National Food Days 2023 {Free Printable Calendar}

If you’re a content creator, you’re always looking for ideas for new recipes. And if you’re a home cook, trying to keep dinner exciting, you need inspiration for seasonal meals.

This (United States) National Food Days calendar for 2023 will provide you will all the inspiration you need all year long. There are entries for every single day of the month, all 365 days of the year. (Two entries for some days!)

Whether you plan social media content or family meals, you can always look ahead to this printable calendar!

Get All 12 Months in One PDF

Top 25 Most Popular National Food Holidays in 2023

1. National Taco Day is October 4
2. National Ice Cream Day is the third Sunday in July (July 16, 2023)
3. National Pretzel Day is April 26
4. National Waffle Day is August 24th (But International Waffle Day is March 25!)
5. National Tequila Day is July 24
6. National Cashew Day is November 23
7. National Spaghetti Day is January 4
8. National Coffee Day is September 29 (International Coffee Day is October 1)
9. National Doughnut Day is November 5
10. National Hamburger Day is May 28
11. National Bagel Day is January 15
12. National Candy Corn Day October 30
13. National Chocolate Day is October 28 (International Chocolate Day is September 13)
14. National Pizza Day is February 9
15. National Popcorn Day January 19
16. National Mint Julep Day is May 30
17. National Hoagie Day is May 5
18. National Hot Dog Day is the third Wednesday in July (July 19th, 2023)
19. National Pancake Day is September 26 (National Blueberry Pancake Day is January 28)
20. National Apple Pie Day is May 13
21. National Chocolate Eclair Day is June 22
22. National Pie Day is January 23 (But often observed on Pi Day, March 14 - 3.14)
23. National Lasagna Day is July 29
24. National Strawberry Sundae Day is July 7
25. National Raspberry Cake Day is Monday July 31

The Origins of National Food Holidays

The truth is there are as many origin stories for the "national days" as there are national food holidays. Obviously, very few are official holidays and many are marketing techniques. Chains make free food offers that we, of course, greedily lap up.

A few fun facts about National Food Holidays:

• Ronald Reagan signed proclamations declaring National Ice Cream Day (July 9) and National Catfish Day (June 25).
• Blogger John-Bryan Hopkins came up with the first Food Holiday calendar. His blog Foodimentary is wealth of legitimate food history - but he also says he made up many of the Food Days we now celebrate. Thanks, John!
• The closest you can get to an "official" food holiday is to make it onto the National Day Calendar. There's a cost to doing so, however - specifically, between $2,300 and $4,000. And if that seems cheap, consider that it also requires a unanimous approval from their board.  
• National Donut Day dates way back to WWI. The Salvation Army fried donuts in soldier's helmets and served them on the battlefield. National Donut Day began in Chicago as a way to commemorate those nurses, "Donut Lassies". Read more here.

Finally, if one (and often two) official food holidays for every single day of the year aren't enough for you, you can get the full and complete lists at Chase's Calendar of Events or Julee Ho.