Avocado Day

Avocado. Julie Henriksen / Pixabay.com / 2016 / CC0 1.0

The 31st of July is Avocado Day.

Over the past several decades, avocados have come to be a staple food, touted as a “wonder fat” for our bodies.

Nutritionists agree that it’s a good fat, but remind people that it’s a fat none-the-less.

On this day, avocado producers want us to try avocado in ways other than just guacamole and smashed on toast.

Have you ever had an avocado milkshake, an avocado cocktail or avocado mixed into your scrambled egg?

Have you ever bought frozen avocado in a bag?

Have you ever tried to grow an avocado tree from the pit? Did you have any luck?

Some restaurants may have free or reduced price guacamole offers.

#AvocadoDay #NationalAvocadoDay

See also: Avocado

Activities for today

• try using an avocado when baking brownies, cupcakes or muffins;
• try avocado pudding;
• buy a small bottle of avocado oil to try;
• check restaurant apps for deals on avocado dishes;
• try an avocado face mask or skin scrub.

Recipes

• Avocado Walnut Risotto
• Avocado and Shrimp Spinach Salad
• Guacamole and Shrimp Rolls

History

In 1915, there was talk of plans being afoot for a National Avocado Day:

“Southern California avocado growers organized for mutual benefit, and planned a national avocado day.” — The world’s news in today’s times. Los Angeles, California: The Los Angeles Times. Saturday, 15 May 1915. Page 1, col. 1.

In 1950, there was one held in Escondido, California in March of that year:

“Plans advanced sharply at the weekly meeting of the general committee Wednesday evening for the coming avocado show, which will constitute the first annual celebration of Escondido National Avocado Day on the evening of Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26.” — C.C. Steps up plans for Avocado Day. Escondido, California: Times-Advocate. 9 March 1950. Page 8, col. 1.

In February 1966, there was talk of asking the U.S. Congress to make the 14th of May National Avocado Day:

“Two San Diego congressmen have asked President Johnson to proclaim May 14 as National Avocado Day. The congressmen are James B. Utt, R-Santa Ana and Bob Wilson, R-San Diego. They indicated that about half of California’s avocado growers are in San Diego County and grow about 60 per cent of the state’s avocado crop. The state in turn produces 80 per cent of the nation’s total with Florida producing the remainder.” — Date asked for Avocado Day. Escondido, California: Times-Advocate. Friday, 18 February 1966. Page 4, col. 5.

A few months later, one congressman specifically used “National Avocado Day” as an example of how irksome these days were becoming already, even back in 1966:

“Fed up with all these special observances like “National Avocado Day” and “Do-It-Yourself Week”, Rep. Emanuel Cellar (D-NY) offered a bill to set up a commission which would screen the flood of requests Congress gets to establish these things. There’s no firm figure on how many there are. But Chase’s Calendar of annual events estimates that if you celebrated consecutively all those listed in its current edition, you’d finish sometime in 1991.” — Fast Talker. Cincinnati, Ohio: The Cincinnati Enquirer. Sunday, 26 June 1966. Opinion section, page G1, col. 2.

In 1976, a Washington State newspaper indicated that National Avocado Day was observed on the 31st of May:

“After Centralia College students put together a highly successful, week-long bicentennial celebration last week, what could they do for an encore? Well, Friday is National Avocado Day [Ed: that would have been May 31st], and some of the students plan not to get it go unobserved.” — Advocates aver avocado avidity. Centralia, Washington: The Daily Chronicle. Wednesday, 29 May 1976. Page 1, col. 5.

The day doesn’t seem to have taken off much, though, until it became a paid promotion on a website in 2017.

In 2017, Danika Brysha and Camille May of Model Meals, a meal-delivery business in California, ^[1]National Avocado Day. Bismarck, North Dakota: KXMB-TV. 31 July 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.kxnet.com/good-day-dakota/national-day-calendar-national-avocado-day/ ^[2]”A meal-delivery business in California started it in 2017.” Hamblin, James. The Devastating Truth About National Avocado Day. Washington, D.C.: The Atlantic. 20 August 2019. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/08/happy-national-corporate-promotional-day/596443/ paid the National Day Calendar website of Mandan, North Dakota to promote the 31st of July as Avocado Day on the website. The first year was 2017. ^[3]Accessed June 2021 at https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-avocado-day-july-31/ This is the date that is currently being picked up by the press and the food industry.

Sources

Fornear, Danika J. Celebrate National Avocado Day held annually on July 31. Okeechobee FL: South Central Florida Life. 30 July 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.southcentralfloridalife.com/stories/celebrate-national-avocado-day-held-annually-on-july-31,8637

Hart, Shellie. Did You Know That There’s a National Avocado Day? Bremerton, Washington: Warm 106.9 Radio. Undated. Accessed November 2019 at https://warm1069.com/did-you-know-that-theres-a-national-avocado-day-recipes-video/

How to Celebrate National Avocado Day: Avocado 101. Los Angeles, California: VegWorld Magazine. 31 July 2020. Accessed June 2021 at https://vegworldmag.com/how-to-celebrate-national-avocado-day-avocado-101/

Morris, Chris. Free Guacamole on National Avocado Day Is Chipotle’s Latest Step in Recovery. Fortune Magazine. 31 July 2018. Accessed June 2021 at http://fortune.com/2018/07/31/free-guacamole-national-avocado-day-chipotle/

Tyko, Kelly. Chipotle extends Avocado Day promotion through Wednesday after website crashes. USA Today. 1 August 2018. Accessed June 2021 at https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2018/08/01/chipotle-extends-national-avocado-day-freebie-through-wednesday/876549002/

Wohl, Jessica. This is not the National Avocado Day Chipotle Had in Mind. New York, NY: Ad Age Magazine. 31 July 2018. Accessed June 2021 at https://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/national-avocado-day-chipotle-mind/314449/