A typical southern breakfast served at a restaurant in Richmond Virginia. Grits, eggs, bacon and toast. Sashafatcat / flickr / 2009 / CC BY-SA 2.0
The 2nd of September is Grits for Breakfast Day.
Grits gets a bad rap for being tasteless mush, but it’s important to bear in mind that good quality grits will have a mild corn taste, and besides, most people don’t eat them plain; grits need a flavor boost. At a minimum, people tend to put at least butter and salt on.
There are lots of different special ways to prepare grits for today:
- with cheese and some red pepper flakes or chiles;
- formed into cakes and fried;
- with garlic;
- with bacon;
- Cajun classic combination with shrimp for lunch;
- you could have breakfast out and order grits.
If you think you will be rushed at breakfast, you could make fried grit cakes the day before so they are ready for a quick reheat for breakfast.
If you miss breakfast today, you can make up for it by having some grits for lunch.
#GritsForBreakfastDay #Grits
See also: Hominy, Southern Food
History
The earliest print mention that CooksInfo is aware of for a “Grits for Breakfast Day” in September dates from 2016, in Nebraska:
“Sept. 2: National Grits for Breakfast Day. Grits consist of coarsely ground corn, or sometimes alkali-treated corn (hominy). The food, similar to porridge, is Native American in origin and is commonly eaten for breakfast in the south.” — Andersen, Erin. Upcoming holidays celebrate popular, obscure foods. Lincoln, Nebraska: Lincoln Journal Star. Wednesday, 31 August 2016. Page D1, col. 4.
Comics section. Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas). Sunday, 12 Jan 1947.
Sources
Chef whips up dish for National Grits for Breakfast Day. New York, NY: WABC TV. 2 September 2017. Accessed August 2021 at
https://abc7ny.com/food/chef-whips-up-dish-for-national-grits-for-breakfast-day/2368926/
Mannon, Grace. Here’s What to Make on Every Food Holiday in September. Taste of Home Magazine. 6 August 2020. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.tasteofhome.com/collection/september-food-holidays/
National Grits for Breakfast Day. Fox News. 2 September 2016. Accessed August 2021 at
https://fox2now.com/am-show/national-grits-for-breakfast-day/
Rowell, Sherry. Where to Go for National Grits for Breakfast Day in Charleston. Charleston, SC: My Area Network 843. 22 August 2018. Accessed August 2021 at https://www.843area.com/restaurants/where-to-go-for-national-grits-for-breakfast-day-in-charleston.html