In the late 1800s, Americans’ diets were mostly high-protein meat-based ones. The unhealthy effects of this were noticeable – laziness, fatigue, and gastrointestinal problems abounded. Cereal was created as a healthy breakfast alternative.

If you’re skeptical of the health benefits of cereal and why our ancestors chose this alternative, you should know that when cereal was first created it was not the sugar-filled food it has since become. Older versions of cereal were dense and bran-packed. They often had to be soaked overnight so that digestion would not be difficult. The fiber rich food was much healthier than meaty meals that were the norm then.

Dr. James Caleb Jackson created these bran nuggets for visitors to his sanitarium, which we liken these days to a health resort. At his sanitarium, he provided healthy food options and treatments for those looking to improve upon themselves. John Kellogg, who was a surgeon and fellow health food nut, took Jackson’s idea and began to experiment. John Kellogg and his brother, Keith Kellogg, began to test out new foods made from boiled wheat. As a sheer accident, the two left out some of their creations overnight. When they returned the next morning, they found the batch had gone stale. Rather than throwing the batch out, they decided to experiment more. They rolled out the batch and noticed that each wheat berry turned into its very own flake. Taking the idea and using corn instead, they created one of the most well-known cereals of all time – Corn Flakes!

Over the years, others began to experiment with cereal making and brands like Grape Nuts, Post Toasties, and Cheerios were created. In 1939, the addition of sugar began to change cereal’s previous status as a health food. The first sweetened cereal to hit the shelves was Ranger Joe Popped Wheat Honnie. Statistics say that 49% of Americans today have cereal for breakfast.

You can celebrate today by chowing down on your favorite cereal. Healthy or not – make sure to have a bowl!

Sources: Punchbowl, National Cereal Day,

Read full storyComments { 0 }

National Pound Cake Day

lemon-pound-cake-DSC_2814March 4 is National Pound Cake Day! Pound cake is a rich dessert made using a pound of sugar, a pound of flour, a pound of butter and a pound of eggs.

Pound cake was first introduced as a popular baked good in the 1700s, and its recipe spread quickly because it was so easy to remember and mimic. Typically, the recipe was meant to feed multiple families because of it’s large amount of ingredients. Due to the pound cake’s equal ratio of ingredients though, smaller versions of the cake can be made just as long as you stick to the 1:1:1:1 ratio. Even when using a smaller amount of each ingredient, these cakes are still referred to as pound cakes.

While we find nothing wrong with the original simplistic version of the pound cake, over the years, many have began to slightly alter the recipe by adding other flavors. A recipe dating back to 1851 used additives of lemon and orange juice to slightly change the texture and flavor of the cake. Other popular additions include vanilla or almond extract, chocolate, dried fruit, nuts. Some additions are dusted in flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake batter. Cake moistness can be altered by making substitutions like cooking oil or sour cream instead of butter.

The traditional pound cake is made in a bundt pan or loaf tin, but shapes have begun to vary based on cooking utensils. Some like their pound cakes plain, but if you’re craving some extra sweetness, you can top your cake with a sugar glaze, powdered sugar, icing, fruit, or anything else you desire!

We’ve found a couple of recipe variations on the traditional pound cake for you to try to celebrate today!

Sources: CNN’s Eatocracy, Wikipedia,


Read full storyComments { 0 }

National Tortilla Chip Day

tortilla-chips-and-tostadas_456X342February 24 is National Tortilla Chip Day! Tortilla chips are a popular snack item, typically made from cutting tortillas into a wedge shape and frying them. They are often a counterpart to salsa, queso, guacamole, and other delicious dips.

Though tortilla chips have long been a Mexican snack more well-known there as tostados, the snack was first mass produced and brought into the public eye in Los Angeles in the late 1940s. Rebecca Webb Carranza was the owner of El Zarape Tortilla Factory in the ’40s, and she first made the chips from tortillas that were misshaped and rejected from the automatic tortilla-making machines in her factory. She began cutting the misshapen pieces into triangles, frying them, and selling bags for a dime. The fried snack slowly began to catch on and by the 1970s, it became a major competitor for corn chips, which had previously been the most popular dipping chip.

Not only are tortilla chips often used for dipping, but they are also used to make more elaborate dishes like nachos. Nachos were first created by Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya in 1943. Today tortilla chips are a quintessential item in Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants, and the United States remain their largest producer.

Check out this recipe to make your own tortilla chips at home. If you’d rather eat tortilla chips without an accompanying dip, you can spice them up by seasoning them with various herbs and spices.

Happy National Tortilla Chip Day!

Sources: Punchbowl,, Wikipedia

Read full storyComments { 0 }

International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day

February 23 is International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day! Although we humans cannot appreciate dog treats, we can spend today appreciating how happy our canine friends become after consuming a tasty biscuit!

Some form of dog treat has been around since Roman times. Back then, they were called “dog’s bread,” and were made from bran, moldy bread, and rotting leftovers. In the nineteenth century, the English began to add various vegetables, but the consistency was still  rock hard. After taking a trip to England in the mid-1800s, James Spratt saw stray dogs scavenging for food and created a cake-like bone that contained vegetables and meat. He claimed it gave dogs enough endurance that they no longer needed to eat other dog food.  He called them “Meat Fibrine Cakes.”

Spratt dominated the market on dog treats until 1907. F.H. Bennett created a bone-shaped treat that contained minerals, milk, and meat products. Calling his new product “Milk-Bone,” Bennett took over the market, and in 1931 his company was bought by Nabisco.

You can help your pups celebrate today by buying them some of their favorite treats, or by making some of your own. Check out the dog biscuit recipes we found below!

Sources: Holiday Insights,, Wikipedia

Read full storyComments { 0 }