Buffet table. Andrea Egger / Pixabay.com / 2010 / CC0 1.0
What’s happening when and where in the world of food: a calendar of 700 special food-related days. Celebrate these food holidays with suggested activities and recipes, learn about the history, literature and lore behind these delicious days and explore the links for further learning! Many of the food calendar days also contain additional links to resource kits.
See also: Food Holidays: Where Are They All Coming From?
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| April | August | December |
It was forbidden to eat eggs during the period of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday tomorrow. The last of the eggs would often be used up in pancakes on this day, called Shrove Tuesday.
Brose Day and later that day, Bannock Night, were food-related traditions held in Scotland on the same day as Shrove Tuesday.
The 1st of March is St David's Day. Today is much more though than a celebration of St David; it's a celebration of Welsh culture, heritage, identity and survival.
Pączki Day is observed just shortly before the start of Lent. It celebrates the rich Polish deep-fried, filling-stuffed doughnuts that are made at this time of year.
March 2nd is Banana Cream Pie Day. It might be a very retro dessert, reminiscent of lunch-counter dining from days gone by, but it is still just as delicious.
Ash Wednesday is the start of the fasting period known as Lent in the Christian Church yearly calendar. It marked the beginning of a period of special restricted food rules.
Lent is a period of fasting that takes place in the months leading up to Easter. Interestingly, alcohol was never on any lists of foods proscribe for the period, but milk was.
The Doll Festival is an unofficial, fun holiday in Japan, mostly for small girls. Girls arrange their collection of dolls for proud display on tiered stands in their living rooms.
The 4th of March is Pound Cake Day. If the day once again has crept up on you leaving you with no time to make one, you could always sneak out to the grocery store.
The 5th of March is Absinthe Day. If you've never sampled absinthe before, today could be a good day to finally explore the mystique and mystery around it.
The 6th of March is Frozen Food Day; in fact, all of March is Frozen Food Month.
The 7th of March is reputedly the day on which to enjoy a Crown Roast of Pork.
The 8th of March is International Women's Collaboration Brew Day (IWCBD). The day is designed to help reclaim women's place in the beer brewing world and provide networking opportunities.
Barbie Millicent Roberts was born on the 9th of March in 1959. Well, perhaps not born, but she had her debut at the American International Toy Fair in New York City.
The 9th of March is Crabmeat Day. It is such a delicious day; only a crab would want to miss it! In fact, a crab probably would want to miss it!
The 9th of March marks the end of the Pastry War in 1838 between Mexico and France. Treat yourself to a pastry!
The 10th of March is Ranch Dressing Day. It's not just for salads anymore: it makes for a delicious ingredient in many recipes. You may also wish to learn how to make your own DIY powdered mix for it.
The 11th of March is Penny Loaf Day. On this day, loaves of bread have been handed out for hundreds of years in Newark, Nottingham, England.
The 12th of March is Baked Scallops Day. Enjoy baked scallops today as a starter or as a main course!
The 13th of March is Coconut Torte Day, which means today's the day to have a piece of fancy coconut cake, either homemade, or from a store, or at your favourite café or tea shop.
The 13th of March is the birthday of Charles Grey, the second Earl Grey, after whom the famous tea is reputedly named. It is one of the "earliest blended teas" that is still extant.
The 14th of March is the birthday of Mrs Isabella Mary Beeton. She is famous for the cookbook she published in 1861 when she was just 25 years old, which went on to become the Bible of Victorian cookery for the second half of the 1800s.
The 14th of March is Pi Day. It celebrates the mathematical concept of π (3.14), but because it sounds the same in English as the English word for "pie", it has become associated with eating pie today.
The 14th of March is an unofficial Japanese holiday: White Day. It is a day when men give to women white presents, which can be gifts of food or other items.
Potato Chip Day: the day on which you get to have one potato chip, but then have to stop... Try cooking with potato chips today.
The 15th of March marks the day when Bunny Lapin received a patent for a special spray nozzle for tins of Reddi-wip cream. It was a revolutionary design and product.
The 16th of March is the birthday of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale. It was founded on this day in 1971 by young journalists from the Manchester and Liverpool areas.
St Patrick's Day is a day to celebrate all things Irish. It is a major food and drink day.
Oranges and Lemons Day takes place every year in London, usually on the third Thursday of March at the Church of St Clement Danes in London.
