It’s fun each month to see what important National Food Holidays are ripe for celebrating. This month is no different, and here is an eclectic mix of possibilities in case you need an excuse to try a certain food or arrange a themed gathering. Don’t forget the biggest green holiday of the year with so many food and beverage possibilities: St. Patrick’s Day, this year a Wednesday–how perfect is that!
So many of these month-long holidays have special promotions built around their celebrations. So many choices; these are just a taste of what’s in store. Check the linked websites for ways to participate.
–National Frozen Food Month. OK, I admit this is an odd one as we spend so much time talking fresh, just-picked, and farm-ready, but there are plenty of consumers who feel unfulfilled with a partially full freezer! The big news here is that both the organic and gluten-free markets have increased their frozen offerings so we are not in total wilderness space! Check out the chance to win a prize in the Easy Home Meals section.
–National Nutrition Month. The American Dietetic Association uses this month to spread the word on nutrition education and information to help individuals make informed choices whether dining in or out. They also stress the importance of developing solid eating habits and participating in physical activities.
–National Peanut Month. The Southern Peanut Growers is hosting a recipe contest for foodservice employees, “PB&J My Way.” Here’s your chance to submit your favorite twist on the traditional. They are also donating a jar (up to 4,000 jars) of peanut butter to Feeding America for each recipe submitted. Be creative and help feed those less fortunate. That’s a double win. Plenty of great recipes on the site.
If none of these month-long celebrations excite you, pick a day, and you’ll find a food to celebrate. Try March 7, National Cereal Day or wait til the 14th to celebrate the Potato Chip. There’s at least a food a day and an organization happy to give you celebratory ideas.
I need to conclude with a strange one: Caffeine Awareness Month. I personally believe each sip heightens your awareness and that a month-long promotional program devoted to making the public aware of how their lives are quite possibly negatively affected by use and misuse of caffeine is a whole other discussion. If you need to watch the caffeine, this is your month to learn strategies.
Think you know how that plays out in my universe!
With the child choking information working its way through the media yesterday, it is time to take a step back and do some refresher work on eating safely. This time the reference is not food safety, but being careful how we eat, what we eat, and how to be safe eaters.