The 18th of March is Sloppy Joe Day. Enjoy one to celebrate, but just remember not to wear white clothes while eating one!
The 19th of March is St Joseph's Day. For those observing, it is a day of great feasting. A special display table of food is assembled to honour the saint.
Corn Dog Day is a celebration of corn dogs, tater tots, beer and basketball. You can celebrate in your own living room while watching basketball on TV, or, head out to an event serving corn dogs.
The 19th of March is Poultry Day. Poultry is a far more efficient source of meat than beef, pork or lamb. You could celebrate with turkey or chicken bacon, grab a rotisserie chicken on your way home from work, or, even look into raising backyard chickens for eggs.
The 20th of March is Ravioli Day! If it's a weekend, see if you can talk a group of friends into coming round in the afternoon and making the ravioli for dinner from scratch.
The 21st of March is French Bread Day. Support a local bakery and treat yourself to a good quality loaf of a French bread -- there are many types to choose from!
Agriculture Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture, and the farmers who work to provide it.
The 22nd of March is World Water Day. We take it for granted in the kitchen, but potable water is the number one ingredient in preparing and cooking food.
March 23rd is Melba Toast Day. Enjoy some melba toast with some cold cuts and cheeses, or alongside a soup or salad, or maybe with some cream cheese and smoked salmon on it.
The 23rd of March is Chip and Dip Day. Get some friends together today, and try a selection of chips and dips that are a bit out of the usual for you!
Fannie Merritt Farmer was born on the 23rd of March 1857 in Boston. She revolutionized the way Americans cook. Weighing ingredients was out, cups were in.
The 24th of March is Cocktail Day. What a great day to get together with some friends at your favourite bar for a cocktail or two. Or, host a DIY cocktail bar and invite friends over!
The 24th of March is Chocolate Covered Raisins Day. It can be very hard to stop eating, as they are so morish! Well, here's a day where you don't have to stop yourself!
The 25th of March is National Dante Day in Italy. It celebrates Dante Alighieri, the Florentine author of The Divine Comedy. It could be a good day to cook some Florentine or Tuscan food in his honour.
The 25th of March is Greek Independence Day. Nutritionists now extol the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, so today's a doubly good day to explore some Greek recipes.
The 25th of March is Lady Day. It was one of the four quarters of the Western year. It was an important date in the food and agricultural calendar.
The 25th of March marks the Birthday of Venice. Venice has many unique culinary traditions different from the rest of Italy. If you haven't been there yet, maybe you will someday!
The 25th of March is Tichborne Dole Day, held since the 1100s. Bread was originally given out to people in the parish; now it is flour.
The 25th of March is Waffle Day — the perfect reason to treat yourself to some waffles today. You could order them at a restaurant, or buy some frozen ones and heat them up at home. Or, even make your own!
The 26th of March is Spinach Day. How do you like your spinach: raw, cooked, or as far away from your plate as possible?
Pretzel Sunday is observed on the 4th Sunday before Easter in Luxembourg, where it's called Bretzelsonndeg. A boy can offer a pretzel to a girl he fancies.
The 27th of March is International Whisk(e)y Day. How do you like yours? Straight up, on the rocks, or in a whiskey cocktail?
Mothering Sunday is Mother's Day in England. Observance started in the 1500s at least. Simnel cake is traditional on this day.
The 28th of March is Black Forest Cake Day. It's such a treat, so make sure you have some today -- perhaps for breakfast, even! After all, it's got fruit in it, right?!
The 28th of March is Something on a Stick Day. Try to eat every meal on this day off a stick: breakfast, lunch and dinner!
The 29th of March is Lemon Chiffon Cake Day. Light in texture and taste, it's the perfect cake for spring.
The 30th of March is Turkey Neck Soup Day. It's a day that prompts us to finally use up any turkey necks or other turkey bits that may still be lingering in the freezer from the holidays.
The 30th of March is Hot Chicken Day. If you haven't yet tried this spicy, deep-fried treat from Tennessee, today could be the day to get to know it!
The 31st of March is Clams on the Half Shell Day. Some restaurants will offer specials today, or you can get some fresh from your local fishmonger and make your own at home. You can also buy frozen, ready to bake.
| January | May | September |
| February | June | October |
| March | July | November |
| April | August | December |